PADDLE BACK

There is something about paddling. The quiet rhythm of the blade sliding in and out of the water. The feel of my body's movement and tempo as I lean into the stroke and pull the paddle toward me. Relaxed, glide, I stroke again. Needing each other to cross the lake, my body and my kayak have become one. My feet, knees, and thighs are unseen under the bow swaying back and forth and holding steady to the course while my arms and torso, operating as a turbine, charge us forward. In each motion of the paddle, the horizon inches forward, and the rest of the world slips further behind.

The world is at peace except for hurried ripples made by the bow slicing through the stillness of the lake. Behind me, the water surface is now scratched and broken into millions of tiny undulations drifting into the calm of the lake. Ahead of me lies the illusion of a priceless mirror lying flat against the earth and reflecting images of the trees and hills cradling this canyon lake. The sky is jet blue, the shore is dark, and the water is an upside-down copy sharper than any photograph could ever produce.

Environmentalist and wilderness guide Sigurd Olson was more poetic in his description while paddling the lakes and forest of Northern Minnesota and Ontario, Canada. "If it is calm," he wrote in Open Horizons, "The canoes drifting through reflections with nothing to break the vast silence but the hypnotic swish of paddles, there are moments when one seems suspended between heaven and earth."

Not far ahead, a turkey vulture soars overhead with its wings tilted upward. With its ugly red-head and diet of the dead, it's not as majestic as the eagle or hawk. The bird is looked at with disdain to most. It circles and spirals on prevailing wind currents with little change to its large outstretched wings. It looms over the lake and canyon, holding me in a trance while I paddle below.

It has been a bad week. The vulture knows it. There are problems at work, troubles at home, and doctors with test results. Life is not as tranquil as this peaceful lake. Tribulations dwell outside these canyon walls, and that vulture wants to devour us.
I pass the outcropping of the tower rock formations that the vultures call home and whisper to myself.
"Not today, my friend. I maybe trampled, but I'm far from extinguished." I paddle on as the vulture slips out of sight.
"The first thing you must learn about canoeing is that the canoe is not a lifeless, inanimate object; it feels very much alive, alive with the life of the river," said filmmaker and canoeist Bill Mason in Path of the Paddle, "Life is transmitted to the canoe by the currents of the air and the water upon which it rides." 

There is energy and healing in the water. It has a power that Mason said instilled life into my kayak and now transfuses into me. Water has been revered throughout the ages for inspiring the human spirit with hope and tranquility.
In Psalm 23, one of the most quoted Bible verses of all time, David is led down beside quiet water, and his soul is restored.

This trip to the lake has rejuvenated my vitality in the same way as it has done countless times before. A friend once told when kayaking, she hardly can remember what day it is. The lake was her portal of escape and a place to rekindle her mind.
The sun is falling behind the ridge. Along the highest points, the sun still hits the glimmering peaks while the valley is turning shadow. It is time to turn around and paddle back to the access. It is a drug. A temporary high that always leaves me wanting more and more. This why I return to the lake every chance I can, so I can feel the paddle, its rhythm, and the sensation of the water. My consciousness is cleared and refocused.
"Penetrations into the unknown, " wrote Olson in Open Horizons, "All give meaning to what has gone before, and courage for what is to come. More than physical features, they are horizons of mind and spirit. When one looks backward, we find they have blended into the whole panorama of our lives."

In a few short hours on the lake, I have undergone a recharge. My mind is at ease, and my burdens have lifted. I paddle back restored.

This article was originally published Outside Adventure to the Max on June 27, 2015. 

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OVER THE BOW: LAKE TAHOE

"When quietly floating upon the placid surface of Lake Tahoe, the largest of the "gems of the Sierra - nestled as it is, amidst a huge amphitheater of mountain peaks - it is difficult to say whether we are more powerfully impressed with the genuine child-like awe and wonder inspired by the noble grandeur of nature, or with the calmer and more gentle sense of the beautiful produced by the less imposing aspects of the surrounding scenery."  John Le Conte  

I have kayaked bigger lakes by far. Under Split Rock Lighthouse on Lake Superior, Lake of the Wood on the border of U.S. and Canada and into sea caves along Lake Michigan in Door County Wisconsin.  All of those lakes are massive in size.  At their edge, you look out into a sea swell as far as you can see. The horizon falls off into waves. However, at Lake Tahoe, you look across to see the gleaming Sierra Nevada Mountains rising from its blue depths and feel the majesty of the place. American writer, Mark Twain described the thoughts we all must experience when seeing the lake for the first time or one hundredth.

"...at last the Lake burst upon us—a noble sheet of blue water lifted six thousand three hundred feet above the level of the sea, and walled in by a rim of snow-clad mountain peaks that towered aloft full three thousand feet higher still! ... As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly photographed upon its still surface I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords."

