KAYAK SUMMER 2020

Lake Clementine

Making storytelling photos has always been my mantra. Throughout my journalistic career to now, as I document my kayaking paddling days, on Instagram, and for my post in Outside Adventure to the Max, I want to tell you a story. Each day, I hope to capture in a photograph what the day was like and what did. Was it sunny and bright or a bit gloomy? Was I with or leading a group, or was I on a solo trek across the water?

Sunset Paddle on Lake Natoma

I love to shoot a lot of my photos in the so-called Golden Hour. I have a propensity to light and shadows and the mood it presents. I find it irresistible to let those magical moments pass without trying to catch just a part of it. I can not lie. It makes for beautiful pictures, especially when on the water. Those serene moments make my kayak tripping a bit romantic and picturesque.
Yet the storyteller in me also wants to share my so non-romantic things about my paddling days. The grittiness of the heavy kayak and steep portage to the sluggishness of sluffing boats at the end of the day at the boathouse, to the unplanned swims, Not all my paddling days are a memory of cool Kodak moments.

Summer 2020 was far from picture perfect and a bit more unalluring and unappealing than any photos can suggest. By most accounts, it was an unfocused and somewhat shaky ordeal that will be remembered more for what we didn't do rather than what we actually did.

Sly Park Paddle Rentals

For all of us, Summer 2020 certainly did not start all that well. The as the novel coronavirus know as the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly canceled and delay it from the start.
"Now we have something that turned out to be my worst nightmare," the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, told CNN in June, "In the period of four months, it has devastated the world."

At the start of the summer season, self-quarantining recommendations and restrictions became the norm. Movie theaters, indoor restaurants, and churches were closed. Events and festivals were canceled, and stacks of guidelines were imposed, calling for "social distancing" by staying at least six-feet part from one another.
Across the country, popular national, state, and local parks and beaches were either closed or were limiting access as health officials raised health concerns about large, possibly maskless, groups of visitors arriving and potentially skirting social distancing guidelines.
But as we all know, going outside is good for us, especially in a pandemic. Being in nature and the fresh air can help us relax and feel less stressed, which is what we needed most both then and even now. 

South Fork of American River

So I took advantage of my free time to head to the Lower American River and even run the South Fork of the River with a couple of guys during the early days of the summer shutdown.

As the stay-in-place restrictions were relaxed, outdoor places like state parks suddenly become important in a new way. They were safe places, but only if people recreated reasonably. Masks for many became the fashion as we looked in either bandits or doctors when they arrived a the boat launch. At Sly Park Paddle Rentals, where I worked after the delayed start, I would give all the equipment a sanitizing bath in E-san 64 after each rental. As the pandemic lingered into the middle of summer, people continued to flock to places like Lake Jenkinson, giving me a busy and brisk business as folks tried to escape the routine of the pandemic by getting on the water. 

Loon Lake

But just the same, it was not all work and no play. The after-hours canoeing and kayaking sessions in the lake helped give me a sense of normalcy. An annual trip down the Lower American River and no-frills expedition to Loon Lake with Bayside Adventure Sports, a Christian based outreach group, gave me a chance to lead a great group of paddlers. Okay, okay! That week on the was close to picture-perfect as could be, for me and maybe all them. It was the highlight of my summer.

But with every high, there comes a low. And this seemly apocalyptic summer dished out a slew of record-breaking temperatures, devastating wildfires, and ghostly orange and Martian-red skies from the shadow of smoke blowing eastward during the ladder part of the summer. A mid-September camping trip to Sierra Mountains Silver Lake was called-off due to the threat of fire danger, and my days on Lake Jenkinson were plagued with smoke and haze. It led me to get some dramatic photos, but also a realization that with climate change being unchecked this could be a prelude of things annually. 

Lake Jenkinson

It's official. No matter how I regard it, this lost summer is over, and fall has begun. Time to start planning for next year. While for some, this ominous year of 2020 can not get over quickly enough as we all deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, racial unrest, and looming contentious election. As we start the Autumn season, we search for that silver lining.

“Our main job as artists is to make the art that only we can make, right now in the times in which we are living,” wrote California College of Arts Dean of Fine Arts Allison Smith to her students this past year. “The art you are about to make will be a source of survival, and it will change us all for the better,” she concluded. 

So in these crazy times, I look back on my summer 2020. I certainly will cherish all my photo moments, both good and bad, all the friendly faces, and all the memories of my time on the water. To help me and maybe even you cruise through to till next summer, I picked out some of my favorite images I created over the past few months to help recall the past season like no other.

