“Oxbow: A U-shaped body of water formed when a wide
meander from the main stem of a river is cut off to create a lake.”
I’ve always been a wanna-be paddler- specifically in a kayak
. I’ve had chances to dip a paddle
from time to time, years separating those excursions it seems, but enough to
whet my appetite. I don’t own a
boat, but a few friends do, and when asked, I’ll gladly join them to explore
some outdoors 6 inches above the waterline.
“Oxbo Pond” is located in the 68,000 acre Black River Falls
State Forest, 11 miles east and north of Black River Falls off State hwy. 54 on
South Cemetery Road. Good friend
Tom Krotzman suggested this quiet,
off the beaten path waterway to survey-a good choice for a reserved paddle as I
discovered. Oxbo Pond is a day use
area, hidden below the mostly flat surrounding jack pine forest. Facilities include parking and a few
scattered picnic tables. The
“lake” was once part of Robinson Creek, which noisily flows nearby, separated
by a thin strip of land. The
shoreline is low and easy to slip the boats into to begin our trip. Although it’s a small body of water,
the meandering ribbon seems to open up a new door around every corner. I was reminded of Thoreau’s quote: “Wherever
there is a channel for water, there is a road for the canoe.” Some of
the shoreline is beautiful floating bogs, sprinkled with blue water Iris and
other wetland plants. The next
bend in the shore reveals towering sand banks and evidence of beaver working
hard to slide trees down into the water for a winter cache. Towering, hundred year old white pine,
once carpeting this part of the state, line another shore. Tom and I marvel at the size of these
trees and remark how majestic the forest must have looked at one time prior to
the lumbering years. The remnants
of an eagle nest lay strewn beneath one, no doubt blown down during a strong
windstorm-we see the platform of sturdy limbs 90 feet above us as we slide by
in the water.
The pond constantly changes directions and we make no effort
to reach the next bend quickly, but rather just pull on a paddle from time to
time and drift slowly by the shore, water silently lapping against the
hull. The cool surface gradually
gives up a thin veil of steam as the sun begins to warm, on track to produce
another humid day after we leave.
I busy myself with the camera, trying to “see” pictures as I float by
things I don’t see everyday. Tom
seems more intent on just letting the nature come to him, very Zen-like as we
drift along.
Although this
was once part of a river, the stream long ago changed it’s mind and it’s course
and we too soon approach a dead end. I’m a bit wistful at reaching the turn
around point, but expect to see things I’d missed as we reverse course. We do. The sun has climbed higher and
throws light a bit differently on the shore. Signs of animals, who make their home above us on the bank
and opposite in the wetland are everywhere, although on this day stay hidden
save for many species of birds flitting around. The water trail takes us back to our starting point, the
widest part of the waterway, and we split up, encircling the bay in opposite
directions, each exploring things we may have missed on the outbound paddle.
“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in
water. -- Loren Eiseley “
Oxbo Pond is a little gem, hidden away, and mostly unheard
of, but worthy of exploring if in the area. Jackson County, not only home to the state forest, but also
an expansive county forest, has many other waterways to venture out on. From what can be a big brandishing
river like the Black to small still waters like Teal and Potters Flowages to
lesser rivers and streams like Halls Creek and the East Fork of the Black
River. All seem to have a bit of
that “magic” Eiseley speaks of.
For me, it was another chance to hear one of my favorite sounds, the
serenity of quiet beads of water dripping off the paddle tips into cool water.
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