Birthday Bash on Big Sugar Creek

This weekend was my birthday so what better way to celebrate than taking the fam kayaking on a beautiful stream. We went to Big Sugar Creek, a fairly small stream with beautifully clear water and only about 45 minutes from home! We floated about 4.5 miles from Big Rock down to Sugar Island near the town of Pineville.

The water was pretty low, but in kayaks we only need a few inches to float so we had very little problems with the shallow spots. I always think it’s fun to see the stream bed zipping by, only inches below the kayak.

Steph used the solo and I loaded up both girls in the double seater with me. They really enjoyed the super clear water and how they could see fish, turtles and all the rocks at the bottom, even in the deepest parts of the stream.

We stopped at a nice spot with a shady gravel beach and a nice “swimmin hole”. I think swimming in muddy rivers is kind of creepy because you don’t really know if you’re about to step on a snapping turtle or grab a snake, but swimming in streams like this is just plain awesome.

The clear blue water of Ozark streams never ceases to amaze me. Note all the little fish to the left of Emma’s leg!

Later on we stopped at another nice spot and the girls took turns floating through a spot with a swift current.

There is something magical and extra refreshing about a natural body of water that is so clear and clean on a warm day.

The girls cheered and waved their arms when we passed under the new bridge at Crag-O-Lea. It’s nice to be able to float through instead of portaging around the old low water bridge.

The girls got comfy and soaked in some warm sun towards the end of the day.