LAKE CHICOT - Feb. 6-8 1998

After being drained for the winter, Lake Chicot was back up and open to boating. Some of us decided, via telephone, to check it out.

Mimi Clifton, Mike Murphy, Carl Kirst and I left the South Launch about 2 PM Friday, February 6 heading for a primitive campsite on the South end of the lake. Hans Brandl could not leave early and would join us later. Rain had been predicted but the sun was shining and with the aid of a wind at our backs we reached our site in about 35 minutes.

Trees were bare, brush was down to a minimum. Thorny vines were cut and pulled aside to make room for tents and dining fly. After camp was set up we sat around talking about equipment, past trips and speculating on what time Hans would arrive.

There was plenty of time to cook, eat and clean up before dark. Darkness brought cooling temperatures but the warm glow of our fire warmed out bodies and buoyed our spirits. There were tall tales, poetry, jokes and a camaraderie brought about by the common love of paddling we shared. Hans never did show.

Saturday morning after a cool night and a leisurely breakfast we hiked the blaze marked hiking trail. When we returned to the campsite about noon we spotted additional tents. Hans, Tom Dumas and Ritchie Labat had arrived.

After a laid back afternoon of naps, individual exploratory paddling and just sitting around we all paddled into the lake at 5:45 for a moonlight paddle after the sunset. The moon was high and bright and we had no trouble seeing. We paddled to a pier where we sat and ate.

There was another great campfire with more raunchy jokes.

Kudos to Mike Murphy who picked up about six large garbage bags of trash while the rest of us slept in and had a leisurely breakfast. Then he loaded them in his boat and paddled to the launch.

Before lunch we explored the South end of the lake weaving between the cypress and tupelo gum trees growing in the water. We found a beaver lodge. I picked up a beaver stick from the water and there was a leach clinging to it.

After lunch we departed with the nostalgic feeling that we would like to stay longer in this beautiful, remote and natural place.

Hulin Robert