For the sake of variety and to avoid the overcrowded Violette’s Lock parking lot, the original plan was to set shuttle at Pennyfield Lock and put in at Riley’s Lock. However, intense overnight rain brought Muddy Branch to a level none of us had seen before, making an upstream paddle through the tunnel underneath the C&O canal doubtful at best. So we defaulted to the traditional loop trip beginning and ending at VL. Happily, the VL lot had ample parking available, presumably due to the holiday weekend. After this scramble (a “, goat rope”, as Tim would put it), seven kayakers (Alf C, Gus A, Kathleen S, Lisa L, Robert, Sharon O & Wayne McD) and five open boaters (Alan G, Gary & Ginny Q, Hendrik vO & Tim T) had a relatively uneventful paddle on what turned out to be a pleasant day. The overnight rain pushed the river up to 3.41’ (overnight crest @ 3.81’), still a very manageable level. Ten paddlers returned via the C&O canal, while two (Lisa and Robert) successfully attained Seneca Breaks. Ten turtles, two great blue herons and one fawn were spotted on the C&O.