NOVEMBER PANORAMA

“The river this November afternoon

Rests in an equipoise of sun and cloud:

A glooming light, a gleaming darkness shroud

Its passage. All seems tranquil, all-in tune.” --- Cecil Day-Lewis

Sitting back, enjoying a cup of hot coffee while watching the birds fly over my stack of kayaks to the bird feeder. The skies have cleared after much of a week of stormy weather. Rain fell throughout the early part of the week while the foothills got blanketed with snow at higher elevations, with the bulk hitting the Sierra Nevada mountains. 

So far, so good. The recent storms certainly dampened the threat of wildfires, but for ending the long-enduring drought here in California. It's still much too early to tell. Weather forecasters say that these November storms are starting when we usually expect them, but it's still really early in the year to see what may happen.

I'm thinking I should be loading up one of those kayaks and taking it to a nearby lake. That is the best part about living here in California. Unlike when I was living in the mid-west, my kayaking season doesn't end when the rain strips the trees of their leaves and the snow falls. Sure, there are days when the weather is a bit uncomfortable, but there are still days ahead of paddling in just shirtsleeves that can't be squandered. However, losing an hour at the end of the day always surprises me when we flip back to an hour to standard time. Great if you are an earlier riser in this light switch from evening to morning. But I'm not ready for the darkness, as the sun seems to slam into the horizon before my eyes. Exploding into little bits before disappearing into the night.

Still paddling in November is an anomaly for many. The cool temperatures seem to outweigh the beautiful fall colors and golden light from the autumn sun. In my recent trips to Lake Natoma and Folsom Lake, they have been virtually abandoned by the summertime crowds, leaving an empty view of the glistening water. The refreshing clear and crisp autumnal air and uncrowded shores make me wonder why November paddling doesn't get its homage and due.

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GLOW PADDLE 2022 & VIDEO

The sixth annual Glow Paddle once again lit up the waters of Lake Natoma last weekend. It was not ordinary kayaking or paddle boarding experience as well over 30 watercrafts, decorated with a myriad of colorful lights and glowsticks, paddled along the lakeshore at dusk and then in the dark.

The premise of the event was simple. Participants brought their own kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, boats, or inflatables to Lake Natoma's Black Miners Bar within Folsom Lake State Recreation Area and lit them up like Christmas trees. The glowing fleet then launched onto the lake and waited for the sunset to light up the night.

Experiencing nature and the lake in the dark was only enhanced by the nearly full moon as lit-up paddlers journeyed up to Folsom Rainbow Bridge on still waters. It was a truly magical sight to see all the boats on the water.  

A traditional informal event, the Glow Paddle was made up of several paddling groups and was a fun and free activity.

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HORIZON LINES

The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time... Abraham Lincoln

I just love to read guidebooks and look at river maps. First of all, they give you an idea of where to go. I cannot think of how many times I paged through my well-worn copy of Paddling Northern California by Charlie Pike to get an idea of where to go and where to put in. It Describes more than 65 of the best paddling trips in Northern California, including whitewater, flat water, and coastal excursions.

Just last year, a group I lead paddled the Sacramento River. A section of the river, we probably wouldn't have even thought of had it not been featured in the guide.

What to expect along the way is another reason I like to study them. As the leader of the group, I like to be a bit prepared. Warn them of possibly swift water or just give a few tidbits about the natural landmark or some history of the area. Of course, when the 80-yard portage turns into a double or triples that, I can blame it on the guidebook saying the write-up said it would be short.

The River Store

River maps showing the access, take outs, and especially the rapids are extremely important. In Duct Tape Diaries, NRS's official blog that celebrates the paddling lifestyle through compelling storytelling and photography, writer D.M. Collins gave an ode to river maps saying, "River maps are a small but mighty piece of gear. How do I know this? For one, they elicit confidence and a felt sense of security in my most anxiety-ridden river moments—at least for me. Holding and reading a map is one’s crude equivalent to central command in the backcountry. In a world riddled with screens and information at the tap of a button, the handheld binary paper map is both novel and understated in guiding one on their river journey."

Where to go and what to expect when you get there. As I start off my summer, I wish I knew. It will be out of the ordinary as my wife, Debbie, and I prepare to move to Placerville, California, a smaller Sierra Nevada foothills community located east of Sacramento. The Gold Rush-era history makes up a big part of the community's identity, but the town is also a popular destination for hiking, mountain biking, and adrenaline-pumping whitewater kayaking and rafting. Both the upper and lower sections of the South Fork American River offer rollicking rapids and gorgeous scenery. 

John Taylor and Debbie Carlson on Lake Natoma

While Working for Current Adventures Kayaking School & Trips for several years, I've logged many miles to the shop in Coloma. I'll be much closer now to my jobs at Sly Park Paddle Rentals and The River Store while a bit longer to my other employment venues. It will be a trade-off.

