Pierre SD (Mile 1065) to Chamberlain SD (Mile 968)

The next 90 odd miles are mostly on Lake Sharpe, a few miles of current at the start and then lake conditions the rest of the way until crossing Big Bend Dam.

I left the Pierre Marina around 8 am and had a great day paddling on reasonably calm water and made it to a very nice campground called Joe's Creek. I never saw a boat or a person all day except for a couple of  farmers checking their irrigation pumps just before dark in the evening. No one at Joe's Creek either so I slept under the shelter there safe from any over night rain and no need to put up the tent - bonus; over 40 miles covered.

The 'Barbara May' packed and ready to go at Pierre Marina - TnT still asleep in tent behind.

Brothers Justin and Stacey come to check their irrigation pumps

Enjoying a beer with the brothers about 5 miles from Joe's Creek

Explanatory Note:

Reading over the blog and looking at the photos it appears that I've always got a beer in my hand and that I seem to be going from one bar to another - well there's a reason for that: 1) Bars in the US nearly always have free wifi where I can Skype home, check my emails, save my photos and update this blog, 2) Nearly everyone I meet on the river/lakes are out boating/fishing/BBQing and are more than happy to share their beer, 3) I've earned it.

Lake Sharpe is a real pretty lake with a beautiful shoreline and nice sandy gravely beaches but it can be unpredictable and change from smooth to rough very quickly. The second day on the lake I only managed 12 miles and spent most of the day sheltering on a reedy sandbank behind driftwood.

Lake Sharpe - as calm as can be.

Lake Sharpe - as rough as can be.

Check out this clip for an understanding of the difficulty of paddling into a headwind .........

I managed another mile in the above conditions and a found a marginally acceptable camping spot right on the waterline and went to sleep hoping the upstream dam didn't release more water overnight. It didn't and I woke up dry, purposely in the dark to check the weather, and made a crossing of the lake as the sun came up with the intention of getting to the lee shore. I was lucky and timed it just right, as, the wind came up again just as I reached shore fierce enough that would have prevented me crossing had I not started when I did. I navigated around a feature called 'big bend' where the lake meanders 20 odd miles around a big bend to bring me back to within a couple of miles of where I was the day before.

Self portrait

Around the "big bend' at last Lake Sharpe

Only about 5 miles from the end of the lake I went ashore to the town of Lower Brule on the Indian Reservation to see if I could find a coffee shop. I was told the only place to get a coffee was at the casino, so looking like a hobo/tramp I went in and was greeted royally by the Manager and directed to the restaurant, given a table and ordered the lunch special - crumbed beef steak with mash potatoe, biscuits and gravy and help yourself to as much as you want for the salad bar - I did and all for $5. I tipped the waitress 100% to show that I wasn't a cheapskate and she informed me that on Mondays it's only $2 for seniors over 50. I told her that I'm a bit too young but my friend Norm Miller will be there every week from next year on!

I felt good paddling the next 5 miles and pulled in to the take-out ramp at Big Bend dam. I had a list of phone numbers to call for assistance with portaging around the dam to the river below. But no luck at all as the numbers were either obsolete or the person was not in town or available. I had a bit of a snooze wondering what to do next and hoping that somebody would come along with a vehicle big enough to cart the kayak. Fifteen minutes later (I kid you not) Ted and Jason from the Black Hills turned up in a big pick-up to wait for their friend who was going to take them out fishing. Ten minutes later I was back in the water downstream helped by two guys who believed there act of kindness would bring them good luck fishing.

"The universe will provide" Mark McLean

Ted an Jason - 'paying it forward' at Big Bend dam

Lake Sharpe empties into Lake Francis Case and I was looking forward to a bit of flow from the dam release for a few miles. No such luck, within half a mile of being back on the water the wind came up strong enough to reverse the current with white caps blowing up the river. Another night and most of the next day spent on a marginally acceptable camp site sheltering from the wind.

I headed off the next day at 5 in the afternoon for the river town of Chamberlain SD.

Birds

Birds a bit closer

Some more birds

Navigating the submerged forrest on the way to Chamberlain SD

The weather was kind and I made the 15 miles to Chamberlain by 8 in the evening and set up my tent in the American Creek Campground. Hot showers, grocery store, laundromat nearby and only a couple of hundred metres from the main street in town - "It doesn't get better than this" Sue Maslin.

Rob and Brenda that own the place were very welcoming and understand that paddlers like to set up camp close to the river to keep an eye on their kayaks/canoes. They let me camp right next to the ramp even though it was technically reserved for a visiting scout group.

American Creek Campground - Chamberlain SD

The 298 Scout Troop were from Apple Vally, Minnesota on their way to a camp in the Black hills a couple of hundred miles to the west. They invited me over to share their camp fire and asked lots of questions about my trip to date. One of the leaders/parents had the coolest name - Rich Billion; nice guys, all of them.

Rich Billion and the 298 Troop

A fine body of men - and me.

History of Chamberlain

Yellow ribbons on trees for each person from the town serving in Iraq and Afghanistan

We're not far from the  town of Sturgis here where the Harley Davidson rally takes place in early August each year, so the town, the state and this part of the country are seeing thousands of Harley riders all heading that way. I was invited over for coffee this morning with a group from Florida and Missouri overnighting at the campground.  They told me all about the rally (around 400,000 bikes turn up) and how it has changed over the years - Pat, from Kansas City has been going for 26 years. I told them that I wished I was going with them but there was general agreement amongst them that I looked a bit gay in my Fiji shirt and wouldn't fit in. It's still on the bucket list of things to do before I grow up though.

Gina from Florida with the guy not dressed for Sturgis

Pat, Mike, Gina and Paco.

Note to Wife:

Start budgeting for the rally, get yourself some leather pants, don't worry about a top the guys reckon you won't need it in Sturgis.

Next stop Fort Randal Dam SD about 90 miles away.