THE PATH OF THE MOON OVER WATER: Tips On Paddling At Night

 

Joys come from simple and natural things: mists over meadows, sunlight on leaves, the path of the moon over water. -- Sigurd F. Olson

The two best reasons to ever buy a kayak rather than just renting one are for the stunning sunsets and splendid sunrises. Those first and last hours of sunlight, that photographers refer to as the "Golden Hour" creates a magnificent mood across the water as the sun slips behind the horizon or climbs steadily into the sky while gliding silently across the lake soaking in twilight’s peaceful enchantment.

On the other hand, there is magic in the night. After the sun sets in a fading crimson glow, while the rising full moon is casting an ethereal light upon the water and giving us just another reason to stay out on the water. There is a peaceful sense of stillness. The boat traffic along with the wind has died down while the birds and animals settle in till morning, leaving the nighttime paddler lost in space between the stars in the heavens and the serene of the water.

"It's one of my favorite activities," wrote Canadian paddler Harvey Chris Wittenberg, "Nothing better than glassy conditions during a full moon, when natural illumination is greatest. The only sounds you hear are the surf or your paddle breaking the water. A very serene "zen-like" moment."

Night paddling is not the time to explore new places. As the light fades as the world transforms into a silver a black panorama and keeping track of your bearings in the dark can be hard to correct. Distances are harder to determine and landmarks can be difficult to see. Wittenberg recommends, to scout out your route ahead of time and leave glow stick on a rock or tree at your launch point to help you find your way back in the pitch black.

"I've had a few times where it was not easy to find my launch point," writes Wittenberg, "Make sure if it is a new area to check it out during daylight first and leave a float plan along with an expected time you'll come back with a loved one,"

While calm inland lakes and protected sea bays usually work the best for a moonlight paddling trip. If choosing a river, it should be free of snags and rapids with a take-out point easy to spot in low light conditions unless you plan to paddle back against the current to your original access point.

For coastal tours, be aware of any changes in the weather that might make any part paddle more hazardous in wind, waves, and tide. Also, stay out of commercial shipping lanes. If available, try using GPS mapping to help you identify your location at night.

Consult the U.S Coast Guard's Navigation Rules and have on hand sounding devices, like a whistle or air horn, and some sort of telecommunication device, like a VHF radio or cell phone in a waterproof case and an emergency beacon to alert others who might be far away. Insect repellent and a jacket for cool weather are always a good idea and always wear your PFD.

The most important part kayaking at night, it's essential that you remain visible not only other boat traffic but also members of your own kayaking party. To help the group stay close together, place a battery or an inflatable solar light such as the Luci Light on your bow and stern. Keep in mind that artificial lighting actually hinders our night vision. Keep only the red light to preserve night vision.

Also, you can wear a bright LED headlamp and carry a reserve flashlight. If another watercraft approaches, you can turn your headlamp in that direction to alert other boats to your presence, but keep it off when kayaking or use the red light option to ensure the best view of the illuminating moon.

"It's good to carry a small light on the back of your PFD along with a headlamp," wrote Wittenberg, "I have fluorescent stickers on front and back of my kayak as well as on paddle because the paddle is the highest thing people will see. The best fluorescent stickers are the red and white ones you can get at a Marine store that work in sunlight and darkness, to put on either side of your kayak. Purchase a cheap green glow stick (for the front of the kayak) and a red one for the back."

Studying the mystery of the moon and stillness of the water while gliding silently along in night's enchantment is something every paddler should experience. In the dark, hearing nature’s symphony of frogs and crickets singing from the unseen shore while the moonbeams shimmer across the pond can be a truly magical adventure.


What to go...Check with your outfitter or local state park to see if they offer any moonlit paddle nights. Across the country, many of them provide guided sunset and full moon paddling sessions and with all the gear for a reasonable price. Northern California's Current Adventures has been taking paddlers of all skill levels on their popular moonlit kayaking excursion on Lake Natoma and Lake Jenkinson at Sly Park Recreation Area near Sacramento.

This article was originally published Outside Adventure to the Max on February 23, 2018.

