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Lehigh River Sojourn Journal Day 1—
Greg A.
June 22, 2002
 We
woke up bright and early (Well, it wasn't bright. It was 5:45, just before
sunrise). Mr. Mauser, who can't sit still for long, waited at the campsite
until five of six, when we went fishing. No catches (what's new?) so we
had to go to the pavilion for a delicious breakfast. At 7:30, we boarded
busses for a 45-minute drive to the put-in site, land owned by Commander
John Butler. On the bus, I met Dave Simon, the lead canoe for today's trip.
We heard an interesting presentation on the history of the Stoddartsville,
after which we had a safety course and paddling instruction at the river.
Just upstream from us were the Stoddartsville Falls, which were indescribably
beautiful. We took a picture of them, and since a picture is worth 1,000
words, I will just include that. We rode downriver, through many rapids
(and painful rocks) while Nick and Mr. Mauser paddled. The ride was fairly
swift, lined with breathtaking scenery, including huge, gray-white cliffs
and tall pines. The leaders waved us over to the shore, where lunch was
waiting. After lunch, we heard a presentation by Greg Wacik of the Army
Corps of Engineers. He discussed how we have to form partnerships to improve
our watersheds. This will give our watershed a bright outlook for the future.
 After
the presentation, I took over paddling, and we entered the backwaters of
the Francis E. Walter dam, a still, flat lake. We paddled furiously into
a strong headwind, which quickly tired us out. Nick took over paddling,
which allowed me to watch for the eagle that we had been informed of at
lunch. We came around a tree-lined curve, and saw the eagle roosting in
an evergreen. We stopped for pictures, but our zoom lens wasn't up to the
job, so we paddled onward, and onward, and onward, with Nick and I switching
every once in a while.
As we rounded another bend (the backwater was full of bends) we saw the
dam looming in the distance. It was the stopping point for the trip. A cheer
went up from those in the canoes, and we paddled the final stretch to the
shore. After loading our canoes, we took a mile-long hike up to the busses.
When we were just about to give up hope, they appeared over a hill. I boarded
the bus, along with Mr. Mauser and Nick, where I fell asleep.
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