I'm excited about this next stage of my life as I approach this river bend. Are there worries and concerns? Of course. But as Eleanor Roosevelt said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

Here is a look at some of our favorite images from this year so far.

Lake Clementine 

Lake Natoma 

Lake Comanche Reservoir

Current Adventures' Dan Crandall 

Debbie Carlson & Yosemite Valley 

Lake Lodi 

Lake Clementine

Lake Jenkinson 

Rattlesnake Bar & Folsom Lake 

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A SHOW OF NATURE

These little fur balls are very good swimmers and can stay underwater for three to four minutes at a time. Otters are very much like young boys and girls because they spend most of their time playing. --- Michael R. Greyson

Usually the term, "a show of nature" refers to something dramatic such as a hurricane, tornado, or volcanic eruption. It's often portrayed in the media as a violent display of weather or animal savagery showing man's insignificant to his environment. When we see something like that, whether in person or on TV, we are intrigued, astounded, and maybe shocked by what we are seeing. Nature has power. Nature has force. Nature has fury.

"Nature has many tricks wherewith she convinces man of his finity, - the ceaseless flow of the tides, the fury of a storm, the shock of the earthquake, the long roll of heavens artillery," wrote writer Jack London in The White Silence.

 

But as we all know, the wonder of nature can display calmness, quiet serenity, and enchanting and amusing spectacles, just like my trip to my neighborhood lake last month. Thanksgiving Day was clear and bright as I paddled out of the Willow Creek access of Lake Natoma, located within the Folsom Lake SRA, east of Sacramento. It's a 5-mile-long reservoir of the American River and the favorite spot paddling of many. And even on Thanksgiving, many paddlers were taking a pre-feast trek around the lake on their kayaks and paddleboards. 

The fluctuating lake level was about normal for this time of the year. It has been a dry month since the aspheric river storm in October raised my hopes for wet weather and snow this season. I had high expectations after a series of storms had dumped snow and rain over Northern California. But looking eastward toward the Sierra, the mountains looked barren. The ski resorts that had hoped to open up for the Thanksgiving weekend would remain shut down for a while longer.

The slow speed and the quiet nature of my kayak make it ideal for viewing wildlife while paddling along the shoreline of the lake. Despite being so close to an urban setting, ducks, geese, and deer are at home and can be seen here all year long. However, just downstream on the other side of the dam, the salmon are returning as part of their annual migration. For centuries the salmon had spawning grounds of over 100 miles in the American River and its tributaries. But with Nimbus Dam, the dam that creates Lake Natoma, for thousands, their journey will end at the new fish ladder of the Nimbus Hatchery. Designed to let the fish swim up and around, and access more of the historical habitat in the river and enter the hatchery through a much longer flume trail along the American River. Equipped with 9 large viewing windows open for public viewing daily, offering a great show every day this time of the year.
Early in the week, my wife Debbie and I walked down to the fish ladder. We watched the salmon congregate in the pool in front of the ladder and periodically leap toward the gate. It was an amazing display of nature.

Paddling out onto Lake Natoma, the was lake was flat and calm. Looking out over the water, I spotted what looked like large ripples brimming across the surface of the water. Usually, such ripples were caused by the neighboring geese and ducks. But this time, I saw no birds, but large black hairless noses breaking the surface of the water. I gradually moved in closer and closer with my kayak to watch the family of otters swim and feast on their lake dinner. River otters primarily eat fish but, on that day, they were eating whatever was easiest to catch in the lake, like crayfish, frogs, and other aquatic invertebrates.

Up-and-down they bobbed effortlessly, treading water and emerging their heads out of the water, snorting and blowing to clear their nostrils. Excellent swimmers, the otters have long, narrow bodies and flattened streamlined heads. They are equipped with long thick tails about a third of their body length that propels them through the water and protective fur to help them keep warm in cold waters.
I counted six of them swimming along with me. They seemed as curious about me as I was about them. That is as long as I didn't get too close. I did my best to keep my distance. They swam about the sliver stream before climbing onto the shore to romp around a bit where I could get a better look and a few pictures. Just above them on the bike trail, a group of bicyclists pedaled by. I couldn't help to think how they were all missing on this great show of nature and that I had it all to my own.

Meanwhile, the otters had were more intent on having more of a lake feast and even more watery fun. Outdoor writer Sigurd Olson wrote after a similar encounter with some river otters, "In the wild one can never mistake an otter group at play, they're slipping in-and-out of the water their seal alike antics." They seemed to be just that as they splashed one after another back into the lake in what looked like a game of following the leader. They swam away in the opposite direction, leaving me with a smile after enjoying one of nature's shows.

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GLOW PADDLE & VIDEO

The forecast was for rain. Weather watchers were tuning into the bright green blip on the radar of the impending storms that would hit parts of northern and central California. The atmospheric river storms was expected to dump trillion gallons of rainwater and help replenish area reservoirs, douse wildfires and maybe, just maybe, put a dent into the state's ongoing drought conditions.

