Day 3
Reality hit on the third day: 31 miles to paddle today if we wanted to make Eden Bridge. No breakfast, headlamps on and pointed down river through one of the most beautiful mornings I’ ve been a part of— we were stand up paddling through the morning fog on the Smith River.
With no time for fishing, paddling over each amazing looking run was beginning to wear on us. I asked Jerrin for some water, he threw it to me but it only made it half way to my kayak … we did go fishing for that. Got it.
After 15 miles of paddling, we stopped to make fajitas on our camp stoves. Jake fished the whole time, further testing our resolve to not fish in order to make Eden Bridge before night fall. He hammered them … so I fished too.
Didn’ t hammer them, but did catch one … and then I felt better.
We closed the float by paddling through a huge rain storm, passed Table Rock on the left, and finally got to 5-mile bridge. The map said 3-mile bridge and no one was sure where we were. We saw Hound Creek coming in though, we were close. We stopped and caught a few more fish before we made it to Eden Bridge before dark.
I can’ t wait to do it again.