April 4th Journal Entry

Woke up early to a bright fine day. I folded my ten, packed my last bag and blanket and started walking to the boat landing. I had been waiting for almost two hours when Robert and other rangers came down to the boat ramp and helped me slide the complete raft and all of my gear into the water. I waved until I turned around a bend.
I found out that this boat with the 2by4s holding the canoes together but apart with a span of almost 14 feet is very hard to maneuver. I could hold her on course if I paddled hard in the direction I needed to go, but she was quick to veer away from that course. I went through the first set of rapids, only a class one backwards. The trimaran rode the waves and drops well but was completely unsteerable with my kayak paddle. I tried the next set of rapids, a class two, using a metal pole that was to be part of my mast assembly as a dragging rudder. That worked to get me through the small falls without turning around, but the small waves splashed into the boats. Clearly this span and tie arrangement was not working.
I poled and paddled to an island, really an overgrown sandbar and tied the bowline to a tree. There I emptied the water from the boats with my plastic coffee cup. I pulled the boats up on the sand, trampling stinging nettles to protect my ankles from itching. I dug my portable electric drill out of the tool tote, and started shortening the span of this raft. I took the outside boats closer to the center one so the whole raft was now ten feet wide.
Repacking my tools, I pushed the raft out into the water and started again. The boat was more controllable now and much easier to steer. I was able to paddle hard enough with my kayak paddle to maintain a speed just faster then the water flow.
There was no breeze and the sun was warm. I used my cell phone to take some pictures which I hope to forward to my computer at home. I could paddle, or I could sit and rest while drinking coffee from my water bottle. I won't have coffee for too much longer unless I empty a fruit or vegetables can to make a coffee cooker.
At about noon I passed through another set of class two rapids, I was able to steer and hold course but not well. I realized that this situation could become dangerous if the water rose enough to prevent me from dragging my metal pole for control. I decided to put ashore on another sandbar and to shorten the span of the boats once more.
Three sandbars divided the river at this point and I unpacked  my tools on the lowest. When the boats were bolted back together only nine feet wide. I unloaded my tent and set it up. This would be my campsite for the night. I journeyed less then three miles today, but I am learning how to make this trimaran work. Thank you, father,  for the warmth and sunshine.