Middle Haw Novice Trip

River:Haw
Skill:Novice
Trip Date:05/14/2017
Written by: , Posted: May 15, 2017

Initially planned as a Saturday trip to the Pony Pasture on the James, water levels and other commitments shifted the trip to Sunday. The James was in too high for a novice trip so after checking regional gages the group decided on the middle Haw as a fallback. 

The river levels, water temps, and weather all came together perfectly for a nice, relaxed day. In addition to the usual scenery we saw lots of wildlife, including bald eagles, ospreys, herons, and the odd snake basking riverside.

Our two first-timers Stephen and Amy both had fantastic laps with no out-of-boat activities and only a handful of pins in the shallower spots. My wife Ronna celebrated Mother's Day with her return to the river after a two year break from paddling. Kristen and Patrick rounded out the group with Patrick helping out with river safety and route finding throughout the day.