Annual Jack’s Fork Fall Colors Getaway – Oct 2022
Leanne Logan & AJ Johnson
Gorgeous bluffs, pretty fall colors, Ozark Mountain drives and friendships renewed around the campfire — life was good for those of us on the annual Jack’s Fork Fall Colors Getaway in the Mark Twain National Forest!
The Bluff City Canoe Club (BCCC) members have congregated the second weekend in October in and around Eminence Missouri for paddling, camping and social fun most of the 55 years of this club. This year paddlers and friends arrived from multiple locations in Arkansas and Tennessee to enjoy the great outdoors. Alley Springs National Park Campground was basecamp again for some lucky folks who spent the week of October 3-10 exploring the area, paddling the local waterways, and getting recharged in nature. One group noted seeing from their boats on the river over a dozen North American Bald Eagles flying together.
River sections paddled this week in various meetups include:
- Jack’s Fork of the Current River from Alley Springs Campground to Eminence, Missouri
- Current River from Akers to Pultite (With a cave to paddle into, and a long shuttle from Eminence)
- Current River from Pultite to Round Spring (Pultite cabin and 13th largest spring in Missouri)
Did you know..
- The Current River is the most spring-fed of all the Ozark rivers?
- In 1964, over 134 miles of the upper course of the river and its tributaries were federally protected as the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, the first national park in America to protect a river system.
The annual Scenic Riverways Arts and Crafts festival was back to its location at the Eminence Ballpark, so the group shifted to paddle the Current River. Thank you Deb Myers and Richard Sojourner who helped facilitate a front-end shuttle that allowed us to leave all vehicles but one at the takeout!
15 boaters (in 14 kayaks + 1 canoe) put on the Current River together. After a brief paddle, we stopped for a short hike to the 1913 Pultite cabin and the source of Pultite Spring. As we paddled our way downriver, we encountered more crystal-clear springs, a small waterfall, bluffs lining the river a-plenty, and wildlife such as belted kingfishers and an eagle.
We also had one swimmer on the Saturday float who chose to show everyone how it’s done – me! It took my breath away. The water was shockingly cold, and it was a busy time. It happened at a known strainer. I was the sweep and had watched everyone else successfully navigate this obstacle. I was one with the river. I let the river take me and my boat, but wasn’t able to buff off as I hoped, and wasn’t quick enough to plant my needed low brace to recover and I went swimming.
Some surprises after I hit the water include how cold that water was. That feeling never went away. It was also surprisingly hard to see from water level. It was a wide river with moving water, lots of boats around, a strainer mid river that I was quickly approaching, and an unclear path to shore. Training kicked in and I floated with my feel first. However, I had to revise the plan and swim to avoid the root ball, following the path of the deep water as I would if I were a boat, not the shallow path a swimmer might take. Mary Jackson offered the stern of her kayak which I happily grabbed onto. Together she paddled and I kicked to get to the busy gravel bar of people fully entertained by my swimming adventure. Thanks for the great teamwork in getting my boat to shore, getting it dumped and me back in my boat again. And to AJ for giving me the shirt of his back so that I was warm and dry again. (Not a good day to have forgotten to put my usual change of clothes in a dry bag in my hold.) So very glad to have the support of this paddle tribe to help make my recovery so speedy and add that extra margin of safety.
The annual BCCC potluck around the bonfire was resumed this year. It was great to renew long time friendships and get to know newer club members at the same time. Great potluck eats as usual with this crowd. People were good sports when I sprung my request to have everyone go around the circle and introduce themselves, sharing their year of joining BCCC, paddling highlights, and new this year – stories of their last swim. Thanks to the 35 BCCC members who shared their stories and now have a wider circle of paddle friends and companions! And kudos to Peggy and Ed Landers and John Adams for making the annual potluck and firepit warm and successful!
Whether you stay in campgrounds, B&Bs or cabins in Eminence Missouri, it’s always a great getaway with the Bluff City Canoe Club in October. Look forward to seeing everyone at this fall mountain getaway again next year!