Buffalo River

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Hirsch
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Buffalo River

Post by Hirsch »

Firefly (Lynne) and I packed up and headed to Arkansas and the Buffalo River. The day we launched it had rained to day before and the Water was muddy and high. We did the last 24 miles of the Buffalo and 6 miles of the White. Temps were warm, but not intolerable and the country beautiful.
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Hirsch
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Re: Buffalo River

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Re: Buffalo River

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I decided to gamble the weather and skipped a tent to reduce my load.
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Re: Buffalo River

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Hirsch
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Re: Buffalo River

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Re: Buffalo River

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Re: Buffalo River

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The water line where the clear White and muddy Buffalo Rivers joined was very visible. The White was very clear. The rocks in the last picture is about 2' deep.
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larry long shadows
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Re: Buffalo River

Post by larry long shadows »

Nothing better than new waters to explore.. a did yall rent yaks those don't look like what I have seen yall with
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Re: Buffalo River

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No the yaks are ours. You may have never seen my red Heritage. I have had it 6-7 years. Lynne got her Commander about 18 months or so ago if I recall correctly.
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Re: Buffalo River

Post by DumpTruck »

Beautiful! I grew up in that area. The Buffalo looks to be pretty high in those pics. Sometimes it can be almost as clear as the White River.
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Re: Buffalo River

Post by BOPGUNNER »

Great looking trip. Maybe if the Brazos is still low , we hit the Buffalo in October.
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Re: Buffalo River

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It was quite high having had a storm the day before we launched. I turtled in the Clabber Creek Rapids after being flipped backwards losing some gear and receiving about 3 minutes of genuine scare. Fortunately Lynne managed to corral my yak and gear half a mile downstream where I caught up 30 minutes level. If she had not I would have been in a more difficult situation.
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Re: Buffalo River

Post by larry long shadows »

WOW just goes to show you never know..bet that was freaky..3 min is a long time..
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Re: Buffalo River

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Hirsch wrote: I turtled in the Clabber Creek Rapids after being flipped backwards losing some gear and receiving about 3 minutes of genuine scare.
Jeez, Paul...............another man of few words. You know "we women" can't pass up an opportunity for a long monologue of drama and suspense when expounding upon OUR version of how we see situations! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: I'm taking the ball and running with it! Granted, the outcome could have been much worse in many ways .......but we sure did have an adventure, didn't we??!!!!

I LOVED NW Arkansas..........I'd have no problem spending a whole summer up there on the lakes and rivers. Truly gorgeous and not that far...........


First stop: about a ¼ mile downstream from Rush Landing to walk the large sandbar in order to scout the rapids ahead that were mostly out of view. There we made our way around the bend and as far as we could through the forest above the riverbank to check out the Clabber Creek rapids around the corner. Not being able to completely view the other stretch of rapids on the other side of the island, we opted the chute on the right. Back to our yaks! I hung back and watched Paul as he rounded the corner to enter the rapids and then gone from view. Admittedly, I had a bit of adrenalin pumping upon the first sight of the rapids and haystacks once I positioned myself for the run, but it was not like I could turn back! (Hey, I’m from Texas! WE don’t have many rapids on the rivers I do!!) It was a ride! Especially when having to correct my tracking when getting caught in the deflection current of the island and feeling the yak beginning to broadside at the very beginning, lol. My loaded down WS Commander 14 handled the rapids like a champ and only afterwards did I realize that my drybags, which were tightly packed in the bow, probably aided immensely in shielding/shedding the water that came over the bow! Little water entered.

Coming out of the lower section of the rapids I glimpsed a patch of red bobbing way downriver, and then Paul’s bright blue shirt bobbing in an eddy to my left several yards from the bank. No way for me to stop here -- only enough time to see and confirm with him that he was alright and have him verify back that he wanted me to try to catch up to his yak. Seeing he wasn’t far from the riverbank and in fairly calm water I felt confident in the choice to dig in my paddle and take pursuit. (Despite the seriousness of the situation, I couldn't help marveling at the current and speed of progress ...and wondering what it'd be like if I was in my long, narrow, 18' marathon yak).

It was at least half a mile in the swift current before I caught up to and was able come alongside of his overturned yak and force it closer to the bank. Eventually, after repositioning my yak to the inside, I was able to get a hold of a trailing drybag with one hand while grabbing at overhanging branches to slow our progress..... and finally guide this little flotilla of mine to a stop. Only by wrapping my leg around a small tree, and holding his yak stable in the rushing water with my other, did I have a hand free to somewhat tie off both yaks, retrieve his loose gear bobbing in the water to pile in my yak, and attempt to upright his. THIS, I found interesting!!! Once, on the Colorado River, I’d turtled my Srchr and have never forgotten how I saw the guy upright that 18’ wooden marathon yak with a quick flip of his hand on the stern. I’d thought at the time it was totally “amazing”! Hm-m-m-m……would it work now???? Could I do it? I pushed his yak forward and, with one leg still wrapped around the tree, I reached over with both hands, grabbed hold, and VOILA! --- it easily flipped upright!!!! Full to the brim of water – but it flipped! TOO COOL!! (My lab lesson on water displacement, lol).

