Bull Falls

Bull Falls

       I am using my memory, so forgive me if I screw it up some. The time was like several decades ago.

            The Bull Falls I remember is not too far upstream on the Shenandoah River and not too far above its confluence with the Potomac River vicinity of Harpers Ferry.

            I ran it in flood stage.

            And being a rough tough Marine, I did not want to show any fear. I also did not want to drown. So I punted on running Bull Falls, while the other more experienced and probably crazier kayakers played around the Falls, though even in flood stage. One of them was a  girl, which really hurt my Marine Corps' mind.

            So later I joined the foray downstream of the Falls, and eventually entered the Potomac River.

            Well the Potomac River again was in flood stage and spring time cold, and the standing waves in the Potomac had me, when between the troughs, surrounded by wave tops on both sides of me, and higher than me when I was in the trough, so I could not see even those I paddled with. I imagined myself coming out of my boat, and the boat washing downstream to Georgetown, about a 100 miles away.

            And this was supposed to be fun?

            Well, I made it, all in all, and now relate this story of my experience at the time, again now decades ago.