Well, the numbers might have been down the 5th Annual Glow Paddle on Lake Natoma, but the looming rain could hardly dampen the spirit of the event. At the Negro Bar paddlers used duct tape, and twisty ties, and just about anything they could to attach twinkling and glowing lights to their boats and sups. Some were well thought out in advance. While some like me were busy trying to get new batteries and lights out new packaging and taped on to the boat hurried fashion.

But before long, we all slid them in the water and floated away as an illuminating light show. In the twilight, the vessels rafted up bobbed in front of the access like twinkling stars on they gleamed and reflected on the placid surface.

The boats came in every size and shape. Inflatable subs and hard shells blazed on the water. John Taylor brought his canoe wrapped in a string of lights. Another paddler in the mood of Halloween strung lit pumpkins across her bow. While flashing neon green, blue and pink headbands were worn by some paddle boarders. My whitewater boat was covered with lights from bow to stern was the perfect vehicle for the evening. I could spin in circles to do a full 360 of the paddle.

The star of the water made a roaring entrance. Glow Paddle organizer Tim Senechal, seems to outdo the others in radiant brilliance. Last year he constructed a glowing roaring dragon on top of his kayak. This year he brought two. A newer and larger one, that dazzled the lake, fashioned from corrugated plastic. The oohs and ahhs echoed over the lake as Tim and his wife paddled the gleaming dragons out to join the group.
In most cases, sea monsters don't stand by to pose for pictures. But, on that night, it shined in the spotlight as other paddlers circle the dragon kayaks getting pictures and cellphone videos.

Now in the past, we'd paddle up to the rainbow bridge to cheer on the runners and walkers on the Folsom Parks & Recreation Department's annual Glow Walk & Run. But,
canceled once again due to the covid pandemic, there were no incandescence runners or walkers to cheer on. But that didn't matter. On top of the bike bridge, several onlookers peered over the deck to view the floating effervescent show from above.

This was not a workout paddle. Or even a paddle to get to any particular destination globe paddle. It was is just a celebration of paddling. The rain held off as we paddled back to the access. Our boats glowed on the dark water as I'm sure smiles did to

One by one, we all came back to the access pulling our boats out of the water. Some of them were still glowing with the lights as they were loaded onto the trucks and cars. Can't wait again to do this next year. It was so much fun, were some of the comments I heard in the parking lot.
I pulled my boat out of the water and helped other folks with theirs. I was tying mine down when the rain began to fall.

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HOW TO GLOW & PADDLE

The 5th annual Glow Paddle on California State Park's Lake Natoma is slated for this weekend, weather permitting. It will give a chance for paddlers to once again try to outdo each other, as they illuminated their canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards with colorful lights and decorations during the annual paddling event.
In the past, the unofficial Glow Paddle has been held in conjunction with the Folsom Parks & Recreation Department's annual Glow Event. The walk/ run is a family-friendly, non-competitive run/walk for all ages where participants have dressed up in costumes that glowed, blinked, sparked, and shined along the route. The neon shining walkers and runners decked out with glow sticks, glow glasses, glow necklaces lit up the trail from Folsom's Historic District, across the walk bridge over Lake Natoma, through the Negro Bar unit of the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, and back again.
However once again the Covid-19 pandemic has doused the official Glow Event for the second year in a row. Once again, the paddling community is generating the power to keep it going.
"Who knew this activity would become so popular?" Glow Paddle organizer Tim Senechal wrote on Facebook, "Two years ago we had 30 participants, then last year 150. This year one group had 400 participants take part at their glow paddle, and multiple groups seem to do evenings every week."

To help you enjoy the magical experience of a glow paddle, here are three tips to get you shining on the water.
Number 1, Lights, lights, lights, and more lights. That's right, the whole object is that lighten up your kayak or paddleboard like a Christmas tree. The more lights the better. Remember Danny DeVito in the Christmas movie Deck the Halls? He wanted to make it his house seen from space. That should be your glow goal. Now, while it might hard to make out your floating SUP from space. You should at least be bright enough to be seen from the top of the bridge while floating under it.
Forget glow sticks. They are just not bright enough. Bring plenty of battery-powered lights from any hardware store, that have a Christmas section and tape to attach them to your craft and light up the night.
Number 2, Think Safety. Safety is always first, so don't forget your PFD. That is the most important thing to be wearing when you're on the water.
It's going to be dark when you're gonna get off the water, so make sure your boat is not the only thing that glows. Bring a headlight or flashlight to help you get out of the boat when loading up. It also will help you see the beach when exiting your craft.
Number 3, Have Fun.
This is a fun social event to celebrate the paddling community. Don't plan on working out or paddling hard. Just float around and enjoy the ingenuity of the other paddler's light shows on the water.