You will need waterproof pocket Thesaurus to come up with all the different types of color blue you will see when paddling around the lake. Its cobalt color was long credited to the unusual clarity of the water, however surprising new research suggests that the real explanation lies with algae that live in the lake.

“The result was totally unexpected, since we all expected that clarity and blueness of the lake is correlated,” Dr. Shohei Watanabe, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Davis, told The Huffington Post, “Clarity is mainly controlled by fine inorganic sediments but blueness is mainly controlled by algal populations.”
Using help from NASA, Wantanabe, measured the lake’s blueness and then combined this “blueness index” with measurements of a Secchi disk, a white disk commonly used to measure its transparency of water that remains visible when it's lowered into it. His results showed that the bluer the lake, the lower the clarity of its water, and the lake is actually bluest when algae concentration is low, suggesting a possible need to change in conservation efforts, which traditionally have focused on controlling sediment to keep the lake water clear.

The blueness of the lake is extraordinary along the massive granite walls of D.L. Bliss State Park's Rubicon Point. There it is hard for me to take my eyes off the water as it changes in hues blues as I paddle along with my son Taylor. Under the point, it is the most stunning shade of indigo I think I have ever seen. North of fabled Emerald Bay, this area is a  popular spot for boaters as well as swimmers, who brave the cool waters. Kayaks and speedboats rock along in the waves along the shoreline. For me, finally paddling towards the horizon of mountains proves to be an exhilarating experience.

"This place is spectacular because it is one of the highest, deepest, oldest and purest lakes in the world." said President Barack Obama told a crowd of about 9,000 at the 20th annual Lake Tahoe Summit,  "It’s no wonder that for thousands of years, this place has been a spiritual one. For the Washoe people, it is the center of their world. And just as this space is sacred to Native Americans, it should be sacred to all Americans."

He challenged all of us, to keep the lake's spirit alive through conservation and combating climate change to protect its pristine views, keep its air pure, and most certainly its waters clear and blue.

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

This article was originally published Outside Adventure to the Max on September 9, 2016.

 

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

 

STOP, BREATHE, RELAX, AND LISTEN AGAIN, AN INTERVIEW WITH DANIEL FOX

Photos courtesy of Daniel Fox

As explorer, photographer, and storyteller, Daniel Fox looks to the power of nature to energize the mind and soul. Over the past decade, he has preached his mantra of STOP. BREATHE. RELAX. LISTEN to help us all reconnect to the natural world around us. As the founder of WILD.ECO, a group offering mentorships and opportunities for young adults from a disadvantaged background to experience nature as a framework for personal transformation and empowerment.

As FUJIFILM X-Photographer, his work has been appeared in Outside Magazine, Canoe Kayak Magazine, Adventure Kayak Magazine, Sea Kayaker Magazine, along with many others. His inspiring talks on FEEL THE WILD have been given at the Commonwealth Club, REI stores, universities and schools across the country.
Outside Adventure to the Max first caught up with Fox back in April of 2015 for a very insightful Q/A. But after Fox announced last month his book FEEL THE WILD has been acquired by RMB | Rocky Mountain Books, a publisher that is unique in the world of Art & Photography and would be released in Fall 2019. We shared our excitement of the news by reposting our archived interview with Fox and congratulating him.
Fox emailed back words of thanks and approached us about updating our interview. We, of course, said that would be really cool.

OAM: You seem somewhere between a modern-day Thoreau and adventurer Daniel Boone always looking over the next horizon. You said "Nature is more than a destination. It is a teacher, a meditation, it is food for the soul and the body, inspiration for the arts, a healer, a mentor, a lover." What drives you in your pursuit of finding nature?
DF: First of all let me thank you for referencing my work to both Thoreau and Boone - what an honor! I did use to watch the TV show when I was young - I still can remember singing the intro song!
About your question. We are a product of nature. Our species is just one of many that has inhabited this planet. And we won’t be the last. It is believed that the Neanderthal was around for 200 000 years before being ousted by the Homo Sapiens. It is fair to expect that one day in the future, the Homo Sapiens will be regarded as a past and extinct species, ousted by a more adaptable and new one.
In the grand scheme of the universe, we are nothing more than just a footnote in the history of evolution. We haven’t even proved our worthiness as a species. We have been around for what, thousands of years? That is nothing compared to others.
Sometimes I contemplate the thought that perhaps intelligence will turn out to be a counterproductive evolutionary tool. It is amazing what it can create and accomplish but it is also incredible to see how unsustainable it can be.
But again, isn’t life’s goal to expand, evolve, reach out to new worlds? We migrated from Africa for some reasons. Our species spread over continents. We risked everything and crossed oceans trying to escape what we had created, to start anew. Perhaps it is part of life to mess things up so that it forces the future generations to seek new places and the old ones to wise up. We learn through the consequences of our actions - and right now we are learning about the fragility of our species and that the act of totally disrespecting the environment is a strategy that will backfire and blow up in our face. Spending time in the wilderness reminds me that there is a world beyond ourselves.
That I am not at the center of everything. It brings me perspective and puts me back in the right place, giving me the gift of humility. It is so easy to think of ourselves as gods when we live in cities, disconnected, in awe of our prowess, but out there in the wild, you realize that there is so much more to life.
How can we look up to the stars and believe even for one second that we are special? It is that feeling of vulnerability that I seek that drives me to explore the wilderness and spend time in nature.

