Paddling the Mecan River

While shopping at Rutabaga in Madison, I had asked Darren Bush, the owner of the store, for some paddling recommendations for central Wisconsin.  One river he suggested was the Mecan River and showed us that entry in "Paddling Southern Wisconsin".  I guess since we were buying a boat, or maybe he just felt sorry for us, he gave us a complementary copy of the guide book.  Sweet!  He said we should see Paul Harvey at Mecan River Outfitters and Lodge.  Paul Harvey.  Really.  And I also cycle in Florida with a guy named Ted Williams.  Really.  It turns out that Mecan River Outfitters and Lodge was only 7 miles from our camp.  It had rained the day before, but the weather forecast for today was dry, if somewhat cloudy.  So off we went.

We pulled into the lodge and a fellow came up and asked if he could help us.  I asked if he was Paul.  Yup.  We asked for a shuttle then spent some time talking about this river and others.  He was really a nice guy.  The Mecan is small and shallow, but thanks to yesterdays rain, it was up about an inch and was at a good level.  We chose Section 2 from the guide book, which puts in at a dam just below Germania Marsh State Wildlife Area and we would paddle southward to "Bridge 10", a few miles below State Road 23.

Paul rode with us to the put-in and drove our car back to the lodge and would spot it at the take-out a few hours later.  This was the maiden voyage for our new Prospector 15, and it was a good river for it.  Just after we shoved off Dorcas saw either a beaver or an otter on the far shore, but it disappeared before we could be sure.  The river was winding and shallow, but the bottom was sandy, so we acquired no significant scratches on the new boat.  Paul had done a pretty good job of keeping the river clear of snags, but he didn't get them all.  We were able to paddle around most dead falls, and boofed over most of the rest.  At one point we came to a fork and chose to go left, where most of the water was going.  Around the bend was a tree across the river that we could have dragged over, but it would have been difficult.  Instead we returned to the fork and took the right channel which was clear.

The put-in on the Mecan River with a virgin boat

A wide calm section on the Mecan

Matilda takes a dip

The only wildlife we saw, except for the bashful beaver/otter, was a plethora of birds.  Notably, belted kingfishers, red-tailed hawks, sand hill cranes and hundreds and hundreds of cedar waxwings.  Did you know that a group of cedar waxwings are known collectively as an "ear-full" or as a "museum"? Really.  Cedar waxwings most often are seen eating berries and fruit.  Sometimes cedar waxwings will eat fruit that is overripe and that has begun to ferment, intoxicating the bird.  Today they were skimming the river eating insects.

A cedar waxwing   Photo downloaded from the audubon.org

Negotiating a snag on the Mecan

The trip was fun and uneventful.  We saw two other parties along the way, but at the take-out was a group of 16 boats all taking out.  The first boats had just begun to take out, one at a time, so there were still a dozen or more waiting their turn.  I couldn't see the landing very clearly, and I asked someone near the end of the line if there was only room for one boat at a time.  He said yes.  In the meantime the boats were slow to hit the beach; some seemed to be timid and reluctant while others were drifting downstream and snagging in the trees and bushes.  We decided to barge on in and break in line.  We didn't hinder any other boats, and there was actually plenty of room for more than one to take out at a time.  Our car was there, and we loaded our gear and pulled out.  The pack was still taking out when we drove off.  Rookies!



Our route on the Mecan

After our paddle we returned to the Mecan River Outfitters and Lodge to report on the river conditions to Paul.  While there we toured the lodge and grounds.  The lodge is a large log structure, which Paul Harvey and his family built by hand with logs they cut and shaped themselves.  It is filled with interesting and unique carvings and artifacts.  Very cool.

The outfitters office

And now ... the rest of the story: 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Buffalo Lake Camping Resort was having their annual "Hoe Down".

From the Buffalo Lake web site:

August 7 - 9: WESTERN WEEKEND & BBQ
Giddy-up campers. It's time to put on your chaps and saddle up for some old-fashioned country western fun. There will be cowboy and cowgirl games in the afternoon. Followed by a BBQ dinner*. At night, we’ll be having a “Barn Dance”.

They had a big  tent, and were BBQing chicken and sweet corn.  There was a DJ and everyone was dressed in their best cowboy boots.  We didn't spend any time there, but it seemed like folks were having fun.