It was spring of 2008 on the Buffalo National River in
northern Arkansas. An early evening thunderstorm has flashed a Cove Creek, a
tributary, just above the Erbie Campground. A group of 18 (8 canoes and 2
kayaks) had camped there for the night and left their craft near the waters
edge. The next morning the river was in flood and ALL of their canoes and
kayaks were gone.
The call came back to Buffalo Outdoor Center that the canoes
had floated away in the middle of the night. BOC sent its rescue party of one
to retrieve the lot. Mike Mills, owner and long time boat rescuer, headed out
for the task. The first 2 were
just around the bend and knowing that there would be several more, Mike
retrieved and paddled both of them back up stream to the Erbie launch.
The next canoe was just a short hop to a trailhead near
Erbie so it was left for a hiking pickup. As each canoe went farther then the
last. The rescue began to require prying boats from around trees or root wads.
One kayak was full of water and high in a brush pile making it difficult to
deal with in flooding water. In the end there were 5 canoes and 2 kayaks to
retrieve. Not many canoeists have the skill to paddle 7 craft in high water but
Mike Mills accomplished the task. Mikes paddle‚ a 65” Sawyer! He says he likes a
long paddle because he has to‚ “stand up to see over the pile of canoes‚”.
Note this was before the standup paddle. Picture attached is
as he landed 8 miles after he launched.
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