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OVER THE BOW: LAKE NATOMA

Listen! The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves, we have had our summer evenings, now for October eves.” – Humbert Wolfe

On the crisp fall day of last year, every paddle stroke sprinkled water drops, reflecting the sun like sparklers across the still backwaters of Lake Natoma. Autumn, without any doubt, is one season you don't want to miss visiting the lake. The weather is cooler, the summer crowds are gone, and the placid waters reflect images of lusters.

Contemporary Turkish writer Mehmet Murat Ildan wrote, “Dancing of the autumn laves on a surface of a lake is a dream we see when we are awake.” 

It does seem like we were in a fantasy land of colors. Bright reds and yellows set a dazzling display along the banks of the lake mingled among the faded clumps of iris and shriveled blackberries that still clung to the vine.

My party of kayakers glided almost effortlessly through the meandering watery path past islands, through narrow channels, and into silent still ponds part of the Folsom SRA near Sacramento, California.

Ducks, geese, and deer are at home here despite being so close to an urban setting. Our slow speed, quiet nature, and ability to access these shallow waters in our kayaks made it ideal for viewing wildlife. We do our best to keep a distance and not disturb them as they bed down for the evening. Some creatures, however, had no intention of heading back to their burrow.  Excellent swimmers, the beavers are nocturnal creatures who remain partially submerged as we quietly paddled near them. Sensing our presents, they scoot away before using their flat, scaly tail to signal danger with a giant slap of the water.

After weeks of smoke-filled and hazing skies, the sky was so blue and the air so fresh we wanted to drink it in and make it last. In the serenity of the sloughs rounded ponds, we were thrilled to be in the luster of the autumn sun and brilliant shades of crimson leaves at the end of our day.

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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KAYAK SUMMER 2021

Above the mountains which lay beyond the further shore, the sky was murky with the smoke of unseen forest fires, and through this the afternoon sun broke feebly, throwing a vague radiance to earth, and unreal shadows. To the sky-line of the four quarters--spruce-shrouded islands, dark water, and ice-scarred rocky ridges--stretched the immaculate wilderness. --- Jack London

When summer arrived as Jack London wrote in the Call of The Wild, it's time for us to pack our backs, "Rafted across blue mountain lakes, and descended or ascended unknown rivers in slender boats whip-sawed from the standing forest....through the uncharted vastness."
In Call of the Wild, London tells the beloved classic tale of Buck's (a mix of St. Bernard and Scotch collie) transition from a kidnapped pampered pup to Klondike sled dog to his evolution to embrace the deeper parts of his wilder side. 

Lake Jenkinson

"Deep in the forest a call was sounding, and as often as he heard this call, mysteriously thrilling and luring, he felt compelled to turn his back upon the fire and the beaten earth around it, and to plunge into the forest, and on and on, he knew not where or why; nor did he wonder where or why, the call sounding imperiously, deep in the forest,” wrote London of the Buck's instinctual call of the wilderness.
For those of us with a wanderlust soul, London's words stir our senses of adventure. For some, we have that need to answer that call of the wild. When summertime, comes it is our time to pack our packs, load our boats, and journey into the world around us. However, London's darker views can convolute our ideals of the inspiring novelist writing about dogs and the Alaskan frontier. In his time, London was an unashamed racist and a prominent advocate of socialism, casting a problematic shadow over his love of the wilderness and making him a bit more a complicated storyteller.

Much like London, summertime 2021 brought plenty of contradictions and complications to the great outdoors. Even as summer ends this year, we still don't have a handle on the Covid-19 pandemic. As the Delta variant increases, there is still a debate on getting the vaccine and wearing masks. Still the due to the upheaval from COVID-19, Americans across the country took to the outdoors. The 2021 Outdoor Participation Trends Report, commissioned by the Outdoor Foundation, reveals that in 2020, 53 percent of Americans ages six and over participated in outdoor recreation at least once, the highest participation rate on record. Some 7.1 million more Americans participated in outdoor recreation in 2020 than in the year prior. 

Lake Jenkinson

And it's secret that a lot of those folks headed to the water, and paddle sports sales exploded.
And as the paddling industry boom and people flocked to the water, there is still a huge lack of diversity. According to the same report, nearly 75 percent of outdoor participants were white. Participation rates declined 7 percent annually among Asian Americans for the past three years; stagnated for the last three years among Blacks and grew among Hispanics but remained well below whites.
Fortunately, the paddling community is recognizing people of color love the outdoors. Advocates are working to tear down barriers and diversifying the sport for all participants. California-based groups like Outdoor Afro and Vamos Afuera (Let’s Go Outside) have organized frequent outings to paddleboard, kayak, and explore magical places like Yosemite.

