June 3: What an eventful day! Planning to portage Ft. Randall Dam
today, I got an early start and was instantly annoyed when
I encountered a series of mini-dikes, signs of Corps work.
After yesterday's stretch, they struck me as not only
unnecessary, but also aesthetically displeasing. I also had
a strong taliwind, which made reading the current difficult.
Things picked up when I saw 3 bald eagles soaring
overhead, and after that I came upon 2 deer swimming
across the river, I guess to seek asylum in the wildlife refuge
on the other side. About that time, I passed through
Nebraska, and now I'm flanked by South Dakota on both
sides. As I approached the dam, I had a major scare. I had
to cross the river to portage from the other side, and the
current below the dam was incredibly strong. Not only that,
but the strong tailwind roiled the surface into something
resembling the Colorado. Midway through the crossing I got
hit by a gust of wind and a surge of current at the same time
and almost capsized. Had I flippedat that part of the river I
would have been in big trouble. When I got to the other side,
I realized my heart was going a mile a minute and I was
shaking - from sheer terror. When I got my gear out and
prepared to use my new portaging wheels, Clarence Nedved
and Raymond Soukup, who'd seen me cross the river, offered
to give me a lift in their truck. Not only did they take me to
the top of the dam, but they also drove me into Pickstown to
get supplies and dropped me off right at the boat ramp on the
lake side of the dam. I couldn't have asked for kinder or more
generous samaritans. After thanking them profusely, I put in
and ventured out into the lake. I realized instantly this was a
big mistake. The wind had churned the lake into 4-foot swells,
and I could see even the small motorboats struggling. I
managed to get around the point into a safe marina,
convinced that the wind was purposefully trying to kill me
today. Here I had my second stroke of good fortune. As I was
paddling over to talk to Mike Tadlock and Steve Slocum, two
men who had recognized me from the Sioux City article, my
rudder cable snapped. Had it broken when I was crossing the
river, or in the lake, I would have had a major problem. To add
to my luck, Steve was a marine handyman, and he managed to
repair the cable. They both invited me to camp at the Ft.
Randall Boat Club site, where they are members. Later, Mike
gave me a tour of Ft. Randall, and we had dinner and beers
together. Two more generous samaritans. I went to sleep
feeling blessed with good luck.
June 4: Strong headwinds today, but still I made 26 miles, a major
accomplishment. On these lakes, I'm finding headwinds less
of a problem than crosswinds, which are much more
worrisome because they could capsize me more easily. I did
get drenched plowing through the waves, and stopped in the
afternoon to build a fire, dry out, and warm up. I get
apprehensive paddling on these lakes in the wind. Perhaps if
I were a more experienced kayaker I'd be more confident, but
as a novice these 3-4 foot swells scare me, especially when
they hit me crosswise or from behind at an angle. People tell
me to expect 6 foot swells on the larger lakes ahead. I expect
to stay ashore rather than face them.
June 5: I made 32 miles today! Helped by a SE wind, I zipped along at
almost 4 mph. When I was out of the wind, or when it wasn't
too strong, I could relax, take pictures, and enjoy the view.
In the wind, even when it's at my back, requires total
concentration, so I focus only on what's immediately around
me.
June 6: I arrived in Chamberlain today - 29 miles in only 7 hours of
paddling. That makes 88 miles in 3 days. Like yesterday I was
aided by strong SE winds. At one point, with the wind at my
back, I felt like I was surfing. It was exhilarating, but it still
made me apprehensive. I'll stay in Chamberlain for a day of
rest, then push on to Big Bend Dam on Thursday.
June 7-8: After a pleasant stay in Chamberlain, S.D., I set out for my
third dam - Big Bend Dam at Ft. Thompson, S.D. Things went
smoothly for the first hour, but then the wind picked up again.
At mid-morning my rudder cable snapped again, and I patched
it as best I could. After I repaired the cable, I called The
Wilderness House, where Chris said he'd send me a kit with
replacement parts. I'll pick it up in Pierre, if I make it that far.
Paddling in these windy conditions has become incredibly
stressful. Even when it's at my back, I constantly have to
worry about keeping my balance. When it's across my bow, I
worry about being tipped over. When it's in my face, making
progress becomes a physical strain. Onthe other hand, my
new wheels worked like a dream for my portage. I pulled the
kayak, fully loaded, almost 2 miles with a minimum of effort.
June 9: Once again, the first hour was relaxing and fairly easy going.
Then the wind started up again, and by noon I had to contend
with 3-4 foot swells. The last two hours were brutal, with
gusts at time so strong they literally stopped me dead in the
water. I feel like I'm being battered down physically and
psychologically. In conditions like these, I worry about
damage to my wrist and shoulder, I worry about the rudder
cable breaking, and I worry about flipping and drowning. A
couple of days ago someone asked me if I was having fun. I
wouldn't call this journey exactly fun. At times it's been
enjoyable, it's certainly been rewarding, and I've met some
wonderful people, but fun it's not, especially with this
relentless wind. At least the water is clean enough for a cool
swim at the end of the day. And I passed the 1000-mile mark
today.
Click here for days 64-70 of Richard's journal
