Smooth sailing, pt. 2

After our errands, we took our food back to camp, repackaged it, and prepared our packs to be loaded into the canoes for our day back on the river.

This morning, we started our day with a tour of the Cowan's Ford Dam that holds back the water of Lake Norman. A lot of interesting information concerning hydroelectric power, power consumption, and why Super Bowl Sunday is the day where the most power is drawn from it and the nuclear plant next door. Our dam tour guide even had some good dam jokes to share with us.

After the tour, it was time to get back onto the Catawba again. We paddled underneath many power lines due to our proximity to the electric facilities nearby, and noticed so many ospreys that had built their nests on those structures. Around every bend of the river and Mountain Island Lake, you would see an osprey. Our portage of the Mt. Island Lake dam was anything but easy. We were spoiled with a simple, straight-forward portage of Lookout Shoals Lake dam and we had to earn this one. Fortunately, our group has figured out how to take the conditions that are thrown our way, and work towards becoming the most efficient as possible to complete our objective. We finished the portage and pulled out our headlamps as the sun was beginning to set. Not too much later, we arrived at the National Whitewater Center where we'll be spending the next day at participating in various activities and service oppourtunities. But first, time for another good night's rest.