OAM: Tell us about W.I.L.D. Wilderness, Immersion, Leadership & Discovery to help make the wilderness accessible to underprivileged youth. Why did you start this cause?
DF: We consume nature the same way that we consume everything else - with ease, quick and in quantity. We want the benefits delivered instantly and in the shortest time possible. We want that adrenaline rush. We want to conquer that river. We want to finish that hike. And then go back to our houses and computers. It is hard in that way to truly connect with nature and receive the big lessons and insights it has to offer. It is hard to get that deep transformative experience when you are only skimming the surface.
It is like trying to experience the richness of the ocean only by swimming at the surface. Impossible! You need to dive in. Going camping for a weekend is great, but you don’t get to disconnect. Your mind and body are still attached to the conveniences of our modern world. We experience the wilderness through senses that are not in tune with nature. There are many studies that have proven and showed that it takes a minimum of 2 weeks for your senses to tune in with a new environment.
So with that in mind, I believe that immersion in nature is an important part of our development, especially during our early, formative years when it is so critical to discover who we are, develop strong self-esteem, begin to adopt leadership skills, challenge our physical well-being and acquire the capacity to live a balanced life in a world dominated by technology.

OAM: Sounds like your trying to save the world one kid at a time. What impact do you think it will have on their future?
DF: I am convinced that once you have experienced a month-long wilderness immersion camp, your life is changed forever. And knowing the importance of today’s youth in shaping the future, I want to give them, especially the underprivileged teens, the opportunity to experience first-hand the positive impact nature can have on their lives through wilderness immersion camps.
That immersion is a powerful first step that can help trigger a desire to explore and discover the natural world and to begin to understand how experiencing the beauty and ultimate challenges inherent in nature can lead to enhancing their self-confidence and help them develop valuable leadership skills. Read more about WILD.ECO

OAM: What is the FEEL THE WILD? How long have you been working on it and what has it taught you about nature and yourself?
 DF: I started the FEEL THE WILD (previously the Wild Image Project) back in 2008. It is a bit of a long story, but to summarize it, when I was a kid, my dream was to sail the world and study whales. I wanted to explore the planet. See what Cousteau, Fowler and Attenborough had shown me on the television. I was that kid who would leave in the morning, disappear in the forest and complain when it was time to come back at sunset. In High School, I got the feeling that I needed to get serious with my life expectations and was told to grow up. So I tried. I went to business school, moved to New York and attempted to make it in the corporate world. It was a failure. I was incapable of justifying my future doing something that my heart was not into. So after an unfortunate life episode (it is a longer story), I reassessed everything. If there was time for me to go back to my roots, this was the time. So I sold everything and headed south. I went to Argentina for 6 months and found myself again. I found and connected to that joyful boy I once was. I started to write and do photography and for the first time in my life, I felt like I had a purpose, a reason to move into the future and believe.

OAM: You said, that you want to create a dialog between yourself and your wildlife subjects while photographing them in nature. Why is important to you that they know of your presence?
DF: In some ways, I don’t want to take the photograph, I want to receive it. In the early age of photography, it was believed that a photo stole a piece of the soul. I don’t literally believe the statement but I do feel there is something of an invasion when you capture a moment without the subject knowing. So if I am going to capture these animals on film, I want it to be on their terms, I want their consent.
Also, I don’t want to be a visitor, I want to connect and be present. I want to meet their gaze and share that deep ancestral sense of commonality we have. That is what I seek, that is what I long for.
Importantly though, I don’t want to humanize and beautify them, I want to honor and recognize their spirit. Every single species on earth is exceptional in the sense that it has achieved mastery of its survival by adapting and acutely occupying a specific niche within the planet’s ecosystem.
Everything and everyone, including us, has evolved and survived by becoming the best at one thing. The indigenous cultures understood and honored this way of looking at the world. They didn’t see themselves better or above anyone or anything, but alongside all the others, part of life’s complex cobweb. Animals, plants, and insects were respected, honored and recognized for their particular abilities.

