Setbacks, capsize and weather conditions lead to early end of anniversary trip
BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
WELCH, W.Va. — Grizzly Allen, his son Jake and friend Riley Wilson embarked on an ambitious adventure Saturday morning down the Tug Fork River. The trio aimed to complete a 135-mile kayak trip from Martha Moore Park to Fort Gay in seven days. However, the journey took an unexpected turn, forcing them to abort.
The Allens made the trip in 2018, kayaking the entire Tug River, while Wilson joined them on the last half of the expedition.
Announcing their plans on social media last week, Grizzly expressed his excitement, saying, “We said we would do it again in five years if things worked out.”
Things worked out as Jake was able to take leave from the Army to join his father on this special occasion.
The trio had an eventful first day on the river.
“We’ve had some setbacks. I broke a paddle and Riley broke a paddle. Luckily, I brought a spare, and we were able to MacGyver the spare into two sort of functional paddles,” Grizzly reported. “Riley capsized, but everyone is OK and all the gear is accounted for. The water is low, but we haven’t had to pull the kayaks as much as last time, but it’s still slow.”
They went 27 miles and arrived in Litwar a little past 8 Saturday night. Dustin Estep greeted them and provided a paddle. Reflecting on the challenging day, Grizzly shared, “Riley capsized twice, and we had to drain out the water and make sure he was good to go with all his gear. The water was low, and even though we didn’t have to drag the Salty Pickle as much, we dragged a lot and it slowed us down… I was very close to my abort criteria today.”
The crew set up camp and hunkered down for the night. Around 3 a.m., Grizzly with an “ominous feeling.”
“I spoke with Jake and he had the same feeling,” said Grizzly.
Rain began pouring around 4 or 5 a.m., turning the water into a murky brown, making it difficult to see the subsurface rocks.
“The next 15 miles are the prettiest yet most dangerous. We have decided to abort,” announced Grizzly.
“We saw several deer, one osprey, several herons, an otter, a million read headed ducks, dozens of wood ducks, some Canadian geese, a mink. We even saw several kitchen sinks…Thanks again for everyone’s support and encouragement on this abbreviated trip.”
Back home, Riley Wilson had valuable advice for fellow river enthusiasts, emphasizing the importance of safety precautions. He admitted that he had overloaded his kayak, hindering his maneuverability, and cautioned against navigating the upper regions of the river without a life jacket.
“The first time I flipped by a rock that couldn’t be seen until I was on it. I could stand up with no problems,” Wilson said, reflecting on his harrowing experience. “The second time was by a rock at the bottom of a shoal that I could see.”
Trying to avoid the rock, Wilson broke his paddle. He described what happened next as “life-threatening.”
“When I first went into the water, I touched the bottom, then I was in a deep, swift hole of water in which I felt myself sinking because of conditions, with no bottom, but mostly the heavy spiked wading boots were like anchors,” said Wilson. “Being a good swimmer, it took all my energy and skill to barely self-rescue. I lay on a rock 10 minutes before I had the strength to move.”
Despite the challenges, Wilson concluded, “I would not trade the 27 miles of beauty and treacherous water experience for nothing.”