Kim and I went canoeing last weekend down the Russian River (north of SF). We invited a half-dozen friends to join us for the 4th of July (we paid some service to give us canoes and haul them back up to the start afterwards). The trip was fun, but not quiet and serene, like yours. It turns out that we weren't the only ones who had the idea of doing this on the 4th of July. So, the narrow, shallow river was clogged with canoes.
The average age of the boaters on the river was about 22, and our group was 10+ years older. It turns out that it is some kind of college tradition to hang out on the river on weekends... so most of the
Brian and Kim on a much quieter and dryer day.
boaters were lugging huge quantities of beer. They were all sunburned and drunk after a few hours, and that's when they turned ornery and sophomoric. Many of them were carrying huge water guns in their boats. Since we didn't know the tradition, and as the older, uncool group of 30-somethings quietly paddling down the river in our bright orange life jackets (the only ones responsible enough to wear them), we were just sitting ducks. At nearly every narrow bend in the river, the college kids were stationed with full water canons eager to pounce... and typically they manned the areas where a boater had to make a fateful choice: either A) come close to shore and get pummeled, or B) risk swinging wide into the debris and driftwood. Either way the kids had something fun to watch. In all cases, Kim and I took our punishment through "A", and we did our best to fight back with the only weapon we had... our paddles. However, one of our friends decided he had had enough and eventually chose option "B", only to find himself helplessly racked up against a fallen tree. His canoe capsized and then the drunkards ran over to him and pummeled him with their water guns anyway. So, that proved to us that option "B" is probably worse.
When the river widened near the bottom, there were fewer attacks and we managed to get some of the peace we had set out for. Like kayaking, canoeing is pretty fun, but I will say that the seats on canoes are not good... too hard. I also find that kayaks are better for my back.
Brian