 

Keep up with Outside Adventure to the Max, on our Facebook page and Instagram and now on Youtube.

THE PATH OF THE MOON OVER WATER: Tips On Paddling At Night

Joys come from simple and natural things: mists over meadows, sunlight on leaves, the path of the moon over water. -- Sigurd F. Olson

The two best reasons to ever buy a kayak rather than just renting one are for the stunning sunsets and splendid sunrises. Those first and last hours of sunlight, that photographers refer to as the "Golden Hour" creates a magnificent mood across the water as the sun slips behind the horizon or climbs steadily into the sky while gliding silently across the lake soaking in twilight’s peaceful enchantment.

On the other hand, there is magic in the night. After the sun sets in a fading crimson glow, while the rising full moon is casting an ethereal light upon the water and giving us just another reason to stay out on the water. There is a peaceful sense of stillness. The boat traffic along with the wind has died down while the birds and animals settle in till morning, leaving the nighttime paddler lost in space between the stars in the heavens and the serene of the water.

"It's one of my favorite activities," wrote Canadian paddler Harvey Chris Wittenberg, "Nothing better than glassy conditions during a full moon, when natural illumination is greatest. The only sounds you hear are the surf or your paddle breaking the water. A very serene "zen-like" moment."

Night paddling is not the time to explore new places. As the light fades as the world transforms into a silver a black panorama and keeping track of your bearings in the dark can be hard to correct. Distances are harder to determine and landmarks can be difficult to see. Wittenberg recommends, to scout out your route ahead of time and leave glow stick on a rock or tree at your launch point to help you find your way back in the pitch black.

"I've had a few times where it was not easy to find my launch point," writes Wittenberg, "Make sure if it is a new area to check it out during daylight first and leave a float plan along with an expected time you'll come back with a loved one,"

While calm inland lakes and protected sea bays usually work the best for a moonlight paddling trip. If choosing a river, it should be free of snags and rapids with a take-out point easy to spot in low light conditions unless you plan to paddle back against the current to your original access point.

For coastal tours, be aware of any changes in the weather that might make any part paddle more hazardous in wind, waves, and tide. Also, stay out of commercial shipping lanes. If available, try using GPS mapping to help you identify your location at night.

Consult the U.S Coast Guard's Navigation Rules and have on hand sounding devices, like a whistle or air horn, and some sort of telecommunication device, like a VHF radio or cell phone in a waterproof case and an emergency beacon to alert others who might be far away. Insect repellent and a jacket for cool weather are always a good idea and always wear your PFD.

The most important part kayaking at night, it's essential that you remain visible not only other boat traffic but also members of your own kayaking party. To help the group stay close together, place a battery or an inflatable solar light such as the Luci Light on your bow and stern. Keep in mind that artificial lighting actually hinders our night vision. Keep only the red light to preserve night vision.

Also, you can wear a bright LED headlamp and carry a reserve flashlight. If another watercraft approaches, you can turn your headlamp in that direction to alert other boats to your presence, but keep it off when kayaking or use the red light option to ensure the best view of the illuminating moon.

"It's good to carry a small light on the back of your PFD along with a headlamp," wrote Wittenberg, "I have fluorescent stickers on front and back of my kayak as well as on paddle because the paddle is the highest thing people will see. The best fluorescent stickers are the red and white ones you can get at a Marine store that work in sunlight and darkness, to put on either side of your kayak. Purchase a cheap green glow stick (for the front of the kayak) and a red one for the back."

Studying the mystery of the moon and stillness of the water while gliding silently along in night's enchantment is something every paddler should experience. In the dark, hearing nature’s symphony of frogs and crickets singing from the unseen shore while the moonbeams shimmer across the pond can be a truly magical adventure.


What to go...Check with your outfitter or local state park to see if they offer any moonlit paddle nights. Across the country, many of them provide guided sunset and full moon paddling sessions and with all the gear for a reasonable price. Northern California's Current Adventures has been taking paddlers of all skill levels on their popular moonlit kayaking excursion on Lake Natoma and Lake Jenkinson at Sly Park Recreation Area near Sacramento.

This article was originally published Outside Adventure to the Max on February 23, 2018.