OAM: Your first attempt in 2014 to kayak 1,000 miles from Victoria, on the Island of Vancouver in Canada to San Francisco was unfortunately ended in very harrowing ordeal at Cannon Beach in Oregon as featured in Canoe & Kayak magazine article ALIVE & STRONGER What did you learn from that experience?
DF: There are certain things in life that are not meant to be accomplished on the first try. They demand commitment and failure is part of the experience. A 1,000 miles of solo kayaking along the Pacific Coast is not something to be taken lightly. I am actually glad that my first attempt was unsuccessful. I was extremely fortunate and I didn’t hurt myself and that is the most important thing. Had it been too easy, I would have lost the respect that endeavors like these deserve. Looking back, there are obviously lessons that I learned. First one is that I should have not forced my departure. I was pressured by time and left Astoria knowing that bad weather was coming. Also, I should have never attempted to lend in Indian Bay at night. I didn't know the place and it was obvious that the conditions were way too dangerous for me to maneuver my way into these unknown waters. That first capsize changed everything. Had I just paddled into the night, against the wind, it would have been extremely exhausting and dead tired, but at least I would have not ended up in pieces on the beach crushed by the ocean.

OAM: Are you going to attempt it again?
DF: I won’t say no, but right now it is not a priority. That long paddle had a specific purpose, to fundraise for WILD.ECO. My creative process though is more about immersing myself for 2 to 3 weeks at a time in the wilderness. At the moment, I am focused on preparing for my book launch, set for Fall 2019, published by RMBooks and an upcoming North American Tour with Arc’teryx.

OAM: You travel light and by yourself for long periods of time do you find comfort in the solitude?
DF: I do. I see myself as an artist and the wilderness is my studio. When I go out, my goal is to create something, to capture the spirit of a place and share it with the world. A painter can’t paint when there are other people around. They need that empty space where their mind can get lost and create. It is the same for me. Out there, by myself, I have to face the silence, my mind goes to places that are not always fun, but from these depths, magic happens. I will be honest though, it can be extremely challenging and tiring. There is no one to motivate you. You are responsible for everything. There is no peer pressure, no one to cook while you set up camp, no second opinion, no help if something happens. I wrote about this solitude in this story S2 = C + P (Solitude & Silence = Clarity + Perspective). You can also read my recent trip to the Pemberton ice field, where I wrote about the change.

OAM: What is the most essential item you always bring along while on these odysseys?
DF: My brain! My sanity and optimism! The answer might surprise you but nothing is more important than keeping your calm when you are on solo expeditions. No gear can replace good judgment. No gear can save you unless you know what to do with it. You can survive with very little and through insane and crazy situations if you succeed in not letting the events take over you. Aside from the philosophical answer, my Fujifilm camera is always with me. And if I had to choose the most essential item it would be my SOG multitool.

OAM: Ansel Adams said, "A good photograph is knowing where to stand." You have traveled throughout the world. What was your favorite place so far and what made it so appealing?
DF: There is so much of the world I haven’t seen!!! So many places to visit. So much to discover and explore. Adams’ quote reminds me of Proust’: “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” The truth though is that we are social species. We are wired to connect with others. And in all my traveling, it is the people that I meet along the way that I remember the most. Connecting with the wild places I visit is impossible to do unless I connect first with the people that live there. I am passing through. I am a visitor and they are the ones who hold the key to so many secrets. Their stories and their experiences are priceless and full of treasures.  

OAM: Any place on your list you haven't been yet?
DF: At the beginning when I started, I was attracted to exotic destinations. But to be honest, now I only focus on North America. There is so much right here, in our backyard to discover. From Alaska, the Arctic Circle, the Northwest Territories to Baja California.
From Newfoundland to British Columbia and California, the mountains, the deserts, the rivers, the Pacific and Atlantic Coast, our American and Canadian National Parks are truly some of the most beautiful places on earth.

OAM: One last one... Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Nothing can bring you peace but yourself." What will be your legacy?
DF: We are not a bad species. We are learning. There is so much guilt and negativity in our culture that is is really hard to be hopeful. There is this constant deadline over our head telling us that if we don’t fix everything in 5 years, life on earth will literally end. There is this arrogant and righteous sense of duty that we must save the planet. People are overwhelmed and feel powerless and consequently stop caring or listening. There is, of course, a pressing need to change but we have to believe in ourselves. We have to inspire each other and see the beauty within us. We are a species that rises when facing challenges. We are experts at adapting. Yes, we have done mistakes. And we won’t stop making new ones. That is life. But by accepting responsibility, by finding humility and believing that the strength of our spirit is intertwined with the natural world, I believe that together we can lay the foundations to a world we can be proud of.

