Another short break in the New Hampshire rain

Friday June 28, 2013
Site 1 Exeter Elms Campground
Exeter, New Hampshire

 

 

The one good thing about Exeter Elms is the Exeter River.

 

 

Exeter Elms campground runs alongside the Exeter River for many twists and turns.  Take a look at the blue line on the campground map.  They have a lot of river front sites.  Most of them are without services though. 

 

 

 

 

 

With all the rains the river is UP.  This means that we don’t have to drag the kayaks down to the boat launch, but just about 100 yards from our campsite to the “fishing spot”.   So today when it looks like the rains might subside for 3 or 4 hours we hop in them at 1:00 and set off up river.   We are going from the top right of the map to the bottom left.

 

 

 

 

 

The Exeter River is a gorgeous river because the city has done a magnificent job of protecting it.   Even though we inadvertently go in the direction toward development rather than away from it, still much of the way both sides of the bank are forested and there are long stretches where the river does not go along roads so no traffic noise.  Just us and the natural sounds.  

 

 

 

 

And then we come to this little problem. 

 

So sorry this picture didn’t include the other end of this river blocking tree but you can see it in the next shot.  I think “well we’ll just turn around and go the other way” but no………

 

 

Now is when I am really glad I have the camera to record this series.  Although to be fair, it was way easier for me since I am shorter.

   

 

If at first you don’t succeed, look closer.

 

 

 

Success!

 

 

 

And we’re off again. 

Can’t wait to see what happens on the way back.  On a river, we normally always start out upstream so we don’t have to paddle hard at the end of the day.  For quite a long way, the Exeter is a relatively easy up stream paddle.

 

 

 

Exeter is not a city, it is a town they say.  Home to the famous Phillips Exeter Academy if that tells you anything.  But it is still fairly urban and they’ve done just a great job of keeping their river bank natural.  It’s beautiful.

 

 

 

I would guess this is a riverside park but there is no one about to ask.  The pretty little bench just appears.

         

 

Yet another attempt to catch that illusive kingfisher on “film”. 

 

S/he flies back and forth over this stretch of the river both times we pass it.  I wonder if there is a nest.

 

 

 

First time we’ve seen a blue sky in what seems like forever.
I know, not a totally blue  but the clouds aren’t dark gray either.
That’s a good sign.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s true what they say, paddling against the tide becomes difficult.

 

We get past this obstruction with no trouble at all, there is a narrow break in the middle.  But the upstream paddle has been become increasingly more difficult.  Shortly after this it we agree it is too much work so we turn around to drift on home.  We’re not on our way anywhere and one direction on this lovely river is as lovely as the other.

 

 

 

 

Obstruction redo or is that redeux?

Whatever it is, this time is much easier actually.  Either he learned some things, the angles are just easier for laying forward or he got shorter.Who knows.  I don’t have any trouble going either way.  Might be the only benefit of being short.   (BTW, always lay forward, never lay  back in a kayak-much easier to dump yourself)

 

 

Looks pretty pleased with himself doesn’t he??

 

 

Beautiful day on the river.
And just after I take the pictures below, we hear the thunder.
We’re not sure how far we are from the campground.
It doesn’t look like rain but that warning is unmistakable.

 

 

 

 

We round the bend to see the beginning of the campground. 

Still a ways to go to our take out though as you could see from the map at the top.  But I think we’ll make it so I take time for some pictures of a few river front sites.

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rain drops have just started as we pull up to where we put in, our unofficial boat launch. The rain doesn’t let loose until I am putting the hatch over on my boat back at the campsite.  

 
Great timing!  Great Day!