Monday, July 9, 2012

Superman Boat Rescue


Mike Mills Boat Rescue
by Rhonda Mills

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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