Here is a look at some of my favorite images from this past summer.

Loon Lake with Bayside Adventure Sports

Lake Jenkinson

 

Sly Park Paddle Rentals

Donner Lake

Lake Jenkinson

Lake Valley Reservoir

North Fork of the American River

 

The American River Parkway

Lake Jenkinson

Lake Jenkinson

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OVER THE BOW: LAKE JENKINSON

“We come from a perspective, humbly, where we submit the science is in — and observed evidence is self-evident — that climate change is real and that is exacerbating this.”--California Gov. Gavin Newsom

I love to paddle in rain, fog, and snow. Weather for me is just a state of mind. As writer John Ruskin wrote, "Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating. There is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather."
But, with wildfire erupting throughout the western states causing a path of destruction as it burns across million acres. Meanwhile, a hazy, milky overcast of smoke is choking us all. The climate is changing.

The governors of California, Oregon, and Washington have all said global warming is priming forests for wildfires as they become hotter and drier.
“What we’ve been seeing in California are some of the clearest events where we can say this is climate change — that climate change has clearly made this worse,” Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist at the Breakthrough Institute, an Oakland-based think tank, told the Los Angles Times, “People who have lived in California for 30, 40 years are saying this is unprecedented, it has never been this hot, it has never been this smoky in all the years I’ve lived here.”
Scientists say wildfires are all but inevitable has plants and trees drying out due to climate change. Forest officials hope that implementing efforts to thin trees and brush through prescribed burns and careful logging will help prevent forests from being threatened with fire.

That was the case earlier this summer on the south shore of Sly Park Recreation Area's Lake Jenkinson as crews with a masticator cut, chopped, and ground dead and dying trees and dry vegetation into particles to reduce and inhibit the spread of a potential fire.
It was a disrupted noise to a usually peaceful lake scene. And when the winds were light a dust bowl like cloud darkens the lake view and faded the treeline. Paddlers floated in and out of the haze above the lake. But, at least it wasn't smoke from nearby.
Funding for the vegetation management project was provided by Cal Fire as part of the California Climate Investments Program.

Over the Bow is a feature from Outside Adventure to the Max, telling the story behind the image. If you have a great picture with a great story, submit it to us at nickayak@gmail.com

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BOATHOUSE DAYS, MY THIRD SUMMER ON LAKE JENKINSON

“I live in nature where everything is connected, circular. The seasons are circular. The planet is circular, and so is the planet around the sun. The course of water over the earth is circular coming down from the sky and circulating through the world to spread life and then evaporating up again. --- Elizabeth Gilbert

For the third straight summer, I worked the weekend paddle rentals at the small boathouse on the upper part of Lake Jenkinson at Sly Park Recreation Area in the Sierra foothills near Pollock Pines, California. The picturesque upper part of the lake could be a backdrop for any summer camp movie as It's lined with a border of ponderosa pines, Douglas firs, and oaks, and placid cool, and clear waters. A waterfall and babbling creek only add to the lake's already lyrical appeal.
Divided by a narrow channel, the lake's larger rounded half is where you will find the swimming beach and campgrounds along with a good share of speedboats, while the upper half of the lake being smaller and narrower has more of a timeless rustic feel where canoes are still paddled with reverence.

"To know once more the joy of a paddle in my hands and a canoe slipping along the shores," wrote naturalist Sigurd Olson.
There is a certain old-fashion charm to the upper part of Lake Jenkinson. Offering a no-wake zone and a five-mph speed limit, this part of the lake a bit quieter than the larger sister lake. In other words, it's a perfect spot to paddle at any time of the day.
It's also the home of Sly Park Paddle Rental's boathouse where over the summer weekends and holidays I rented out kayaks, canoes, and standup paddleboards. And like I have done over the past couple of seasons, I collected a series of notes recounting occurrences of my daily routine along with my observations of my days on the lake.

June 20...The first day of summer at Sly Park on Lake Jenkinson. It's been a long time coming. We usually would have opened the boathouse weeks ago in mid-May, but the Covid-19 pandemic has kept us way till now. Pulling through the gate and seeing Lake Jenkinson through the trees, still full in this early part of the season. Cobalt blue the lake looks big and bold.

June 21...Father's Day at Sly Park. Tandem kayaks are the vehicles of choice today on the lake. Being a family day no one wanted to paddle alone.
June 26...A lot of people want to get on the water after being cooped up due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We are taking precautions however as I have to sterilize all the equipment after each use. The lake is amazingly quiet this morning as kayaks and SUP paddlers go about its waters. They look pretty carefree as they should be.

