Over the last few days ... much is accomplished. I had said I would be tackling the river obstruction - nibbling away at it - and included a picture. you know, if you want to get it done, post it on BF. Fear of failure is a great motivator. Be sure to take a camera. In case of a documented fail, empathy is possible
I can't rely on a lot of physical strength ... but I can fall back on the lessons of leverage, balance, planning and perseverance of some years on the family farm. All livestock were bigger, stronger. Every task was heavier than possible. Yet the chores were done, the livestock managed, the fences fixed. Doing is a given, 'how' is the question.
Back to the river here ... where the 2013 spring flooding dropped a bank maple into the current. That year I removed the strainers caught in the branches but procrastinated on taking the maple out. How on earth was I going to do that?
Having been off the water for the summer of 2014, I now face 2 years of accumulated strainers and a complete blockage of the river, bank to bank.
The nibbling begins ... PFD on, in hand a small prybar, Trailblazer saw, rope, canoe equipment.
From the level of my home, the canoe is roped to launch itself ... gently she goes downhill to the river, near the blockage, through some spring growth and brambles. Thankful for aluminum. I can't think of another canoe material, however beautiful and tempting, (SIGH), that I could trust to look after itself winter and summer and yet be so light - enough for me to still car-top.
Lots of debris cleared and with some cutting, I have a sturdy dock for the canoe.
Canoe - last 'rope down' over bank to water.
Now to remove the log reaching from fallen maple to far side because it blocks river travel.
From far side ... the log is held by the current (flow R to L in this pic) against the fallen trunk on the bank. I chose to take advantage of its buoyancy rather than try to saw through.
I roped the trunk, paddled across and upriver kitty-corner to a solid piece of driftwood on the bank, and drew in the cord and secured it in many stages until I knew I had made an opening for my canoe.
Now I can check the debris covered end of the log out from the downstream side - to assess the risk (I am so wary of obstructions in moving water!)
With the canoe in position floating over the top of the log where it just angles under the current, I cleared debris until there was a solid piece to tie up on and chose to start the cut on the downstream side of the log so the current would work to open the cut, not to pinch the blade.
It worked ... many short attacks in the very cold water.
... guiding the log to a snag on the south shore where it will stay, eventually to go on to its intended destination in the spring flood waters of another year. On the right is my little dock where it has been tied, unused, since fall 2013.
Hey, open water!
The WaterPup at rest