Climate change is another issue facing California. Summers get hotter, drier, and smokier due to another extended fire season. This summer, the Caldor Fire closed us down early at Sly Park as the blazed raged just to the south of the park and lake.
“These fires are blinking code red for our nation. They’re gaining frequency and ferocity, and we know what we’re supposed to do. Scientists have been warning us for years [that] extreme weather is going to get more extreme. We’re living it in real-time now,” President Joe Biden said after taking an aerial tour of land burned by the Caldor Fire last week. 

Sly Park Paddle Rentals on Lake Jenkinson

Despite the fire, my season at the boathouse was shortened anyway. Lake Jenkinson fell to record levels along with many other California reservoirs during this season of drought. All through the summer, the lake continued to shrink in size and depth. Each week I would return and find less and less water in the lake.

Regardless of all those arduous issues, my summer season flashed by again a golden haze. Once again, those months came and went so quickly.  Now in September, I'm looking back on a hectic summer of cross-country trips, boathouse days, paddling nights, and a very adventuresome trip down the South Fork of the America River. I've enjoyed hearing the sweet cadences of water ripples over rocks, seeing the vividly mirrored placid lake, and feeling the cool water on a moonlight swims while the stars danced over the trees. 

Moon over Wyoming 

But as London wrote in The Faith of Men, a collection of adventure tales set in the Yukon Territory, "Then came the autumn, post-haste before the down rush of winter. The air grew thin and sharp, the days thin and short. The river ran sluggishly, and skin ice formed in the quiet eddies. All migratory life departed south, and silence fell upon the land."

It's time now to transition into the colder months of the season while still, remembering fall which is still a great time to get outside. The appearance of autumn does not call for the disappearance of kayaks or standup paddleboards. Fall and wintertime waters offer a quieter and solitary experience. Who doesn't appreciate fewer bugs, crowds, and empty parking spots at the access? To provide a transition from swimsuits to wetsuits, I picked favorite images created over the past few months to help recall the past season to help you cruise through to until next summer. 

Bayside Adventure Sports on Lake Jenkinson

Canoeing on Lake Jenkinson

The South Fork of the American River. Photo by Hot Shot Imaging

Smoke over Lake Jenkinson

Power Paddle

Lake Natoma

Lake Jenkinson

Sailing on Elliot Bay in Seattle

Lake Natoma 

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SUMMER NIGHTS

The moon is Swimming naked, and the summer night is fragrant with a expectation of relief. ---Leonard Cohen

Summertime comes in June to places like Minnesota and Wisconsin. It is not in hurry to get there. Sometimes as cool temperatures can linger for a while. In California, summer can seem almost endless. As the western states sizzle again in another historic drought, we continue to watch our reservoirs drop to all-time lows and unprecedented heat. We dream that next winter will longer and bring in more snow and rain.
Short winters or extended ones are a matter of seasonal and climatic change. And as the old saying says, you can talk about the weather, but not much you can do about it.

Length of winters aside, it's those long summer days that I have come to love. Starting in late May and lasting through August, I have spent many paddling evenings exploring and revisiting my area's lakes and rivers. A couple of weeks before the summer solstice through mid-July seem to be my favorite time of year. When it is the peak of summer when the sun is beaming at its brightest into the evening. Most of the sun-worshipers have already exited the lake leaving it in relaxing and lonely bliss.

Paddling out across Lake Natoma, last week with my wife Debbie, it is easy to why poet William Wordsworth penned, “A lake carries you into recesses of feeling otherwise impenetrable.” We have the lake all to ourselves. But meandering through the back channels of the lake, we discover we are not alone. Not at all. A much too friendly duck approaches looking for any kind of handout. Sorry duck, we have no food to give. It shuffles off disappointed with us as paddlers who did not offer something tasty.

Around we soon catch sight of three bobbing beaver heads foraging the aquatic vegetation. Excellent swimmers, the beavers are nocturnal creatures who remain partially submerged as we quietly paddle toward them. Sensing our presents, they scoot away before using their flat, scaly tail to signal danger with a giant slap of the water.
Otters are a common sight while on the Lower American River in the evening. Known for a renowned sense of play, the semiaquatic mammals seemed to be more curious than scared as they circled around our kayaks, voicing chirpy barks.
The highlight of our paddle on Lake Natoma, however, was catching sight of small baby deer. It was staring down a flock of geese along the shore. Prancing back and forth, it gave us two paddlers little mind as it challenged the flock of geese. It ran back and forth toward them in a game of tag before seeing that we were only yards away and hopping away.

"It’s good to be lost in this wild land for a while," wrote Minnesota blogger Greg Seitz, "One of the biggest benefits to spending time in nature is how it can pull all your attention toward its wonders and beauty."