June 28...Today the wind blew straight through the narrows sending an endless parade of hissing waves with foaming caps right my way. The dock rocked and buckled underneath the unstoppable lake water as it took the full brunt of the wind. Paddlers faced a tough challenge. One couple even rolled their kayak right in front of my dock. I was helping another kayaker out of the boat when I heard them go over.
"Leave the boat and swim to the dock," I told them. Everything turned out alright but they did get all wet.

“A lake carries you into recesses of feeling otherwise impenetrable,” wrote William Wordsworth. In this Covid-19 era, we certainly all need to stay physically active to keep your minds and bodies healthy. This summer, the lake, and park offered that after opening up, as folks found a way to relieve stress, get some fresh air, and paddle around the water, all while practicing social distancing. For the most part, staying at least 6-feet apart was pretty easy once leaving the dock and getting on the water.
For me, it was also energizing, to see families enjoy the perks and pleasures of their time on the water and all while inspiring new generations to appreciate the natural world around us.

July 2...Off at the start of my five-day holiday week. The lake looks ready even though California, rightly so, is running scared again with new Covid-19 closings. I look forward to when the threat of Covid-19 is just a memory.

July 4...The lake is fair and mild this morning as I wait for folks to arrive. No wind and clear skies. We couldn't have asked for a better forth. the fireworks around the region are canceled this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but last night's full moon made up for it all. It was a glorious sight to behold.
I did have the time to paddle up to the waterfall finally, the night before last. I got there near dusk as the moon was rising over the trees. I had beached my kayak under the babble of the creek from where I heard the rushing sound of the falls. It's always a popular spot and a must-see for the people visiting the park, but that night to my surprise no one else was there except me to experience its wonder.

July 6...No forceful stroke needed. Just be at ease. it's the same for my customers. I tell them once on the lake, try to forget about time. Only worry about safety and don't think about the rest. Enjoy the moments on the water. Relax and paddle to the waterfall. Hike to its sound and enjoy watching the water tumble down.

July 18...My busy day starts right at 9 AM followed by another active crossover at noon. Another big-time is at 2 PM, and then when everyone returns their rented boats at the end of the day. My dock is empty and when they all return the boats float everywhere waiting to be put away for the evening.

“A lot of us are working harder than we want, at things we don’t like to do," wrote author Bradford Angier, "Why? In order to afford the sort of existence we don’t care to live.”
Arriving at the boathouse before 8 AM and staying late into the evening, I'm usually busy throughout the day helping folks safely get in and out of the boats. For those who haven't heard my speech, it goes something like this when exiting the kayak.
Don't stand in the boat. Kick your feet over the side of the kayak and on to the ladder. Now hold the ladder rails with both hands and pull yourself up. Remember the ladder is stable the boat is not.
It can be a busy day at times, however, the fringe benefits to my solitude-seeking adventuresome soul is always a paddle grab away when the day is through.

July 24...The light was fading fast. I was the only out on the lake. the half-moon was glimmers off the water. as paddled up the creek toward the waterfall in the twilight. It's quiet and dark. I kayaked up toward the creeks rocky channel. It's July now and the lake is down considerably since Spring and the hike to the falls is much longer now.

July 31...I saw a woman struggling with one of our canoes that she was out of. She yells for help. I quickly clear my dock and swim to her and the canoe. When I reach her I tell her to not worry about the canoe and swim to shore. She doesn't. So I tell her to hang on to the canoe as I swim them both to shore only 15 feet away. When I get her to shore, I realize she had been drinking.

August 1...The thing about moonlight paddles is waiting for the moon.

August 2...It's always a treat to send out a family on their first canoe adventure. It and age-old experience. Dad will take the stern and Mom will man the bow. The kids and dog fill the gunnels. They are all nervous and a little excited sitting in the boat for the first time. For some its a whole new experience for others, it brings back all their memories of summer camp.

Along with the pandemic, as we all know California is dealing with devastating wildfires again this year. It's not uncommon in these last weeks to have a heavy shadow of smoke to fill the lake valley producing an eerie orange glow both at dawn and dusk.
The peaceful silence of the lake has also been rudely interrupted as masticator thins excess growth that can fuel wildfires across the lake kicking up a cloud of dust that hovers in the trees and over the water's surface.
Rain is uncommon this time of year, but the lake did welcome a shower between the smoke and the dust of the hot summer.

August 7...People have dropped three cellphones so far this season when getting out of the kayak. They have them on their lap and forget them when they climb out of the boat. To their horror and disbelief, they watch as their phone plops into the water and sinks to the bottom. Today I was able to jump and retrieve it for them.

