Post #8: River Paddle

Ellen and I paddled from Darrington to Concrete via the Sauk and Skagit Rivers.  The Sauk River was running 5.8 mph at 2340 cfs.  We put-in at 9:34 am in 37 degrees and fog. Beautiful first few hours in the fog and sunlight. We didn't even try to count eagles. The water level was low enough that we hit bottom a few times and I hit a few large rocks.  It was 22 river miles from Darrington to the Skagit River with several Class II rapids and numerous difficult turns.  Our Eddyline Nighthawks (16') flatten the rapids but their length made them difficult to maneuver at times. They are sea kayaks.
The Skagit was running at 6.1 mph at 5020 cfs.  No problems. It was the perfect fit for our kayaks. We arrived at Concrete at 3:30 pm. for a total of 32.5 miles.  The Jefferson River near Three Forks, Mt. is presently running at1130 cfs.  Ice?  The Missouri River below Holter Dam is at 4610 cfs.  That is discharge from the dam.
It was a very challenging paddle.  Our clothing and hardware held up well.  We will be purchasing new spray skirts as soon as possible.  The GOPRO worked flawlessly.  I liked the distance it was positioned from the cockpit.  It does need to be higher.