Now what to do? Hoping Paul is indeed okay and making his way through the wilderness along the riverbank, I called out several times. I need to get these boats stabilized and feel an increasing need to make my way back upriver worrying about Paul. With only the bow lines tied off, the swift current remains a force to be dealt with as it pulls both sterns broadside unless I keep one hand on his yak and one leg wrapped around the tree to keep us parallel to the bank. Even if I could stabilize both yaks, the riverbank is too steep and overgrown which prevents any possible way for ME to drag out fully loaded yaks. Hm-m-m-m. I have a pump I can reach....I have extra cording I can reach.......... maybe lighten them up, lash them together and anchor bows/sterns to tree's....

I briefly let go of his yak to reach for my pump stored in the stern. Shit! (Shit-shit-shit!!) The stern of his yak is pulled loose in the current and it broadsides and flips over again. (Shit-shit-shit!) Okay. I got this. Grab the pump, drag yak back, position and RE-FLIP. (Hey-hey! I’ve got this flipping down pat – “Flippin’ Firefly”!! , lol!) Minutes later I’m getting frustrated from pumping and getting the water level down a couple inches in the cockpit -- only to have it refill in a second when I let his yak (which is submerged to the combing) lose balance and tip a bit for the water to rush in.
Finally (!!), I hear Paul answer my call and hear him make his way through the overgrown brush! Yay-y-y! He’s okay. I’m okay. Relief. While Paul is pumping we assess the situation (this is when I find out the hull of his yak is open and doesn’t have a dry hold – therefore holding GALLONS and GALLONS of river water!!!). He’s relieved to find his large drybag of bedding, etc., and bag containing wallet and important things, had been rescued and put into my yak; but he’s lost all his water for the trip, his paddle, his Stetson hat, ……… heavy loss. Thank goodness he still had his water filter and, thank goodness I decided that morning to haul my big ol’ heavy cooler for this trip after all --- and it actually held a few bottles of water I’d froze other than my additive soft drinks, iced tea and the crushed/block ice. (Note: BLOCK ice is GREAT for multi-day trips!!!!)
Last edited by Firefly49 on Thu Aug 07, 2014 2:34 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Buffalo River

Post by Firefly49 »

*@#&$^%@!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My pic's wont upload!!!!!
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larry long shadows
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Re: Buffalo River

Post by larry long shadows »

Firefly49 wrote:*@#&$^%@!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My pic's wont upload!!!!!
thats OK I like the story thanks for sharing ..
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Hirsch
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Re: Buffalo River

Post by Hirsch »

And I swear she told the absolute truthy!!! I was there and will verify it!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Buffalo River

Post by Firefly49 »

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Re: Buffalo River

Post by M.saxatilis »

WOW! This is truly great stuff! More, More, I want to hear more!
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Re: Buffalo River

Post by Firefly49 »

More? :lol: :lol: Okay. A funny story.

Wednesday was to be a day of exploring the area, checking out our launch site for the next day, discussing shuttle arrangements with Dirst Outfitters, and driving up to Bull Shoal’s to check it out as our campsite location for Saturday night after leaving the river. First stop was down Old Rush Creek Road in the Buffalo State Park and National Forest area, stopping to explore the old ghost town of Rush (http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/ar/rush.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) -- and then on down to Rush Landing where we would launch.

Leaving Rush Landing, we made the circuitous route over to Shipp’s Ferry to familiarize ourselves with what would be our take-out area from The White River. Then it was up through Mountain Home to Bull Shoals State Park to check out the area and make reservations for our campsites after leaving the river. (Bulls Shoals State Park is beautiful!!) It was maybe 6 PM (?) as we were finishing making our reservations......and "THE STORM" hit. Our first “adventure” had begun.

Paul had left his tent open to the elements, so off we rushed an hour or so drive back to Buffalo Point and, noting the darkening skies to the south, we discussed the possibility of having to gather his wet gear and find a laundromat! As it turned out, a nearby camper had fortuitously noticed both the oncoming storm and Paul’s open tent, and had run over to button up our camp before the rains came. Love all these friendly campers we meet; we watch out for one another, lol!

Our relief was squashed when I unzipped my tent (which, by the way, advertises the “Ultra GoBeDry Rain Protection” on the bag!!!!) only to discover my mattress, pillow, blankets SOPPING wet, a small pond in the bottom, and water had leaked up into my suitcase soaking all my freshly ironed and neatly packed clothes! I was so-o-o disappointed! (insert &#^$%^^%)!!! Out of the 4 tents, plus the TentCot that I own, this one that my friend John (Milret) had passed along to me before moving to Turkey, was my favorite. UGH! Nothing to do but wad everything up, stuff it where we could in the truck and off we drove into the sunset ....uh, drizzle....way-y-y back to Yellville for a laundromat (….and dig out my hairdryer for the air mattress & suitcase). At least I didn’t feel so bad since Paul had some laundry to do anyway along with a few damp items. (All this WASN'T on my schedule -- I'd practically brought my closet to avoid the laundry thingy!!)

I guess the perk was finding what may have been one of the few restaurants still open which afforded two hungry people a late BBQ dinner at “Razorback Ribs”. My ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender with a good sauce as tasty as some of our Texas BBQ and staff was friendly ---so I was happy!!
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