Skagit

11 paddlers in 9 boats from Paddle Trails Canoe Club made our annual Eagle Float today. The river was fast and high, at 7700 cfs, with the biggest hazard for most of the trip being big whirlpools and mid-river eddies after the mild (but speedy) rapids. Boats were occasionally spun around, but everyone did great. Rain had been forecast for the whole day, but we didn't get any until the last 5 minutes on the river.

We counted 56 eagles, mostly before our lunch break, and then a big cluster of them just around the bend from the takeout.

There were trees down, but all easily avoidable until about a mile from Rockport, where suddenly there were trees everywhere. Plenty of room to go around them, but the current was pushing pretty hard toward the wood. The worst was at the sharp left bend here: 48.487392, -121.572854

One canoe was pushed into a log sideways and capsized. Boat and swimmer were recovered without incident- hooray!