We had another great time at Grayson Lake April 28th and 29th. I went over on Friday and met up with Chick and we explored Newcomb Creek, a creek joining the lake on the upper end. It was very pretty, lots of high cliffs, and very narrow and curvy. It was fun not knowing what would be around the next corner. We turned back after encountering a tree across that Chick couldn't squeeze under. It took us about 50 minutes to paddle back out to the main lake. Saturday morning five of us put in way up the lake near the Laurel Interpretive Center and headed downstream. We found a wonderful waterfall up a short bay and had lunch there on a gravel bar just in front of the falls. Soon we came to Newcomb Creek so we went up it and got past the tree another 10-15 minutes before big log jams stopped us. At the takeout at the new ramp the Corps of Engineers had just finished, the locals were pulling in
hybrid striped bass one after the other using green night crawlers. In
spite of the 70% chance of storms forecast, it didn't rain until 10 PM that night, just as we were finishing toasting marshmallows over the campfire.
Sunday's put-in was a bit of a carry down slippery rocks to the lake close by a waterfall. While we ran the shuttle Tom built us rock steps down the little drop-off to the water. No crawling down backwards while
trying to avoid the poison ivy! Thanks Tom! Just after we launched
here came five kayakers from the Southeastern Ohio Paddlers, so we chatted with them awhile before heading out. I was starting to wonder where all the waterfalls were when we came to a bay that had two falls at the end, then another a short distance away. Some risked the spray and paddled behind them. We spotted a bald eagle flying overhead soon after, along with another without the white head, perhaps a youngster.
The cliffs were just amazing near the end, towering over us and curving out over the lake. After 4 or 5 more waterfalls we reached the takeout and, sadly, had to leave.
Nancy Moore