The Minnehaha Creek is especially fun to paddle when water levels are 100CFS or more.  250CFS might have been a little high, but this was still a good time.  One downside to the highwater is that opportunities for going under logs are rare and culverts sometimes pose a challenge.  The first couple hours were slow but things picked up after the 54th St falls.

I went on this trip with Dan and Sarah, who had some canoeing experience.   Kayak paddling was a first, but an inflatable is good for beginners and experienced paddlers alike.  Sarah enjoyed being our log crossing expert, jumping in and out hopping around logs like a veteran.  Dan and Sarah did not know each other prior to this trip but picked up paddling in the Helios in no time.  

To the right is a small falls about a third of the way through the trip.  Dan and Sarah wanted to put in here.  Although it looked fun, I opted for what should have been a less troublesome entry past another bridge.  Once in the water, while attempting to brace against Dan and Sarah's boat on the way past them, I managed to flip over with the thighstrap of the Safari wrapped around my leg.  I thought the water was going to sweep me and the Safari away but I managed to grab a strong tree and get situated again.   The current was really moving.  The water was only up to my calf but it took some effort to get steady enough to grab the boat and get my leg out.  The Safari has less initial stability than most IK's, and I find I need some extra time to 'get right'.  I didn't help things by keeping the bottom seat inflated and added a camp chair for extra comfort on top of that.  In fast waters it helps to have a lower center of gravity.  

Further along we ran into another log.  This one looked like it had a possible exit on the right side, but another paddler noted that yesterday 8 attempted to cross, and none made it through.  We opted for a blocked in area on the left.  The water was trapped in there with some deadfall which gave us some time to think.  

The logs were the easy part...what flipped Dan and Sarah over were a few sweepers.  I saw it happen in slow motion.  Dan and kayak were floating about and Sarah was swimming downstream collecting miscellaneous stuff that fell out.  I offered to take her paddle, but she just wanted me to get the stuff out of her hands so we wouldn't litter; that's a paddling ethic we could all use!  

Meanwhile, without any help and no river bottom to stand on, Dan managed to pull himself back into the Helios, in efforts that sounded exactly like a Helios video I saw where some Canadian Rangers demonstrated a wet exit and reentry.  Good job, Dan!   Dan caught up with Sarah and I (Sarah still swimming!) to find us talking with a gentleman who was describing a kayak group (of 16) that stopped by the day before.  


All in all it was a pretty good trip.  I think it was a bit long and would have enjoyed it just as much with cutting an hour out, maybe starting later past a majority of the slow water near Creekside Park.  The water was a bit high for many of the culvert and bridges.  Near the end I had to deflate both my backrest and butt rest to lean back far enough to make it under.  I'd like to try this again at 100-150CFS.

Kayaks used:
Innova Safari
Innova Helios

Water level: 250CFS.
Leave 8:30.
Put-in 945.
Take-out 225.
2 logs to climb and several dams to portage.