I want to make people STOP just for a second. I want them to take a deep BREATH, RELAX, LISTEN and look at the world and nature in a new way. I want them to think. I want them to believe. I want them to be proud. I want them to believe in the power of nature to Nurture, Awaken, Transform, Uplift, Restore and Elevate the human spirit. I want them to understand that we are from nature, that nature is not something disconnected from us. If I can do that, if that can be my legacy, then I will be happy.

Daniel Fox is an artist, solo wilderness explorer, Fujifilm X-Photographer, & SanDisk Extreme Team Member. Through his photography, videos and stories, he seeks to inspire the public to experience nature as a framework, mindset and mentor for personal transformation. He believes in the Power of Nature to Nurture, Awaken, Transcend, Uplift, Restore and Elevate the human spirit.
He is the founder of WILD.ECO, a nonprofit that mentors and raises funds to send disadvantaged students to wilderness immersion camps. Its mission is to foster resilient, empowered, adaptable, curious, and empathetic students of life, using Nature as a framework.
Fox lives in Vancouver, Canada, with his wife Tristan and their dog Kobe.
You can learn more about Fox on his website and follow him on Facebook, Linkedin, and Instagram.

 

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OVER THE BOW: THE CHANNEL ISLANDS

Photo by Tom Gomes

Channel Islands National Park are known for their phenomenal beautyl and rugged coastline. Under the protection of US parks service, the five islands and their ocean environments are isolation from the mainland offering a home to unique animals, plants, and geological treasures that can't be anywhere else on the planet. For Sacramento based sea kayaker and photographer Tom Gomes,  the trip to the islands were opportunity to experience and photograph this diverse and incredible national resource.

At nearly a 100 square miles in size, Santa Cruz Island is the largest national park's islands, located off the coast of Southern California. It has three mountain ranges, with its highest peak rising over 2,000 feet above the island. Canyons and streams fill its central valley, while its 77 miles of craggy coastline cliffs  are permeated with giant sea caves, pristine tide pools and expansive beaches that are beckoned to be explored by island visitors. Large colonies of nesting sea birds and different types of animals, including breeding seals and sea lions can be found on the island. During summer there is also a chance to see Blue or Humpback Whales in the deep water off the island's shore.

Access to the island is limited to a ferry or private boat. Island Packers Cruises is the longtime transportation company between the mainland and the five Channel Islands. Their ferries leave from  ports in Ventura Harbor and Santa Barbara.

"This year was unique," said Gomes, "Because the normal loading dock on Santa Cruz Island was condemned after a major storm last year,  it will have to be rebuilt. So, Island Packers Ferry in Ventura loaded our kayaks and takes us to Scorpion Harbor, about a one hour ferry ride. The ferry then anchors about 200 yards from shore and transferred us to small skiffs, about six at a time, ) to take us to shore. Our group of nine then grabbed our kayaks as they were being brought ashore by Island Packers."

They secured and stored their kayaks about 30 yards from the landing and afterwards off loaded their sea bags of supplies and camping gear.

"We had three bags weighing about 35 pounds each," said Gomes,  "We then hauled everything to the campgrounds, except our kayaks, about 1/3 mile and no carts or wheels were allowed."

Gomes and his group from Sacramento Sea Kayaker's enjoyed a five day of camping, kayaking and hiking expedition to the national park last month. Check out more Gomes' stunning kayaking and outdoor images on his Facebook page.

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

Keep Calm and Paddle On: How to Keep a Less Than Ideal Situation From Becoming a Really Bad One

Outside Adventure to the Max guest blogger Pete Delosa

Whitewater kayaking might be the best thing on Earth, at least for me anyway. If you read what I wrote here then I’d guess there’s a better than average chance that you like kayaking at least a little bit too. If you’ve ever spent a day in a kayak then you’ve probably noticed that in kayaking, as in life, things don’t always go according to plan. Sometimes we have to abandon play A and move to plan B, C, D, E…

When things start to go less than ideal, how can we make sure that they don’t make it all the way to really bad? I have a couple of ideas on this that you may or may not find helpful. The first and I think most important thing is to stay calm. I know it’s often easier said than done but trust me it helps. When we’re calm we can look around and take in information. Our brain can then use that information to evaluate our situation and make informed decisions. Sounds weird, right? Believe it or not when we start to panic we get twitchy and spastic. We start to cling on to the first idea that we see which isn’t always the best. It’s pretty easy in our frantic state to actually make our situation worse. Often times a better escape route is right in front of us. We just need to relax long enough to see it. I know I know, it’s really hard to stay calm when you think you’re about to drown. Just try to start practicing. Start by reminding yourself afterwards you need to be calmer in the future. Then eventually that will turn into reminding yourself to calm down mid incident. With even more practice you’ll stay calm right from the start. This works both when you are the victim and the rescuer by the way.

