Did a similar trip. Missed the high water by a few days and ended portaging a fully loaded canoe through mud for most of it. Saw gar big enough to tip the boat. Went through what I thought was rain, but was actually a mosquito swarm. Went over and under felled trees and saw spiders as big as my hand. Saw a moccasin get ripped in half by something… When the river finally opened up, I ended up paddling on pure adrenaline and screaming Tenacious D songs for motivation until the landing appeared. I was only out two days.

One of my fondest memories.