August 8...The big excitement of the day was when the Cal-Fire helicopter dropped in over the lake. There was a fire nearby and the fire crews deployed from the beach.

August 14...The tranquility of the lake was suspended today as crews were using a masticator across the lake. It's very loud and obtrusive. In the late afternoon, the wind blew the dock out of place.

August 16...Wacky weather indeed. Today we were soaked with a mid-morning rain shower as boaters were caught out in the rain. They loved it. It was a cool refreshing treat, away from the oppressive heat we have been subjected to. The paddlers laughed it off as they found joy in the rain.

August 22...A smokey day at Sly Park. I lost sight of the trees across the lake from the boathouse. While at the end of the day the sun appeared to be a red ball looming over the lake.

"Autumn comes with warning," wrote Sigrud Olson, "At a time when lush fruitful days of midsummer are beginning to wane." It's the same at Lake Jenkinson. There is little fanfare to the apprehension of autumn. Some will close out the summer with Labor Day, this year just hoping to go back to some sort of normal routine. While others, like me, hope to linger in the Indian summer just a bit longer.

August 28...There is a touch of fall in the air as a morning mist hangs over the lake. Unlike the smoke and dust, it's more of a welcome sight.

September 4...It's my last Friday of the season. From now I'll only be open on Saturdays and Sundays. Yep, the summer season is coming to an end.

We're not quite ready to call it a season. As long as people keep coming and the weather stays nice, we'll be keeping Sly Park Paddle Rentals open Saturday and Sundays into September.

If you want to go on a canoe or kayak trip at Sly Park contact:
Current Adventures Kayak School and Trips 
PHONE: 530-333-9115 or Toll-Free: 888-452-9254
FAX: 530-333-1291
USPS: Current Adventures, P.O. Box 828, Lotus, CA 95651
info@currentadventures.com
owner Dan Crandall dan@kayaking.com

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MOON & GLOOM

The moon will guide you through the night with her brightness, but she will always dwell in the darkness, in order to be seen. ---Shannon L. Alder

There was supposed to be a full moon. It was supposed to come over the trees and a glorious gleaming beam over the waters of Lake Natoma. At least that was my plan while leading a moonlight kayaking paddle for Bayside Adventures Sports, an active Sacramento faith-based outdoor group. I can think of no better time to be on the water, as the orb's ethereal light glistens off the water.
Accompanied the peaceful stillness of the lake it can create a very serene "zen-like" experience while kayaking. For many, including me, it's a favorite paddling activity.

But the devastating Californian wildfires that had burned up millions of acres and thousands of structures had blanketed the Sacramento area with a dense overcast of smoke and haze for the past weeks. A gloomy cloud covered the lake and surrounding area, while the setting sun was a burning red ball of ember in the sky. The closer it sank to the horizon the more obscure it became before it to would disappear into the murky clouds. For sure there would be no beaming moon, no big dipper, or the flickering planets of Jupiter and Saturn to gaze upon. Throw in the uncertainty of the never-ending Coronavirus pandemic, our country's unrest with racism, and a contentious looming election there seems no end to the dreariness of the evening. As Edgar Allan Poe wrote in his poem The Lake, "Whose solitary soul could make An Eden of that dim lake."

There are no bells and whistles on a moonlight paddle. No rush of adrenalin like whitewater. It's a tranquil experience and an escape from the commotion of the world, all while being lost in space between the stars in the heavens and the serene of the lake.
I experienced it just a few nights before as I watched the waxing moon appear over the pines at Sly Park Recreation Area near Pollock Pines, Ca. while leading a small kayaking group on Lake Jenkinson. As the sun sank into the horizon of tall trees, the powerboats sped away leaving behind a placid pool both calm and tranquil. The only sounds I heard were the gentle whisper of hushed voices and the whooshing of their paddles as the kayaks glided along. Like Linus said in It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, "Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see."

Author Luanne Rice wrote, "There's something enchanted about night. All those heavenly bodies, shooting stars, the crescent moon, celestial phenomenon."
Even on a gloomy night, I found that same magic that I have always had on every night paddle. As the light faded the world transformed into a silver a black panorama. Nature’s symphony of frogs and crickets singing from the unseen shore did even need the moon. My feelings of tension and worried thoughts seem to disappear into the night air.

But, even when you least expect it, the moon never fails to dazzle.
"I see it," called out a member of my party as we paddled back to the access, "There it is!"
Coming over the trees and glowing like a red sun the moon came through to end our night's paddle. Better late than never.

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