My summer evenings can evoke a few memories of days on the Red River and on Minnesota lakes. Paddling into the sloughs, my nose is filled with that same earthy aroma I smelled on those distant nights long ago. It's funny how I can remember that smell. While just around another bend is the sweet smell of riping blackberries. Don't bother with those tempting ones that are bright red. They are still much too tart. I'll have to look for the fat black ones. But how come the sweetest and blackest berries are just out of reach for my reach? I pull myself in close. carefully holding the prickly vines, and reach up and pull down only a couple. I pop them into my mouth for instant deliciousness joy.

"Don't even try to talk to me when I'm watching the moon," wrote children author Wendelin Van Draanen, "That's my moon, baby."

It is no surprise. The full moon can make even the most ordinary spots on the lake beautiful after the sun gave up its bright status in the sky. The glowing orb gives me a rush of adrenaline as I spot it rising out of the trees. Mesmerized by the night sky Debbie and I paddle back to the access as the light of the sunlight fades and the stars appear.

Every paddler I know loves the summer season for their endless opportunities for kayaking adventures. But the long and warm summer days, offer even more bonus time for us to enjoy enormous sunlit sky, balmy breeze, warm fragrance of the air, and lots more while enjoying our favorite waterways.

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ON A MID WINTER PADDLE

                  The time to relax is when you don't have time for it. -- Sydney Harris

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. I tell myself over and over again as I start my paddle across the lake. Open up and relax your body. Settle into the seat of the kayak. I have to keep reminding myself as I paddle out of the lagoon at Lake Natoma's Nimbus Flats. At the same, I keep the pressure on the footpegs and the knee braces with each stroke of my paddle. One foot relaxes while the other pushes, and the alternate like climbing up some stairs. And breathe again.

Many paddlers start out tense and stiff as they recognize their instability on the water just a few inches away. As a fellow paddler, Daniel Fox wrote, "Kayaking is my intimate relationship with water. I feel vulnerable and at the water's mercy. Sitting in a boat, only millimeters of carbon and fiberglass keeping me dry and protected, I am connected to the forces at play."

It has been a few weeks since I have even been in my kayak, and I feel a bit nervous getting out on the water again. Maybe even a bit rusty. My Prijon Barracuda, just shy of 17-feet, is a sleek and fast boat. But it always feels a bit tippy on entry. It can have a bit of an ornery nature. So there is a learning curve to adjust to it. Breath and relax, I say to myself again. Trust the boat. Feel its secondary stability. Now settle into the seat. Loosen up those hands. Believe in yourself.

Halfway across the lake, I'm in the zone. The right frame of mind. Another deep breath and another big sweep of the paddle. The feeling of worry and anxiety is lifted away like the morning fog on the lake.

It has been raining here. Not as much as we need, but enough that the lake is sitting very high, indeed. It will be easy to get back into the sloughs and the tiny little bays of the lake. Some think damp and cold don't make for great kayaking conditions, but with the right gear such as dry pants, spray skirts, and splash jackets, the weather is only a state of mind.

I turn my kayak into the still water of the lake's backwaters. It's a network of flooded channels and canals of the riparian landscape. Often explored when the lake is high. A safe haven of sorts. It's out of the wind and out of sight to many. In the wintertime, the water is just so crystal clear. Unlike most summer days, I can easily see into the depths of water. I can make out the rocks, tree branches, and even a passing swimming turtle as if they were my own giant aquarium. The translucency of the waters is so much better in the winter than in the summer heat when it's filled with algae, green weeds, and murky water.

There is no wind and little other sounds except the waterfowl. Rounding another watery corner, I spot a couple of Mergansers diving into shallows. Nearby a majestic Snowy Egret is almost glowing against the green foliage of the slough. In the distance, a few wood ducks do their best to skirt away from my oncoming kayak, while the year-round residents of Canadian Geese pay me little attention except for some loud honking when I get a bit too close.

I drink in the morning on the lake and breath in the silent peacefulness of the slough. I remember chief officer Scotty from the 1960 TV series Star Trek. He was always able to get the Star Ship Enterprise going when something went wrong. All he needed was more time to get things done. This morning on the tranquil water, unlike Scotty, I need more time to do nothing except sit in the solace of my kayak watching wetland birds and creatures.
With a busy life and a lack of daytime hours to enjoy the water, my paddling can seem like a two-minute drill before running off to my wintertime jobs. I catch myself thinking about work schedules and looming deadlines. I check the clock on my phone.

Author A.A. Milne wrote, "Don’t underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.”
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. I tell myself again. I have time. I veer my kayak around again for another tour through the refuge of the slough.

 

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A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD & VIDEO

 

"How many times have you noticed that it's the little quiet moments in the midst of life that seem to give the rest extra-special meaning?"--- Fred Rogers

I can't count how many times I've paddled on Lake Natoma. It's well over 100 times since moving to California. Sure it's not the rugged high Sierra wilderness or hidden in among the pines of a primeval forest. As a matter of fact, it is surrounded by an urban densely populated urban area and encompassed by highways. However, Located just not even a mile away from my home, it never ceases to amaze them of how I can escape into a backyard of nature just minutes from the buzz of city traffic while kayaking through its sloughs.

