Oxbow Bend & Two Oceans

Friday August 12, 2011
Gros Ventre Campground Site B104
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

 

We started the day with what Carrie calls
the Farm Breakfast.   It wasn’t “full tilt” since
it didn’t have homemade biscuits which are made
from spelt flour and are flakier than Betty Crocker’s.
Eat your heart out Betty!!!

 

Carrie spent some time relaxing with her journal
and my hat on.  She’s ready to go.

 

 

 

We loaded up for a kayak trip.
Since there were 3 of us we only David’s Necky
and the Sea Eagle.

 

The goal was Oxbow Bend in the Snake River
where we’d been told we might see Trumpeter Swans.

It looked like the only river access near there was a
place known as Cattleman’s Bridge Site down
a VERY long dirt road.   Otherwise you could
put in at the dam near Jackson Lake Lodge
and float down but we didn’t have a
shuttle back so we thought we’d see if we
could get to Oxbow bend from the Cattleman’s
put in.

 

This map didn’t make much sense to me but
David said all we had to do was get out in that
bend and not into the river.
What do you think?

 

We got there, other folks were in the water,
and putting in.   This was clearly the river
and it looked swift.  Folks were cruising by from
the dam put using their paddles only to steer.
Including this white pelican who wasn’t
paddling a stroke.

 

 

There were some calm areas especially along
the river’s edge.  So we blew up the Sea Eagle.

 

 

And off we went.   David & Carrie in the Eagle.
And me in the Necky.

 

 

Those were the last pictures anyone took as
we tried to paddle up stream and around the bend.
The current was just way too strong for us
and it was clear that a shuttle was the only way to do this.

So we left the Snake and went on to Two Ocean Lake
where we happily spent the rest of the day.

 

First we had lunch
before putting into the lake.

 

 

We carried the boats down a fairly long
path to put in.

 

 

This time we sent Carrie off on her own in the Necky,

 

 

 

while I demonstrated all I had learned at
the Linda Payne School of Kayaking.
Thanks Linda!!

 

 

Here is some of the wildlife
on the lake today

 

 

 

 

Everywhere you go in the Tetons,
East, West, North or South,
the peaks are there.
It’s just wonderful!

 

 

We, of course, got back late,
had dinner late and in spite of that
David made a cherry pie.
I was exhausted, I don’t know how he did it.
And at a boon docking site with a head lamp
to boot.

 

Carrie took these shots of the pie baking.
They were taken with no flash.
Her only light was his headlamp.
Well done Carrie!

 

 

 

 

 

And finally,  here is Winnona
on her last night at Gros Ventre
Campground under a nearly full moon.
Tomorrow we move on to
Yellowstone National Park.
Come on back and see what we get in to
other than eating that pie for Breakfast that is.

J