Report from Kayaking on Taneycomo on 4/13

[FrenchHen]

A friend and I took our kayaks from just below Table Rock Dam down Taneycomo to Cozy Cove this afternoon. Sure didn't have to paddle very hard! The onlookers at the Highway 165 overpass got a kick out of seeing a red kayak and a yellow kayak speeding down the lake. It was the closest that one could get to whitewater on Taneycomo which is usually smooth as glass. The damage to the many docks along the way was unbelievable. Most are turned sideways to either rest against the next dock or next to shore. Most dock owners have run chains from trees to the docks to secure them. Surprised at the flooding of many of the homes at the bottom of Acacia Club Road and Iowa Colony Road. The neighborhood to the west of the Highway 65 bridge in Branson is completely covered with the city street signs just above water. Many of those houses together with several of the houses on the Branson side to the railroad bridge over the lake are very badly damaged by water. We were surprised to see that Scotty's Trout Dock is so close to the Bridge. It sure was a funny sight for a kayaker to see that a full size commercial dock and marina was sitting in the middle of the lake! At the Landing, we commonly paddle under the boardwalk to the half-moon shaped area of water by the fountains but today we were able to paddle right up to and run our hands along the top of the rails on the boardwalk.

[Cheesecake]

Thank you for the information.

And, may I say--you are very brave.
(I have visions (nightmares) about being in a kayak, and it turns upside down)

One time, I went in a Kayak...they talked me into doing the Current River...I got stuck in a root wad, and tipped over and hit my head on a rock..the water wasn't deep enough...even for a canoe...I should have been carrying my ride.

Thanks again..............

[Critter]

Thanks for the info. I am with Cheesecake....you were very brave kayaking this weekend.

[b55olds]

Thanks I've been wondering about resorts and homes how about on Table Rock

[ggh]

I would think, with all the white water, and the junk in the river from trees, to pieces of docks, and such that it might not be advisable to kayaking. I know that that is how a very accomplished kayaker died not too many years ago, in the Ozark area when there were flood conditions.

Seems to me that the water rescue folks have enough to do w/o making a job for them.

[FrenchHen]

Originally Posted by ggh

I would think, with all the white water, and the junk in the river from trees, to pieces of docks, and such that it might not be advisable to kayaking. I know that that is how a very accomplished kayaker died not too many years ago, in the Ozark area when there were flood conditions. Seems to me that the water rescue folks have enough to do w/o making a job for them.

I would not advise a novice or beginner kayaker to go out in these conditions. However, my friend and I are very accomplished kayakers. My friend has kayaked all over the Rocky Mountains in flooded whitewater conditions and I have kayaked in 4 different countries including on the Thames in London, exploring sea caves off the coast of Crete, seakayaking in surf conditions off the Florida coast and paddling on new years day on Taneycomo in 10-15 degree wind chill weather. We took all proper precautions as to equipment and scouted the water before we launched. Although the water was frothy by the dam, there were no whitewater conditions or obstructions in the normal lake channel. Unless one tried to be a daredevil by going in the newly flooded sections, going down the main channel of the lake was a cinch. Driving in the bumper to bumper traffic over the dam to get to the launch site was probably more dangerous than the actual paddling.