A Sacramento area favorite, the narrow 5-mile lake that is part of the California State Parks Folsom SRA is a haven for kayakers, stand up paddleboarders, and crew racers all year long. On any weekend throughout the summer, the lake access at Negro Bar, Willow Creek, and Nimbus Flats are local hot spots to kick back and enjoy the day while on the water.

The lake is also a wildlife sanctuary. On just about any day, I can get a close-up view of black-tailed deer, river otters, egrets, herons, hawks, pelicans, beavers, and pond turtles. A convocation of eagles in the past couple of years has taken to nesting on the lake's high ridge, offers me a treat to see them soar.

Yes, as my kayak whisperers through the culvert under the bike trail and into the sloughs, it becomes my personal refuge and an oasis of quiet, where I can contemplate the universe in the spirit of Thoreau, Muir, Abbey, and Leopold. In each muffled stroke of my paddle, alone, I slipped further away into nature's domain.

“Solitude is different from loneliness, and it doesn’t have to be a lonely kind of thing, ” said Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood fame
Real solitude is almost impossible to experience in this modern world. But here, it's with reach. As my paddle methodically slides in and out of the water, I find something new that opens up before me. In the realms of my thoughts, interests, and, memories my mind is in introspection, with each trip into the quiet waters of the slough. Maybe a place for inspiration and definitely a place for reflection.

It is autumn in northern California, and there is a touch of color along the banks. Bright reds and dull yellows leaves give a hint of color to the trees, while faded clumps of iris and shriveled blackberries that cling to the vine. Towards the end of the slough, cattails take over the view. Ducks, geese, and deer are common here, along with the turtles that make the plop plop sound as they slip from their tree overhang while I effortlessly glide by. It's truly is a beautiful day in the neighborhood.
In each day, I believe it becomes imperative more than ever that we unplug and head out to our nearby backyard places like Lake Natoma and with each paddle stroke, seek out the abundance of life.

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts," wrote Rachel Carson environmental activist who alerted the world to the impact of fertilizers and pesticides in the environment, best known for her book the Silent Spring, "There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature-the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”

 

 

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THE JOY OF PADDLING IN AUTUMN

"The perfect weather of Indian summer lengthened and lingered, warm sunny days were followed by brisk nights with Halloween a presentiment in the air." --- Wallace Stegner 

Autumn is a perfect time to paddle. Okay, Okay. For me, any season is the right time to get into my kayak and paddle the river or lake. However, in the fall, I do enjoy certain paddling benefits that do not accompany the other season as well.

Journeying down the Lower American River last weekend, I traveled quietly along on the downstream stretch under brilliant skies and heard the ripples and rush of the river. While summer had come and gone, the water temperature was still warm enough to wade into while getting in my kayak. It has been a warm start to our fall season so far this year in California. Wildfires and red flag warnings have been in the mix since Labor Day in this year's historic fire season.
 

The American River is running at an easy flow. Water levels are always a consideration this time of year. For area lakes and reservoirs, water levels are down, unlike during the springtime when they are brimming. For nearby Folsom Lake, even if the water level low, there is still plenty of water for paddling. The speed boats and jet skis have left for the season, leaving behind fewer waves and an uncrowded lake. Late into the fall, the lakeshore can look like the surface of Mars. While neighborhood favorite Lake Natoma water levels are always fluctuating, when it's when water is high, it offers some hideaway sloughs to explore. In the lake's backwaters, with fewer leaves to contend with, I'm able to spot the deer easily through the trees along the shore. While in the air, I was thrilled to see the lake's bald eagle couple make a soaring flyover. And towards sunset, I came across a beaver moving through the water. He slapped his tail to give me a warning that I was too close, I suppose. It went on its way of preparing for winter, while I paddled by.
 

Back on the American River, the day was already a success with seeing a bald eagle, several snow-white egrets, and a playful river otter who greeted me with few grunts as I paddled by.
It's time for the salmon run and the area fishermen were out this past weekend. While some line the shore side by side, others are hip-deep in the stream. I'm not a fisherman of any sort, but I can't help by marvel at their artistry of the flyfishermen as they cast their lines with precision and flair.
“Until a man is redeemed he will always take a fly rod too far back," wrote “A River Runs Through It” author Norman Maclean, "Just as natural man always overswings with an ax or golf club and loses all his power somewhere in the air.”
The experts have made their casting poetry in motion, even if they come home without a fish. As writer Roderick Haig-Brown said, "There will be days when the fishing is better than one's most optimistic forecast, others when it is far worse. Either is a gain over just staying home."