 

Keep up with Outside Adventure to the Max, on our Facebook page and Instagram and now on Youtube.

HARVEST MOON

"Shine and shimmer my Harvest Moon, illuminate the shadows in the sky." A.F. Stewart

I guaranteed the group from Bayside Adventure Sports that this time they would see the moon on our full moon paddle on Lake Natoma. This past summer,  I had miscalculated the moonrise more than a few times while our group was on the water, meaning that the people I was leading surely to got to see a full moon, but it was usually on their drive home.

But earlier this week, we got to enjoy the glow on the moon for the whole evening. According to NASA, the harvest moon, that occurs around the autumnal equinox rises about 25 minutes after the sun sets in most of the northern US. That's a whopping 25 minutes earlier than your typical moon.

Of course, we had only observed the waxing moon. The full glowing moon will light up the sky tonight. And as luck would have it, the last time we had a full moon on Friday the 13th was Oct. 13, 2000. It's a rare occurrence and won’t happen again until August 13, 2049, if you want to plan ahead.

All and all, there's something enchanting about paddling at night under the moon. The orb's ethereal light glistening off the water accompanied a peaceful sense of stillness makes this one of my favorite paddling activities. It's very serene "zen-like" experience on the water.  I can think of no better time to be on the water.

So as summer is quickly coming to an end, perhaps there was no better way to celebrate its conclusion and help usher in the autumnal season than with a Harvest Moon paddle

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THE PATH OF THE MOON OVER WATER: Tips On Paddling At Night

Joys come from simple and natural things: mists over meadows, sunlight on leaves, the path of the moon over water. -- Sigurd F. Olson

The two best reasons to ever buy a kayak rather than just renting one are for the stunning sunsets and splendid sunrises. Those first and last hours of sunlight, that photographers refer to as the "Golden Hour" creates a magnificent mood across the water as the sun slips behind the horizon or climbs steadily into the sky while gliding silently across the lake soaking in twilight’s peaceful enchantment.

On the other hand, there is magic in the night. After the sun sets in a fading crimson glow, while the rising full moon is casting an ethereal light upon the water and giving us just another reason to stay out on the water. There is a peaceful sense of stillness. The boat traffic along with the wind has died down while the birds and animals settle in till morning, leaving the nighttime paddler lost in space between the stars in the heavens and the serene of the water.

"It's one of my favorite activities," wrote Canadian paddler Harvey Chris Wittenberg, "Nothing better than glassy conditions during a full moon, when natural illumination is greatest. The only sounds you hear are the surf or your paddle breaking the water. A very serene "zen-like" moment."

Night paddling is not the time to explore new places. As the light fades as the world transforms into a silver a black panorama and keeping track of your bearings in the dark can be hard to correct. Distances are harder to determine and landmarks can be difficult to see. Wittenberg recommends, to scout out your route ahead of time and leave glow stick on a rock or tree at your launch point to help you find your way back in the pitch black.

"I've had a few times where it was not easy to find my launch point," writes Wittenberg, "Make sure if it is a new area to check it out during daylight first and leave a float plan along with an expected time you'll come back with a loved one,"

While calm inland lakes and protected sea bays usually work the best for a moonlight paddling trip. If choosing a river, it should be free of snags and rapids with a take-out point easy to spot in low light conditions unless you plan to paddle back against the current to your original access point.

For coastal tours, be aware of any changes in the weather that might make any part paddle more hazardous in wind, waves, and tide. Also, stay out of commercial shipping lanes. If available, try using GPS mapping to help you identify your location at night.

Consult the U.S Coast Guard's Navigation Rules and have on hand sounding devices, like a whistle or air horn, and some sort of telecommunication device, like a VHF radio or cell phone in a waterproof case and an emergency beacon to alert others who might be far away. Insect repellent and a jacket for cool weather are always a good idea and always wear your PFD.

The most important part kayaking at night, it's essential that you remain visible not only other boat traffic but also members of your own kayaking party. To help the group stay close together, place a battery or an inflatable solar light such as the Luci Light on your bow and stern. Keep in mind that artificial lighting actually hinders our night vision. Keep only a red light to preserve night vision.

