At first glance it has the appearance of a placid, flat water swamp. Actually the current was absolutely ripping here. When I checked later the rate was double the average flow. At this level it would be a fun rec paddle but hard to fish due to the need for constant boat correction to stay out of the trees. Even with the river out of it's banks there's not a trace of sediment- the water looks like clear iced tea.
The original plan was to stop in Lumberton but due to time constraints I decided to head down to the Princess Ann section of Lumber River State Park. This is a very nice site with a great boat ramp, trails along the river and a playground with some open space. Definitely a nice spot for a weekend camping trip.
The cypress seem larger here with more Spanish moss and there are live oak trees. This part of the river is known as 'Griffin's Whirl' and the current near the bank is flowing upriver.
Finally I headed down river to the town of Fair Bluff, just above the SC state line. Very friendly, relaxed place. There are a couple of places to eat and there are extensive boardwalks across the swamp and along the river. Would be a nice place to visit for lunch when staying at the State Park.
The Lumber is scenic even in mid-Winter and would be a nice rec paddle even when the water is high. For fishing I would want lower water levels. Would probably be especially nice here when the cypress are in Fall color.
