Lessons learned while tubing the Penns Creek

Who knew breaking a toe could be both fun and fairly affordable?

Last weekend, a friend and I took a group of teenagers from the Port Ann Wesleyan Church youth group on a tubing trip down the Penns Creek. We wanted to squeeze in one more outdoor adventure before area schools opened, and I was surprised at how cost-efficient such an impromptu trip can be.

Several local farm and tire businesses actually give away their used inner tubes — we got ours from Hoover Tractor, just west of Mifflinburg. After some digging through a small truck bed of old tires and tubes, we found 10 that weren’t too damaged and only needed a few patches and limited valve stem adjustments.

We entered the creek near the bridge behind Kratzerville, offering an easy access and a nice, fairly deep pool to launch our adventure.

Despite being early August, the water level was higher than normal, likely thanks to the extra rainy weather we had earlier this summer. There were numerous pockets of slow-moving water that ran waist- to chest-deep.

However, there were also a few spots where the rocky bed of the Penns Creek became shallow, creating mini-rapids that led to a few snags.

It was in one of those stretches where my younger daughter needed some assistance. I hopped off of my tube, gave her a hand, and then decided to jump onto my tube, stomach-first.

As my left foot came down, the big toe connected with a large rock. It led to a Rice Krispies moment — I felt a distinct snap, crackle and pop, all seemingly at the same time.

I tried to ignore the pain the rest of the trip, which was easier than expected thanks to the natural beauty of the surroundings.

There is a certain serenity along the creek that you can’t experience any other way than via a tube/kayak/canoe — even while surrounded by splashing, seaweed-throwing teenagers.

In the slow stretches, I saw a variety of fish dart from one patch of vegetation to another. At least a dozen turtles popped their heads up out of the seaweed at various points during the two-hour trip, probably wondering what was causing such a commotion. Hawks, herons and even one bald eagle soared distantly overhead.

If you’re looking for a quick end-of-summer outdoor adventure with the kids, I’d highly recommend a tubing trip, with a few suggestions.

First, the rocks you’ll find scattered along the creek bed are hard. This may be common sense to some, but for those who need warning labels to tell them coffee at the drive-thru is hot, be wary of the rocks.

Secondly, your tubing trip will be much more affordable if you avoid injuries that require a visit to Urgent Care afterward.