Trip Report - Chippewa River - Spring 2009

The following post was submitted by Kathy, a fellow Diva, who wholeheartedly committed herself to getting the Divas on the water this spring. After reading her submission, there is no doubt in my mind that I missed out on a wonderful time of camaraderie & excellent paddling.

A slideshow of trip photos, submitted by fellow Diva Paula, will follow shortly.
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Six of us converged on the Chippewa River, four kayakers and two in a canoe, undeterred by gray skies and early morning drizzle, determined to paddle from Highway D in Sawyer County to Imalone in Rusk County. It was Saturday, April 25, 2009, when we embarked on the inaugural Water Divas Chippewa River two-day paddle. Our fine, waterproof trip maps promised “A rollicking ride…one of the best river stretches in Wisconsin…” and warned of “two dozen rapids in this five-hour trip.”

A diverse group of women were we, freed from our winter cabins none too soon. In the stern, Sue, an experienced paddler, and in the bow, Michelle, also an experienced paddler. Friends for many years, they had seldom, if ever, paddled a canoe together. Dorothy, in her red kayak, experienced on flat water and lazy river, approaching the early “rapids” with some trepidation. Trip-leader Kathy, in her old, blue, T-Canyon with skirt. Paula, a veteran diva, in her yellow recreational kayak, paddling and taking pictures. And Paula‘s home-town friend and new-found paddling buddy, Teresa, all the way from Oakfield.

After a brief stop at Kathy’s cottage to unpack clothes and store enough food for a week, we loaded two more yaks and headed up to Highway D in four silver-hued vehicles, a mark of diva-hood. We were on the water by 11:50 a.m.

The first hour of the trip we got our feet wet (not literally) on this shake-down paddle. The river proved to be just as much fun as promised, with a half dozen or so sets of riffles, one maybe approaching class 1 rapids. Our trepidation soon vanished. We were accompanied by bald eagles overhead and northerns below. The skies continued to clear as we floated southward, and by the time we stopped for lunch, we were treated to peeks of sunshine.

We continued into Rusk County through several more sets of riffles and a deep, slow-mowing stretch where the kayakers could feel the northerns below. A pair of muskrats, or possibly otters, were spotted below as well. Along this stretch we also saw people on the riverbank - two groups of them - a most uncommon siting on the Chippewa River. From Murray Rock to the Highway 40 landing, we were treated to repeated riffles and another possible class 1 rapids. Paula and Teresa had switched boats at lunch, and when Teresa ran aground, her trepidation returned and quickly reminded her how not to lean.

At the Highway 40 landing, we took a quick refresher course in navigating through strainers. South of the landing we made our way through a series of islands large and small, littered with trees, branches, and strainers left by the spring run-off. When green, this is one of the most beautiful stretches of the Chippewa, tempting you to take a good long look while challenging you to avoid its clutches. The islands were followed by a long, deep, slow-moving stretch to Imalone, during which the sun was steady enough to burn. We paddled under the Imalone bridge and down Shield’s “Rapids” to the take out at the cottage. Although the water levels were not particularly high, we made the entire trip in five hours.

Sue left her canoe and took off for Eau Claire. The remaining five changed into dry clothes and dove into the food cache. A couple rounds of hot beef sandwiches, chips, dips, salsa, cookies, fruit, apples, dip, and on and on. A few beverages were imbibed as well, although we had the good sense to pour the clove-heavy wine down the sink rather than drink it after the Sangria. Teresa, paddler turned artist, suggested having the blue bottle made into a cheese tray, a common practice in the eastern part of the state. She also wore a unique fleece headband, which we westerners had never seen before. Perhaps there’s an import/export business in such items, if you can “import” things from Fond du Lac to Eau Claire.

After dinner, we headed out to the campfire, which proved to be more effort than the group expected. Paula fanned the flames and kept the oak burning, while Kathy fed the fire with her special mix of confidential client files and toxic waste. Coyotes yapped and howled, first to the southeast, then to the north, under a clear, starry sky. We wrapped up the evening with a rousing game of Quiddler, with Teresa jumping off to an early lead, Paula dozing, Michelle forgetting her turn, and Dorothy finally pulling out the win. Then we crashed.

Sunday morning we awoke to clouds and mist, which increased to steady rain. Keeping up the food tradition, the five of us had a full, hot breakfast, then Michelle decided to call it a weekend and head home. The four remaining paddlers scrounged for water-proof clothing and resolved to paddle the one-hour stretch from the cottage to the Highway A landing on river left. Just as we headed out, decked out, Sue and her husband arrived to retrieve their canoe. Sue advised us we were all nuts.

The paddle proved otherwise, however. The stretch south of Shield’s Rapids is deep and slow-moving all the way to the Highway A landing. We paddled slowly under a gray sky, in steady rain, with no wind, on perfectly calm water. For each of us it was a relaxing, almost spiritual experience.

With a feeling of equanimity, we loaded up boats and packed up gear, said our good-byes, then Dorothy and Teresa headed directly home from the landing. Paula and Kathy headed back to the cottage, where we unloaded Kathy’s boats (thank you, Paula) talked for awhile, then Paula left for home. Kathy picked up a few things at the cottage, turned off the well pump, hot water heater and lights, locked the door, and headed home. Bittersweet.