We kicked off the inaugural 2024 Weekender Trip season on 3/16/24 with a paddle down the lower Antietam Creek. The weather was sunny with air temperature at the start in upper 40ies - eventually rising to 50ies/60ies and water temperatures approximately in high 40ies/low 50ies. We were 12-strong: Barb B, Cotton, Gordy L, Hugh H, Lauren W, Lisa W, Logan H, Marilyn J, Miki K, Ron R, Ron S, and me (Hildy F) – all in K1s.
As usual, the entrance to the put-in parking was steep and pothole-plagued. Many choose to park along the roadside for the brief boat drop off. The float down the lower Antietam was dotted with early groundcovers, but no Virginia Bluebells blooming yet. Conversation flowed – just like the water --to catch up with each other after a winter mostly off water. Occasional strainers/fallen trees were present but easily circumvented. None of them occupied more than 2/3 of the river. Bridges (Route 34, Harpers Ferry Rd) had some wood piles but the passthroughs were unobstructed.
With our 11:00 am rendezvous and shuttling, we started paddling at 12:15 pm, and ended our float at Harpers Ferry Rd Bridge at 3:30 pm (included a lunch stop). The flow was approx. 550 cfs with 3.5 ft - a decent, no-scrape flow with bouncy rapids. For Après-paddle, Barb, Miki, Lauren, Ron R, Logan and Marilyn targeted the ice cream shop in Boonsboro, but the creamery was still ‘seasonally closed’.
All had fun on a beautiful Saturday in mid-March.
Special thanks to Gordy and Ron Ray for the shuttle help, Hugh Hilliard for the photos below and Barb Brown for the posted photos on Facebook.