The other piece of advice I find myself sharing with people, often on the side of the river after a rescue, is to stay out of the water. Let me clarify. If you or a friend becomes a swimmer in the river, especially on class III and up water, once you are on shore you need to STAY THERE. When the swimmer is out of the water they are for the time being safe. They should not go back in the water, period. Now I know what you’re thinking, “what if we can’t get them back to their boat?” Situations may dictate that the swimmer needs to go back in the water. If so, fine. I’m just saying make sure, absolutely sure, that there really is no other option before you put someone back into the water.
There’s my two cents on minimizing carnage. Do with it what you will. Thanks for reading.

 You can catch up with Pete on his blog River-Bum.com and his videos on You-Tube. 
Outside Adventure to the Max is always looking for guest bloggers. Contact us at Nickayak@gmail.com if you are interested.

OVER THE BOW: LAKE TAHOE

 

I have kayaked bigger lakes by far. Under Split Rock Lighthouse on Lake Superior, Lake of the Wood on the border of U.S. and Canada and into sea caves along Lake Michigan in Door County Wisconsin.  All of those lakes are massive in size.  At their edge, you look out into a sea swell as far as you can see. The horizon falls off into waves. However, at the Lake Tahoe, you look across to see the gleaming Sierra Nevada Mountains raising from its blue depths and feel the majesty of the place. American writer, Mark Twain described the thoughts we all must experience when seeing the lake for the first time or one hundredth.

  "...at last the Lake burst upon us—a noble sheet of blue water lifted six thousand three hundred feet above the level of the sea, and walled in by a rim of snow-clad mountain peaks that towered aloft full three thousand feet higher still! ... As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly photographed upon its still surface I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords."

You will need waterproof pocket Thesaurus to come up with all the different types of color blue you will see when paddling around the lake. Its cobalt color was long credited to the unusual clarity of the water, however surprising new research suggests that the real explanation lies with algae that live in the lake.

“The result was totally unexpected, since we all expected that clarity and blueness of the lake is correlated,” Dr. Shohei Watanabe, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Davis, told The Huffington Post, “Clarity is mainly controlled by fine inorganic sediments but blueness is mainly controlled by algal populations.”
Using help from NASA, Wantanabe, measured the lake’s blueness and then combined this “blueness index” with measurements of a Secchi disk, a white disk commonly used to measure its transparency of water that remains visible when it's lowered into it. His results showed that the bluer the lake, the lower the clarity of its water and the lake is actually bluest when algae concentration is low, suggesting a possible need to change in conservation efforts, which traditionally have focused on controlling sediment to keep the lake water clear.

The blueness of the lake is extraordinary along the massive granite walls of D.L. Bliss State Park's Rubicon Point. There it is hard for me to take my eyes off the water as it changes in hues blues as I paddle along with my son Taylor. Under the point, it is the most stunning shade of indigo I think I have ever seen. North of fabled Emerald Bay, this area is a  popular spot for boaters as well as swimmers, who brave the cool waters. Kayaks and speedboats rock along in the waves along the shoreline. For me, finally paddling towards the horizon of mountains proves to be an exhilarating experience.

"This place is spectacular because it is one of the highest, deepest, oldest and purest lakes in the world." said President Barack Obama told a crowd of about 9,000 at the 20th annual Lake Tahoe Summit last week, "It’s no wonder that for thousands of years, this place has been a spiritual one. For the Washoe people, it is the center of their world. And just as this space is sacred to Native Americans, it should be sacred to all Americans."

He challenged all of us, to keep the lake's spirit alive through conservation and combating climate change to protect its pristine views, keep its air pure and most certainly its waters clear and blue.

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

BLUE LOON

 "God never made an ugly landscape. All that the sun shines on is beautiful, so long as it is wild." John Muir

It is not easy to get to Loon Lake.  Two highways of mountain turn and switchbacks meandering up into the Sierra leading to a Y in the road with one pointing the way to the lake. On my first trip, I wondered where are we going?  On my last,  when I knew the roads, I counted down the miles with anticipation.

In the late afternoon, the lake glistens in the background the of silhouetted pines. There is a lot more water in it than the year before. California's ongoing drought that has been plaguing the state for the last five years has eased up a bit in its northern region this past winter, that it now seems like a distant memory. Some patches of snow can even be seen on the horizon of mountains, while the cobalt waters of the lake are brimming up against its rugged boulder-lined shore.

"This is true freedom, a good practical sort of immortality."








"Another glorious Sierra day," naturalist, John Muir wrote,  "In which one seems to be dissolved and absorbed and sent pulsing onward we know not where. Life seems neither long nor short, and we take no more heed to save time or make haste than do the trees and stars. This is true freedom, a good practical sort of immortality."

