Canoeing Santa Rosa & Mark West Creek

[jryeo]

On Saturday, after the rain on Friday the 5th, I paddled through the Laguna, trying to eventually reach Steelhead Beach via Santa Rosa Creek then Mark West Creek.

After getting into Santa Rosa Creek and under the Guerneville road bridge, I got into trouble. Whoever farms the big cornfield off Guerneville rd. built a large dirt berm alongside the edge of the field, funneling the creek into thick timber before eventually draining into the field.

Trapped in the thick timber and fast flow, I half-sunk the canoe before eventually getting out of there. After this I decided to abandon the goal of Steelhead beach and turned back.

Has anybody sucessfully made this trip? Were there any other sketchy parts besides this one?

[nicofrog]

You were in a situation commonly called a "strainer" these kill many people
every year you are lucky to be alive, and actually still have a canoe .
Boating is not encouraged in the winter on Russian river, it may even be illegal?
If you plan more white water adventures near here,I would advise getting a river guide, or someone who professionally deals with boats
in these waters. We lose several people a year in the Russian river.
It's probably an unpleasant task to have to retrieve them.
A strainer can take you and your kayak or whatever under 12 ft or more and hold you there under tons of pressure.
willow trees make strainers and there are LOTS of them all along the banks of every waterway around here. People who fall in think"oh, I'll grab a tree" the first branch they grab breaks off, and down they go.
Stay safe , Nico

On Saturday, after the rain on Friday the 5th, I paddled through the Laguna, trying to eventually reach Steelhead Beach via Santa Rosa Creek then Mark West Creek.

After getting into Santa Rosa Creek and under the Guerneville road bridge, I got into trouble. Whoever farms the big cornfield off Guerneville rd. built a large dirt berm alongside the edge of the field, funneling the creek into thick timber before eventually draining into the field.

Trapped in the thick timber and fast flow, I half-sunk the canoe before eventually getting out of there. After this I decided to abandon the goal of Steelhead beach and turned back.

Has anybody sucessfully made this trip? Were there any other sketchy parts besides this one?