THE WAITING GAME

During their three months at Fort Clatsop, the members of the Corps of Discovery led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark reworked their journals, labored meticulously drawing maps, and to pass the time produced an ample supply of moccasins for the return trip back east.

March 13, 1806, "I this day took an account of the number of pairs of moccasins each man in the party had; and found the whole to be 338 pairs. This stock was not provided without great labor, as the most of them are made of the skins of elk. Each man has also a sufficient quantity of patch-leather. Some of the men went out to look for the lost canoe and killed two elk." --- Patrick Gass 

Fort Clatsop

Life at Fort Clatsop on the south shore of the Columbia River, near modern-day Astoria, Oregon was unbearably dull for the explorers who just the year before had crossed mountains and shot rapids. The weather was depressing and the days were monotonous as often noted several times in their journals. "Not anything transpired during this day worthy of particular notice," wrote Lewis. It was a place they just couldn't wait to leave.

March 3, 1806, "No movement of the party today worthy of notice. Everything moves on in the old way and we are counting the days which separate us from the 1st of April, & which bind us to Fort Clatsop." --- Meriwether Lewis

We don't have to go very far to see the parallels between our exploring counterparts of over 200 years ago and today's outdoor enthusiasts waiting out the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. As of this writing, state parks in many states are closed under the guidance on social distancing. Public health officials have raised alarms about people congregating in outdoor spaces like beaches, climbing areas, trailheads, and some popular river accesses leading to in some cases, these areas being shut down by local authorities.

"These are crazy, uncertain times," wrote California based paddler Cate Hawthorne in her blog Woman on the Water, "I feel very fortunate to have a comfortable home, agreeable partner for sheltering in place, lots of projects, and lots of good books to read. What has been difficult for me is the economic uncertainty and not being able to play outside (hike, bike, kayak, camp)."

For the most part, I've heeded universal rules that everyone should know by now, wash your hands, stay six feet apart from one another, avoid crowds, and stay local. Like the explorers at Fort Clatsop, I've found some diversion to my day with trips in my own neighborhood, all the while looking eastward toward the Sierra. Especially disappointed in missing my annual springtime events and trips, but I'll take refuge in my small solo outings or with my close paddling friends to my local river and lake.

Locked gates and kayak carts

With California state parks gates locked water access has been limited my neighborhood's Lake Natoma. Area paddlers park outside the gate and cart in their SUPS, kayaks, and canoes past the gates and signs to ghost town parking lots and boat access. Once on the water, a sense of normalcy occurs.

"Such a nice afternoon on the water!" wrote a Facebook friend, "Distancing of course with a few friends! So nice to get out of the house as I was cooped up sick over a week ago. Needed some vitamin D and connection. Thankful!"

Sunshine and water are good medicine. Wisconsin based paddler Shari Gasper felt that same rejuvenation just by getting back on to her lake recently.
"It just felt great to be outdoors and physically active," she wrote in her blog, Two Orange Kayaks, " We were a quiet trio on an almost empty lake, not coming into contact with other people, enjoying a day that felt nearly “normal” during the unusual circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. The time on the water made me feel energized and hopeful that I can endure another month of social distancing—if I have kayaking as my escape from the day-to-day monotony."

As with the explorers of the Corps of Discovery, we are counting the days until the restrictions are lifted and we can all travel far from homes. With so much uncertainty and so many changes in our lives these days, it's a relief to know the lakes and rivers will be there waiting for summer adventures. Yes, we'll all have to act responsibly by prioritizing the health and well-being of others when we get there by practicing the guidance of social distancing. And if we do, everyone will be able to enjoy the sunshine and beauty of the summer season. But until then, we'll have to wait.

March 20, 1806, "The rain rendered our departure so uncertain that we declined this measure for the present. nothing remarkable happened during the day. we have yet several days provision on hand, which we hope will be sufficient to subsist us during the time we are compelled by the weather to remain at this place." --- Meriwether Lewis

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OVER THE BOW: EEL RIVER

Photo By Chris Hansen

Mendocino County is known its rugged coastline of bluffs, tide pools and beaches offering sights of seals and migrating whales, however, the Eel River is often overlooked by many.
"One of the best-kept secrets of Mendocino County is the Eel River," wrote wildlife photographer Chris Hansen in his blog "It's one of the most beautiful river systems in California. It has some great rafting and kayaking as well."

It's said the Eel is a river of extreme flows. During the winter into late spring depending on the rainfall, it can run with force of a fire hose, while in the heat of late summer can dwindle down to a trickle. According to Whitewater Rafting in California's web page, the Eel has one the longest continuous river runs in California as it moves northward through the Coast Ranges before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. It's four forks and tributaries provide opportunities for whitewater kayaking and rafting on its upper sections. A popular run from Dos Rios to Alderpoint has plenty of Class II and III rapids and can take anywhere from three to four days to travel. The last part of the run from Fort Seward to the Pacific is mostly flat, but adding this stretch, it says one can easily turn the Eel River into a 10-day wilderness canoe odyssey.

For Hansen photography and kayaking go hand in hand. As a flat water boater, he uses a Native Watercraft 14.5 tandem kayak with a modified set up for wildlife photography.  Many of his shots in Chris the Photog, his photo blog he has photographed while in his boat.

Photo By Chris Hansen

"I got started in kayaking when I lived in Sacramento next to the American River," Hansen wrote in an email, "A neighbor had four old-school whitewater kayaks and we did a lot of runs on the lower American. It didn't take me long before I bought kayaks of my own. It then spurred my interest in photographing from a kayak, as I learned that wildlife is very approachable on the water."

Although earlier this month he had more trouble finding kayakers than wildlife. With flows running high on the Eel River, he went looking for boaters but got there too late and missing the action.  So a couple of days later, he went back, a little earlier this time and managed to catch boaters doing a short run from Legal Bridge down to about half way to Dos Rios access.

"It was a game of photograph and chase," wrote Hansen in his blog, "I would find and photograph them and then race ahead of them to the next rapid, park and then do it all over again. It was a lot of fun. The conditions were pretty hard to photograph in, as it was, believe it or not, too much of a nice a day. It was bright, sunny and hot!"

In his blog, Hansen offers a daily peek at the birds and creatures in and around his home at Willits, California. His wildlife photos have developed quite a following on-line getting his blog selected as a favorite by the Google's Blogger Team. He also has recently published a book entitled, Secrets of Backyard Bird Photography available on Amazon.
 

Photo By Chris Hansen

"I enjoy photographing kayakers as well." Hansen wrote in an email,  "Mostly up on the Eel River when I know that Jeff Laxier and Cate Hawthorne from Liquid Fusion Kayaking are running a tour or teaching a Whitewater class. Otherwise, it's hard to find kayakers on that stretch of river due to the fact that there aren't many kayakers on it."

You can check out more about Chris Hansen and images on his blog post-Chris the Photog and on Facebook

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