At 6,378 feet, Muir's spirit haunts this alpine lake cradled by rocky spires. The lake pools across some 76,000 acres in the northern section of the Crystal Basin Recreation Area in the Eldorado National Forest along the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Nestled up close to the federally protected Desolation Wilderness, the recreation area is capped by the majestic granite peaks and traversed by lakes, reservoirs and streams spanning over 85,000 acres of forested rugged terrain along the Crystal Range. The lake was created in the 1960s by the Sacramento Metropolitan Utility District as part of a network of mountain hydropower plants. The nearby is Loon Lake Chalet, a popular winter recreation destination. While in the summer, three campgrounds and the boat ramp provide areas perfect for camping, hiking and kayaking.

Current Adventures Kayak School and Trips has been hosting kayaking campers for the for the annual Perseid Meteor Shower during its peak in August for nearly a dozen of years. All the meals, camping equipment and kayaks provided, paddlers and first-time campers enjoy a cozy "roughing it" in-style camp-out. Here are some photo highlights of our past trip they're with Current Adventures as we explore the lake's many sapphire colored coves and bays and textured granite islands.

 “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home;" wrote Muir  "That wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers but as fountains of life.”

It's so true of Loon Lake because, after each visit, I leave with tired muscles but recharged soul and spirit.

 If you want to go

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

WHY DO YOU PADDLE?

By Pete Delosa

There are so many things that we could do on any given day. Yet, we choose to spend our days kayaking. Sometimes we are kayaking with friends down chaotic whitewater. Other times we are by ourselves on alpine glacial lakes. Why do we choose kayaking? For me, there are a few main reasons that come to mind.
First, I’ll talk about the sensation. It’s not all that different from the feeling someone might get riding an amusement park ride. I’m not particularly excited about roller coasters but I do love the feeling of making dynamic moves on the water. It could be snapping a tight turn into an eddy, launching off a good boof, or just rolling through the waves. There is something exhilarating about smoothly transitioning from one edge to the other while moving through various currents and feeling the cool splash of the water on your face and the warmth of the sun all at the same time.

Another thing that keeps me coming back to the river is conquering my own fear. Most people don’t believe me when I tell them, but I’m terrified of the water. It makes perfect sense though when you thin about it. What could be more satisfying than taking on your biggest fear? Every time I get in the water I get a little better handle on a fear that has had great power over me my entire life. I grow a little bit and become a stronger person one paddle stroke at a time, every time I go out. I don’t know any other way to get that kind of personal satisfaction. It has taken me longer than most to get to where I am in paddling because of it, but perhaps I’ve learned more along the way as a result.
Finally, and most importantly, kayaking for me is a means to access a place. Some of those places are otherwise inaccessible and some of them you can drive right up to, but it isn’t just about getting there. It’s about being in remarkable places and feeling a part of the place when you get there. I love the sort of dance we do with the amazing power of this world. I love how it makes me realize how small I am in the grand scheme of things. It’s one thing to go and look at the amazing incomprehensible power of nature. It’s even better to get in there and really experience it, to be a part of it, to be just one drop of the water in a vast river.
This is why I kayak, but that’s just me. Why do you kayak?

Pete Delosa is a California professional kayaker with Team Pyranha and offers great insight into the world of whitewater kayaking for Outside Adventure to the Max. You can catch up with Pete on his blog River-Bum.com and his videos on You-Tube. 
Outside Adventure to the Max is always looking for guest bloggers. Contact us at Nickayak@gmail.com

LOVE AND THE TANDEM KAYAK

 

 I thought when I said you wanted to go for a canoe ride that you'd actually help and paddle --William L. Bergenstein

In his book, author Gil Stieglitz in Marital Intelligence stresses five foolproof guides to strengthening your marriage. The book is being used as part of our couples enrichment class course work at our church. As I read through the book's five problems facing married couples, it struck me like being whacked over the head with a paddle, they also apply to canoeing and tandem kayaking.

Meeting Each Others' Needs  First of all, remember how you promised to take her on a luxury Viking River Cruise that you see in the commercial before Downtown Abbey.  Well, this isn't it. But, finding a little common ground is a good way to start. You are there to paddle, so your needs are met already. After you unload the boat, pack the lunch and the camping gear inside. Comfort is key, make sure her seat is dry and her gear is safe.  After that,  help her rub on her sun screen and push off. On a peaceful night with the setting sun, a cruise of beauty and inspiration will give you some great one on one time.

Immature Behaviors  Remember on the junior high church canoe trip how there was always that guy who splashed and swamped the girl's canoes and then laughed when they came out of the water soaking wet?  Those days are over. If you ever want to kayak with her again, the whole idea is to keep the water out of the boat and off your mate. Keep the craft stable and emphasize safety and fun. Remain calm and patient. Nothing sinks a boat trip faster than yelling at your inexperienced paddling partner. Providing a relaxed fun environment will ensure she will be eager to go again.