In addition, you can, wear a bright LED headlamp and carry a reserve flashlight. If another watercraft approaches, you can turn your headlamp in that direction to alert the other boat to your presence, but keep it off when kayaking or use the red light option to ensure the best view of the illuminating moon.

"It's good to carry a small light on the back of your PFD along with a headlamp," wrote Wittenberg, "I have fluorescent stickers on front and back of my kayak as well as on paddle because the paddle is the highest thing people will see. The best fluorescent stickers are the red and white ones you can get at a Marine store that work in sunlight and darkness, to put on either side of your kayak. Purchase a cheap green glow stick (for the front of the kayak) and a red one for the back."

The rest of 2018's Full Moons.

Studying the mystery of the moon and stillness of the water while gliding silently along in night's enchantment is something every paddler should experience. In the dark, hearing nature’s symphony of frogs and crickets singing from the unseen shore while the moonbeams shimmer across the pond can be a truly magical adventure.


What to go...Check with your outfitter or local state park to see if they offer any moonlit paddle nights. Across the country, many of them provide guided sunset and full moon paddling sessions and with all the gear for a reasonable price. Northern California's Current Adventures has been taking paddlers of all skill levels on their popular moonlit kayaking excursion on Lake Natoma near Sacramento.

18 WAYS TO PADDLE INTO 2018

So what’s on your adventure horizon for 2018? As we stride into the new year, here are 18 ways improve your paddling life in the next year and beyond. Onward.

Enjoy a winter activities
For some winter fun, hit the local slopes and trails. It's time to find a good hill for  your toboggan or trek off to a ski resort for some downhill or cross-country skiing. It won't cure your need to paddle, but it will help while waiting till next spring to paddle again. Those who like to hike will love snowshoeing, crunching down through the snow a great form of cardiovascular exercise. Just duck those snowballs from the person behind you. Snowshoeing

Take indoor rolling session
Don't let the ice and snow limit your ways of improving your skills on the water.  Certified instructors in heated indoor pools across the country are offering classes covering safety, paddle strokes and rescue techniques. After that build your confidence with a rolling session. wisconsinpaddlers.org.

Buy a state park pass
Explore the beauty and history of your own state. Many states offer some sort of pass that allows you unlimited entry at most state parks, while other offer park passes on a park-by-park basis. Find your state, order an entrance pass, and enjoy unlimited access to the natural beauty and paddling venues your state parks offer. US State Parks

Attend a Kayak Symposium
Whether you are an experienced kayaker or just beginning these instructional gathering aim at advancing your paddling skills. Offered on each coast and on the Great Lakes. These courses allow the paddlers to refine these skills and paddle in more challenging conditions with an accomplished sea kayaking coach with the goal of advancing your abilities. Lumpy Waters, Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium

See a paddling film
Sure you can watch your old wore out VHS copy of 1972 Deliverance over and over again, but this year get some popcorn and embrace the paddling lifestyle and wild places of the Reel Paddling Film Festival World Tour. Since 2006, the World Tour has screened in more than 120 cities around the world showcasing the very best paddling films. Reel Paddling Film Festival World Tour 

Take a wilderness canoe or kayak trip
Did you know, the average canoe trip 20 years ago was nine days. Today it’s only three. Clearly, we need to reset our priorities. A wilderness trip via canoe is an experience few will ever forget so grab your paddle and head to the wilderness.  The Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Quetico Provincial Park, The Buffalo National River

 Paddle with a group
An African proverb says, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." So while many love the solitude of a solo paddle, most people like to make it a social activity by bringing friends and family along with them to share the experience. Paddlers say, that by kayaking together they build stronger relationships between loved ones and enhanced their friendships with other boaters. Kayaking Meetups

Kayak amid an urban sprawl
Our local water trails provide recreation in river towns across the country with hiking and bike paths, restaurants and interpretive centers, campgrounds and most important access to the water.  These urban waterways prioritize tourism, economies, and increase environmental education impacting your community. American River Parkway, Urban Kayaking 