It's like that for me with paddling, I suppose. In the solitude and sanctuary of the water, I've never had a bad day of paddling. Going down the river, my mind reflects on my autumn paddling memories from the past.
“There is something incredibly nostalgic and significant about the annual cascade of autumn leaves,” wrote, Joe. L. Wheeler. Maybe so? Floating along, it's easy for me to drift off and think about those The cool and crisp mornings of my Minnesota canoe and kayak days. The bugs were long gone after the frost came and the placid lakes rendered stunning reflections of reds, yellows, and oranges across the waters at Maplewood State Park against the clear blue fall sky. But I often forget fall doesn't' last long in the northern tier. There when an unexpected cold snap and early snow would ice my paddling season.
 

The weather and colors did not have dramatic along the American River as paddle over the rushing slide of water above the Fair Oaks Bridge. Only a few pale yellow leaves on few trees scattered along the shore. The sloughs of Lake Natoma offer a bit more, along with the lakes in the Sierra and the foothills.
Canoe guru Bill Mason said, “Anyone who says they like portaging is either a liar or crazy.” I'm sure the dozen or so fisherman lining the back across from me must be thinking as I carried my kayak back over the rocks of the slid to paddle upstream back to Sailor Bar.

It was not a solitary paddling experience. I chased a few migrating salmon before they disappeared under the water. Ducks and geese, a common sight along the shoreline, pay little attention to me as I trek past them. During the summer, of course, the river is crowded with other boaters and rafters. But this time of year, the interest in floating along the river has faded for most.
Even for fishermen, time is limited. Fishing season end on this section of the river on October 31st.
Going upstream, I have two more portages to go before getting back to Sailor Bar, so I take my time to enjoy the peace and the solitude. As I dip my paddle, a rustling of fall leaves swirls through the air and landed ever so softly in the water beside me. I take another forward stroke while the leaves are being gentling are carried off by the current of the river going the other way.

 

The appearance of autumn does not call for the disappearance of kayaks or standup paddleboards. Fall and wintertime waters offer a quieter and solitary experience. Who doesn't appreciate fewer bugs, crowds, and empty parking spots at the access? Just remember simple safety factors involving hypothermia. Even water temperatures as high as 75 and 80 degrees F (24 and 27 degrees C) can be dangerous, but generally the colder the water, the faster it happens.

Another tip for your cold-weather paddling adventures: The sun is starting to set earlier and earlier, and you will have to keep this in mind while you are out on an autumn tour. When the days are short, you’ll want to utilize as much sunlight as possible. Daylight savings times ends on November 1st.

FIVE simple tips for anyone looking to extend the length of their paddling season into the winter months.

 

1. Wear your PFD! 
2. Layering up against the cold. 
3. Familiarize yourself with rescue techniques 
4. Be well fed and hydrated when paddling.
5. Mind the light 

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LAKE NATOMA GLOW PADDLE WITH VIDEO

Paddlers taking part in the 4th annual Glow Paddle gleamed in the darkness on California State Park's Lake Natoma last weekend as they illuminated their canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards with colorful lights and decorations during the yearly paddle.
"It was a blast," said John Taylor, a paddler with Bayside Adventures Sports, an active Sacramento faith-based outdoor group, "All the boats were lit up so well. Hats off to all for making this happen."

For the past three years, the unofficial Glow Paddle has been held in conjunction with the Folsom Parks & Recreation Department's annual Glow Event. The walk/ run is a family-friendly, non-competitive run/walk for all ages where participants dressed up in costumes that glowed, blinked, sparked, and shined along the route. The neon shining walkers and runners decked out with glow sticks, glow glasses, glow necklaces lit up the trail from Folsom's Historic District, across the walk bridge over Lake Natoma, through the Negro Bar unit of the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, and back again.

Paddler Pearli Van used Facebook to ignited the first Glow Paddle event on Lake Natoma. That year, only a few paddlers were flickering under the walk bridge to cheer on the walkers when they passed by. The next two Glow Paddles glimmered even brighter as more paddling groups became involved.
But when the Covid-19 pandemic doused the official Glow Event, that did not stop paddlers like Tim Senechal from generating the power to keep it going.
"This year there was no Folsom glow run to accompany it, but that didn’t stop us!" wrote Senechal on Facebook.

Photo Courtesy of Kassie Lee

Over 100 paddlers took part in the event, many from area paddling groups while other paddlers just came out after hearing about the event on social media. During the Glow Paddle, organizers stressed social distancing at the access at the Negro Bar boat ramp, along with wearing a PFD and following all state recreation area rules.

"So I was one of the jealous folks on the old bridge who had no clue you all existed until now," wrote Kassie Lee in a Facebook post, "Next time my SUP and I will be ready. Thanks for the pleasant surprise to my family's night out. The kids loved the lights.
"This event," wrote Senechal on a Facebook post, "Which started out with about 12 kayaks a few years ago, grew to over 100 kayakers tonight. This was no organized event. Just word of mouth through a few Facebook groups. Pretty amazing!" 

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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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