Overnight on the Eleven Point - 6/12-13/2021

Submitted by Susan Redmon

On Friday, 6 of us arrived early to paddle the 16.6 section of Eleven Points from Thomasville to Greer Crossing. Our group included a couple of members who would not be able to stay for the weekend. Lots of downed trees made for a fun but sometimes challenging day on this beautiful, more secluded section of the river. 

Friday morning, 5 of us met back at Greer Crossing loaded down with camping gear and provisions for an overnight paddle from Greer Crossing to Riverton, a 19-mile stretch. We were able to set up camp right beside where we pulled out on the river bank at the Whitten Access. A Bald Eagle flew right by our camp after the day visitors at Turner Mill left and we enjoyed a very quiet evening of fireflies while waiting for the dutch oven blackberry cobbler to decide to cooperate and cook!

After filling up on hot blackberries we turned in for the night. On Sunday, we were able to visit the old village of Turner and see the old mill wheel which had become dislodged over time and had settled at the bottom of the hill. We hiked up to the original mill site and enjoyed cooling off where the spring came out of the rock cliff. Our next major stop was hiking to the blue hole where we enjoyed the lunch we had packed in and where a couple of us were brave enough to take a flying leap into it. I can safely say it was like ice water.

Before reaching the takeout at Riverton, we all enjoyed the rapids right past Boze Spring and even stopped to watch as other kayakers decided on how to handle it. A group of fishermen delayed their trip before ultimately sending one guy down the rapids with a radio so he could report back to the rest of the group! 

My favorite parts of our trip included seeing Turner Mill, hanging out at the blue hole, experiencing the rapids and eating at the Corn Fed Rascal restaurant in Alton on Friday night as a group.