Take a kid paddling
In this day and age of 'nature deficit disorder' due to overexposure to video games, computers and the Internet, paddling in the outdoors can be a great activity for kids. And while kids have short attention spans and aren't always focused on learning the technical aspects of paddling, the key to having a good time is to keep the paddling exercises fun, interesting and always bring plenty of snacks. Kayaking with the family

Take a white water class 
In a whitewater kayaking class, you’ll develop the foundations and skills along with overcoming any of those fears about being upside down underwater. By the end the session you’ll amaze even yourself as you paddle through the eddies and currents with increased confidence and boat control as you weave and glide down a new stretch of the river. Current Adventures Kayak School & Trips

Hang out in your local paddling shop
Kayaking is not just a sport. It’s a lifestyle. Hanging out in your local shop is a great way to get to know other paddlers in your area. Whether you’re looking for a new boat, paddle, or whatever else, talking to the other people in the store is a great way to get the scoop on what gear works for them. And just stopping in is also an easy way to keep informed on festivals, competitions, community gatherings and river cleanups in your area. The River Store, Rutabaga PaddleSports, Midwest Mountaineering

Paddle in the moonlight

With 13 full moons in 2018, you'll have plenty of chances to paddle in the moonlight. On January 31st, Earth will experience a blue moon (as in the saying, “once in a blue moon”). This means that it will be the second full moon in the span of a single month. Bring that special someone along for a romantic voyage or the whole family for a moonlit kayak adventure. Many outfitters and local state park across the country offer sunset and full moon paddling sessions providing all the gear for at a reasonable price. currentadventures.com

Take part in a river cleanup
Be a river hero by volunteering to participate in the thousands of cleanups across the country to remove litter and debris from out local waterways. In Sacramento last year, volunteers pulled two bicycles, a motorcycle frame and some 1,500 pounds of debris from the 6-mile stretch along the American River. National River Cleanup

Visit a whitewater park
In the movie Field Of Dreams, they said, "If you build it they will come." Over the past several years communities that have constructed whitewater parks as a way of providing a dynamic recreation facility for the community. These parks have used dam removals projects to build artificial whitewater courses opening the river to paddlers as well bringing bringing communities together great river festivals.  Truckee River Whitewater Park, Great Falls Park,  Buena Vista River Park

Get involved with activism by Supporting American Rivers
Join American Rivers to protects wild rivers, restore damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Guided by five core values: Passion, Integrity, Teamwork, Commitment, and Balance this organization works to achieve a vision of a nation of clean, healthy rivers for everyone. American Rivers

Paddle a SUP
It's a common scene across the beach of the US and Canada, long sleek colorful boards and even sleeker paddlers ever so graceful gliding across the water. All you need is a board to join the SUP revolution for a refreshing view and escape. SUP Magazine

Read a paddling book
Who doesn’t enjoy a tale of high adventure with raging rapids, stormy seas and paddling great rivers? These stories both fiction and nonfiction will inspire us all winter to go live your own adventure. Ron Watters Barnes & Noble 

 Update your PFD
Time, use and the sunlight has taken its toll on your PFD. Experts say you should replace it every five years or after 300 days considering how much you used it. Loss of buoyancy and UV damage are the red flags telling us their due to retire.  RapidMedia

FULL MOON & SUMMER SOLSTICE

                     
                 I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance, Among my skimming swallows;
                 I make the netted sunbeam dance Against my sandy shallows.
                 I murmur under moon and stars In brambly wildernesses;
                 I linger by my shingly bars; I loiter round my cresses;
                 And out again I curve and flow To join the brimming river,
                 For men may come and men may go, But I go on forever.
                 Lord Alfred Tennyson

It's an old saying we have all heard before. The two best reasons to own a kayak or canoe are sunsets and sunrises. Who can argue? The sunlight flashing in each droplet from our paddles as the water glows in a golden glitter. No one can resist the sight of tranquil lake basking in either new or dimming light. Nevertheless, in their confines we find the moon giving us another reason to stay afloat.

