This happened many moons ago when the kids were little and the wife and I needed a vacation. Grandma watched the little ones as we headed up north to canoe a river that flowed through an area I wanted to check out for an upcoming bear hunt. I had drawn a WI tag and wanted to see what the chances were of canoeing into a remote area (as remote as WI gets) to possibly hunt that way. It would also be a good getaway for a couple days.
We managed to get a local to drive our vehicle from the drop off point to down river where we would get out. Off we were on a stretch of river that went every direction on the compass over as the crow flies about 5 miles, but more like 10 on the river.
The water was high as it was early summer with plenty of rain. About 2 miles into it we came in to rougher and rougher water. We were to learn later that this section of the river is considered un-passable with many rapids and boulders. (Wish the local had known that and passed it on). We went thru a particularly fast area with boulders hitting the bottom of the boat. We rounded a bend and the water turned even faster. Worse yet there were snags everywhere. We managed to get past all but one and actually got turned sideways with the current and came up on the snag. My thoughts and efforts were to absorb the impact with the oar as we came up to the snag sideways with fear of the boat capsizing and us getting caught in the many limbs and roots in the snags and drowning.
As I placed the paddle out to touch the main trunk of the snag to absorb the impact, we were shot forward into the center of the river with such force we were both almost forced off our seats! This was at a 90 degree angle to the river! All I can think of is the Lord gave a helping push at the time we needed it most.
The river slowed greatly after that, with many areas flooded enough to have side excursions into the surrounding woods. It was an absolutely beautiful area. One typically unseen by boat. We actually came across a broken up fiberglass canoe a little further down, caught in more logs and salvaged it. Floating it the rest of the way with a rope held on to, not tied, in case we hit more rapids. I often wondered if anyone had been in it or if it just got away with the high water from a residence.
I consider this event Gods saving grace and helping hand.
:clapper:
Dude...you've got a bit of a charmed cycle going there... my friend talks of strange things with "sweepers" running rivers in AK...but that is wild. I did a bit of river running in canoes and that doens't just "happen" on it's own.
Yup, sure sounds like God's got something for you to do before you get to go home.
Keep the Son in your eyes...and thanks!
Dude,
Thanks for the story, the Lord performs miracles today just as he did when here on the earth. Like Doc said, he's got plans for you....maybe just in sharing that story as a witness to His Glory.
I have thought about it many times wondering if there was some freak current thing going on or what. That water was rushing through those limbs so fast and I am sure someone might say oh it does this or that, but the force with which we shot out away from those logs was just incredible. We were sideways in the current and headed at good speed into those logs. The wife thought I had been able to do something to get us out of there and I just said it wasn't me! PTL.
God's hand is Powerful!!
Thanks for sharing your story.
God Bless
Awesome story :thumbsup: