Kathryn was attending a baby shower for Shelly. Our U8 soccer team had a bye week so Eric and I joined Skip and friends canoeing down the West Sacandaga River. I dropped an extra seat in my Jensen 18 and paddled it like a solo canoe, with Eric contributing when he felt like it. Fortunately this is a fast canoe so we could power past the water fights when desired. By myself I could just outdistance the other canoes and when extra power/speed was needed, Eric provided the Turbo-boost to sprint a safe distance.

We had 6 canoes and 2 kayaks in attendance. There was only one obstacle on the West Sacandaga, requiring a bit of a limbo maneuver as demonstrated by Skip and his nephew below.

Our wild life viewing was limited to one Great Blue Heron and a pile of moose dung, but the weather was ideal and the company was a lot of fun.

Saturday was the perfect storm of a day. We were invited to paddle down the West Branch of the Sacandaga River with a group of friends. The trip ended at Skip’s camp. It was the perfect confluence of emerging fall colors, perfect weather, “Talk Like A Pirate Day” and canoeing with friends. We put in the West Branch near Goodluck Lake and took out at Shaker Place as the stream starts to get rocky near Skips camp.

We got to Skips camp early and checked out the place as Kathryn hadn’t yet visited there. Below Eric poses on one of the rocks in the stream near the camp.

Eric tells Kathryn and Skip that they must talk like a pirate or they will be walking the plank.

The West Branch of the Sacandaga is small, flat water with a couple of runnable beaver dams. Kathryn paddled our solo canoe. Eric and I paddled in the Jensen. I estimate that Eric paddled 80% of the trip. Being ‘pirates’ and either chasing or being chased by other ‘pirates’ helped keep him engaged. Below Kathryn runs a beaver dam

There was one solid log obstruction that required some finesse. Skip’s brother and his son were in the boat ahead of us. As they stood to walk up the boat they flipped and enjoyed a refreshing swim and our comments for the remainder of the trip.

Fall colors were emerging on the surrounding hillsides.

About 2/3rds of the way we all got out and sat around on a large rock for a bit of a break.