"One summer night, out on a flat headland, all
but surrounded by the waters of the bay, the horizons were remote and distant rims on the edge of space." wrote Rachel Carson environmental activist,  "Millions of stars blazed in darkness, and on the far shore, a few lights burned in cottages. Otherwise, there was no reminder of human life. My companion and I were alone with the stars: the misty river of the Milky Way flowing across the sky, the patterns of the constellations standing out bright and clear, a blazing planet low on the horizon."

Carson who alerted the world to the impact of fertilizers and pesticides in the environment, best known for her book the Silent Spring, went on to describe how an ordinary night on the water was extraordinary, and often looked past by many.
"It occurred to me that if this were a sight that could be seen only once in a century, this little headland would be thronged with spectators. But it can be seen many scores of nights in any year, and so the lights burned in the cottages and the inhabitants probably gave not a thought to the beauty overhead; and because they could see it almost any night, perhaps they never will."

This past week, however, the summer solstice, the longest day of the year and June's full moon called the Strawberry Moon by early Native Americans marking the beginning of the strawberry season, coincided together in a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. This event happens only once every 70 years.
With about 17 hours of light, the day didn't want to yield to the night still the lunar globe burned brightly in the twilight.

And as the sun slipped behind the horizon and the moon climbed into the evening sky, a hush came over the handful of transfixed boaters I was leading Lake Natoma during a  Current Adventures Kayak School & Trips full moon paddle.  Our voices had seemed to be bewitched and taken away in total fascination. The moon has that kind of power. If it can control the tides of the sea, rending one speechless under its luster is effortless to it.

"There is something haunting in the light of the moon," said writer Joseph Conrad, "It has all the dispassionateness of a disembodied soul, and something of its inconceivable mystery."

The mystery of the moon and stillness of the lake rekindled our senses while gliding silently along, soaking in night's peaceful enchantment. All around me, I heard the gentle sound of lapping of the water against the bow. The air was fresh, damp and motionless. In each stroke, we paddled its coolness fill our lungs. The water and night soon engulfed me in the darkness. Looking out across the silver lining of the lake other kayakers were now fleeting shadows afloat on the shimmering haze.

Check your calendar for next full moon and bring that special someone along for a romantic voyage or the whole family for a moonlit kayak adventure. Many outfitters or local state park across the country offer sunset and full moon paddling sessions and provide all the gear for a reasonable price.

If you want to go 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

STARRY STARRY NIGHT....LOON LAKE PART I

“I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.”--Jack London

"There goes one!" a voice calls out in the darkness.

"Where? I didn't see it," says another.

"Through the Big Dipper. It had a bright tail."

"Oh man! I missed it. What is that?

"An airplane." says another.

"Geez, we're not going back till I see one."

Lost in space between the stars in the heavens and the serene of the lake, we are adrift in the magic of the night. The constellations, Pegasus, Cassiopeia and Ursa Minor shine brilliantly in the moonless sky as our eyes focus toward the east in anticipation of catching a falling star.
There are less than a dozen of us floating in the tranquility of Loon Lake. Our bobbing armada of kayaks is lashed together by our fingers tips as each boater holds tightly to the boats between them. Colored glow sticks dangle in the shadows of our figures while some of our headlamps give an eerie glow. It's just after ten and there is a slight gleam over the mountains. It seems like the whole universe is presented before us.

Loon Lake renders the perfect backdrop for the annual Perseid Meteor Shower during its peak in the month of August. The Crystal Basin Recreation Area's lake on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains just west of Lake Tahoe, offers scenic beauty, limited crowds and no light pollution. Tucked away and only a short drive from Sacramento, California, Current Adventures Kayak School and Trips have been providing overnight camping trips for the meteor shower for nearly 10 years. With meals, camping equipment and kayaks provided, paddlers and first-time campers enjoy a cozy "roughing it" in-style camp-out.

"I love the night time paddle,  says longtime lake visitor Djuna Archer, "It's looking up at the stars. This time we have no moon so it's beautiful. It's quiet, serene and lovely."

 This is our second time out on to the water. We had kayaked the length of the lake earlier during the day, however, at night, the lake takes on foreign appearance. The California drought has taken a toll on Loon Lake, dropping it excessively. It is lower than most can ever remember. Just finding our kayaks on the shadowy lake shore is an adventure in itself. In line, we are an illuminated parade of headlamps over the rocky beach to the boats and then, one by one we drop our kayaks into the water and drift into darkness. We follow the leader,  Current Adventure's Dan Crandall's glowing headwear to the center of the reservoir.

