I ran one hand along the boat, a single solid piece of redwood carved according to millennia of tribal custom. Then we shoved off into the river.
We were in California s Del Norte County, 40 miles south of the Oregon border and about five miles upstream from the spectacular estuary where the river meets the Pacific at a sand bar under jagged cliffs.
As we paddled upriver, then down, we kept an eye out for bees at Terwer Creek. Near Snake Rock, we looked in vain for the family of otters that sometimes shows up to say hello.
We spotted a crane in flight, then an egret and a kingfisher, and just a handful of other boaters. We drifted beneath the U.S. 101 bridge, which is guarded by two golden bear sculptures at each end.
Essential California: 20 years of True Tales From Another Mexico
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Klamath River canoe trips showcase Redwoods, Yurok culture
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