In the middle of the lake, we group together and lean back looking at the stars. The daytime heat is gone and a coolness brushes over the water. Our voices and the sound of the kayaks bumping together breaks the silence of the lake. We feel the slight vibration of the water below us as the rocking bows gently remind us we are not on solid ground. There is the mystery of water below us and a dazzling array stars above. Our thoughts navigate us through time and space... How long does it take the light of the stars to touch the earth? Can those satellites see us from above? I wish I could stay here forever.

"Especially in the dark nights," naturalist Henry David Thoreau said long ago while night fishing on Walden Pond, "When our thoughts had wandered to vast and cosmogonal themes and other spheres, to feel this faint jerk, which came to interrupt our dreams and link you to Nature again."  

Our thoughts are disrupted by a flash of a meteor's trail. Fourth of July oohs and awes charge the air. But, the shooting star is gone much to quickly to fully enjoy its splendor. The Perseid shower is known to rise gradually to a peak, then fall off rapidly afterward. We have just missed the peak by a couple of days. The meteor shower is more of a sprinkle but intermittent with wonder and laughter from our group on the lake. Seeing a falling star is always special, however catching it with new friends while kayaking a high Sierra lake is simply magical. It is an experience we will remember for a lifetime.

Dan left a light flashing on the shore so we could find our way back. We had a campfire, a couple of bottles of wine and a full day of paddling waiting for us tomorrow.

 

Part Two of my trip to Loon Lake next week in Outside Adventure to the Max.

Bay to Bay

                                       

Lake Natoma

 Rivers are the primal highways of life. From the crack of time, they had borne men's dreams, and in their lovely rush to elsewhere, fed our wanderlust, mimicked our arteries, and charmed our imaginations in a way the static pond or vast and savage ocean never could. ---Tom Robbins 


Sometimes I'm just at a loss for words to describe the joy I have for kayaking along on a lake, a river and now the ocean. I got into boating roughly five years ago this month and haven't looked back. Each day on the water fades into a dream only a picture can tell. Bright days, cloudy days and moonlit nights have been chronicled in my photographs of my paddling adventures. Here are a few of my favorite images from this year so far.

Lake Natoma

Paddle Pushers on Lake Natoma

Moonlight Paddle on Lake Natoma

Lower American River

Rollins Lake

Folsom Lake

Folsom lake

Folsom Lake

North of the American River

San Francisco Bay

We are always looking for guest bloggers to share their adventures stories and pictures. Keep up with Outside Adventure to the Max on our Facebook page.

Over The Bow: Pink Moon Paddle Video Blog Extra

Come along for this Outside Adventure to the Max's special journey for this video blog extra.
This weekend I took part in full moon paddle with the Sacramento Paddle Pushers on Lake Natoma near Folsom, California. The meetup group's posting called for a full "Pink" moon rising. In poetic fashion, it says, "This Full Moon heralded the appearance of the pink moss, or wild ground phlox—one of the first spring flowers."
Calling this full moon "Pink" is a misnomer because this weekend's "Pink" Full Moon isn't really pink. It will still have the yellowish-white complexion that it always does, that is until early Saturday morning's lunar eclipse, but I'll tell you more about that later.
It refers to the herb moss which grows abundantly in early spring. In Native American cultures, this full moon has many names such as Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, and among coastal tribes, it's the Fish Moon, because this was the time of year that the shad swam upstream to spawn.
Our ancient ancestors have always looked to the sky. They gave names to the Full Moons to keep track of the seasons. January's full moon is called the Wolf Moon. Because of the warming temperatures when earthworms begin to appear March's moon is the Worm Moon. While September's full moon is called the Corn Moon or Harvest Moon because its when corn was supposed to be harvested. These colorful names all in invoke a certain magic. The moon is our the closest heavenly body in our nighttime skies. For thousands of years, we have used its light to guide us in the dark. What better way to sense its lunar allure than to watch the sunset into golden waters in the west and see the moon climb into the evening sky while kayaking.

Under the Glow of the Pink Moon

          Oh, I'm bein' followed by a moonshadow, moonshadow, moonshadow
 Leapin and hoppin' on a moonshadow, moonshadow, moonshadow...Cat Stevens

This weekend I'm taking part in full moon paddle with the Sacramento Paddle Pushers. The meetup group's posting calls for a full "Pink" moon rising a little after 7 P.M. Pacific time. In poetic fashion, it says, "This Full Moon heralded the appearance of the pink moss, or wild ground phlox—one of the first spring flowers."
Calling this full moon "Pink" is a misnomer because this weekend's "Pink" Full Moon isn't really pink. It will still have the yellowish-white complexion that it always does, that is until early Saturday morning's lunar eclipse, but I'll tell you more about that later.
It refers to the herb moss which grows abundantly in early spring. In Native American cultures, this full moon has many names such as Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, and among coastal tribes, it's the Fish Moon, because this was the time of year that the shad swam upstream to spawn.

However this weekend, a lunar eclipse will coincide with this year's Pink Moon turning it actually pink while passing through the shadow of the earth.  Plan on staying up very late to catch it. The west coast will have the best opportunity to view the eclipse beginning after 2 AM with the moon entering the umbra. Sky watchers will be treated to a nearly five-minute total lunar eclipse just before sunrise on Saturday. The moon will grow darker and then take on a reddish shade, before total eclipse at just before 5 AM. It will only last four minutes and 43 seconds, making it the shortest one of the century according to NASA.

Our ancient ancestors have always looked to the sky. They gave names to the Full Moons to keep track of the seasons. January's full moon is called the Wolf Moon. Because of the warming temperatures when earthworms begin to appear March's moon is the Worm Moon. While September's full moon is called the Corn Moon or Harvest Moon because its when corn was supposed to be harvested. These colorful names all in invoke a certain magic. The moon is our the closest heavenly body in our nighttime skies. For thousands of years, we have used its light to guide us in the dark. What better way to sense its lunar allure than to watch the sunset into golden waters in the west and see the moon climb into the evening sky while kayaking.

On one of my first moonlight paddles on Loon Lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the full moon overpowered the night sky. It was a giant gleaming ball hanging over the lake. It was hard to even see stars and even more difficult to spot the meteors we came out to see. The moon was so bright, the party I was with joked about getting "moon burned" by its rays. The water twinkled and glistened from the celestial glow. A sparkling single ray danced on the water to the silhouetted outline of the great pines pointing up toward the illumination of the sky.

A hush came over the transfixed boaters. Our voices had seemed to be bewitched and taken away in total fascination. The moon has that kind of power. If it can control the tides of the sea, rending one speechless under its luster is effortless to it. In the stillness of the lake, all of my senses were rekindled while gliding silently along, soaking in night's peaceful enchantment. All around me, I hear the gentle sound of lapping of the water against the bow. The air is fresh, damp and still. In each stroke of my paddle, I pull its coolness into my lungs. Looking down,  the water is engulfed in the darkness below me, while across from the other kayakers are sharp shadows on the silver lining of the lake.

Basic paddling techniques and safety concerns should be considered before setting off on a moonlit kayaking experience. Inland night navigation boating regulations vary from state to state. The  U.S. Coast Guard Rules requires canoe and kayaks to have proper lighting aboard to prevent collisions. A readily available hand-held flashlight or headlamp is the minimum requirement and should be sufficient on most waters restricted for only paddlers. For larger lakes shared with other boat traffic, it's recommended to have a 360° light, available to turn on and display in any direction. Make sure to place the light out of your line of sight so your night vision is not impaired.

Check with your outfitter or local state park to see if they offer a moonlit paddle night. Across the country, many of them offer sunset and full moon paddling sessions and provide all the gear for a reasonable price. Northern California's Current Adventures has been taking paddlers of all skill levels on their popular moonlit kayaking excursion at Lake Natoma near Sacramento for years.

So check your calendar for next full moon and bring that special someone for a romantic voyage or the whole family for a moonlit kayak adventure.