Clashing Temperaments  We often hear tandem kayaks or canoes being called "divorce boats" You put a couple in a boat to make them work together and often a squabble will ensue before getting to the other end of the lake. One will attempt to steer from the bow (front), while the mate will trying to navigate from the bow (back).  Before long they are going in circles or worse, crashing into rocks.
You should remember to work as a team and make compromises. Paddling is like dancing. Keep rhythm with your paddling partner by communicating direction, synchronizing to their strokes and where to stop for lunch or a good place to swim or hike.

 Competing relationships   Honey,...you're  just not listening to me, is a tandem kayaking conundrum. With the front rider is facing bow with their mouth and ears are pointing forward, it is difficult for the person in the stern to hear things like, Awe, look the cute little deer or  LOOK OUT FOR THE ROCK!
The bow (front) paddler is the eyes of the kayak and directs the stern (back) paddler around obstacles that can't be seen because their view is blocked. The person in front needs to look back when talking to their paddling partner.
The kayakers must also share the same tempo in paddling the boat. I like to paddle like a machine with powerful deep movements while Debbie's stroke resembles a dipping and chipping motion. I splash, while she leaves the water in the lake. I adjust my stroke to hers to avoid hitting our paddles. Slow it down and take it easy. And really, what is the hurry anyway?

Past Baggage  The reason you are out there in the first place is to have fun and get away for awhile. Leave the bills, laundry, and chores at home and enjoy the serenity of the lake. This is a chance for you both to energize your body, spirit and soul and find harmony in being together.

Paddling together is a successful marriage of working in partnership to get across the lake or down river. Sharing these experiences with a partner will hopefully bring your bond even closer.  Follow these rules and even in rough waters it will be a smooth ride.

 This article was originally published in Outside Adventure to the Max July 11, 2014.

WEATHERING THE DROUGHT

As I approached the lake, the first thing that hit me is the size of the gaping gully a hundred or so yards below the boat ramp. We had already carried our kayaks down the long boat ramp and through the sand, grass and weeds in search of the lake access. Earlier this year, when the lake was full and showing signs of a hopeful summer, water lapped against the boat dock at the end of the ramp. Now looking parched and exposed, the route to the lake at Rattlesnake Bar is through a dusty and eroding narrow crack in the earth.


For many, the boating season is over. California State Parks have imposed a speed limit of 5 miles per hour (mph) at Folsom Lake State Recreation Area since mid-July. Water levels are low enough in many places to make for hazardous boating. The lake is being drawn down to record lows as part of a plan to rescue the endangered winter-run Chinook salmon along with providing water to the 200,000 people who rely on it daily.
"Visitors are welcome to come out and enjoy Folsom Lake,” said Superintendent Richard Preston of California State Parks. “We want to make sure our visitors are aware of the increase in underwater hazards as a result of the low water levels. We urge people to exercise extreme caution while boating on the lake, both for their safety and to prevent damage to their watercraft.”

The speed restriction is necessary because the low water level has brought rocks on the lake bed closer to the surface, placing boats in danger in the more shallow areas. It is critical for boaters to exercise caution and to keep a proper lookout for hazards. Its bad news for speed boaters, but it's an opportunity for kayaks, canoes and SUPs to explore areas of the lake that are usually underwater without heavy boat traffic. However, as we found out, it's a long way to the water's edge.

It's my paddling partner Carly Mariani's first time up the North Fork of the American River. I'm sure she expected a simple cruise around Lake Natoma instead of what I have in mind. Before the end of the day she will invent a new term "Hikayaking," a combination of hiking with your kayak.

We paddled along under a dazzling brilliant blue sky. From our kayak viewpoint, the lake forms into three layers. There is the blue of the water. The shoreline is a desolate layer with rocks and boulders arising from the depths and inhaling the sun for the first time. Overhead, a thin black bathtub ring lines the upper portions of the rust-colored canyon walls and stones revealing the former water mark. Above that lies the green and brown thirsty timberline and undergrowth.
The lakeshore now reminds me of the surface of the moon. Down towards the Granite Bay access, folks drive down to the water's edge across the baked and dehydrated lake bed devoid of any trees or vegetation. It is a winding trail through ruts, dips and boulders to get to the lakefront. For now, at least, there is some water.


In the fourth year of the California drought, some lakes and river areas are a gurgle of their former selves. The dwindling Kern and Truckee rivers have ended the boating and tubing seasons before the summer ever began. The Kern River Festival, which draws hundreds of professional and recreational paddlers each year, was canceled this spring for the first time in 51 years, while the Reno River Festival's signature kayaking competitions also were dropped.
"It's the worst drought we've seen in the 30 years we've been here," Tom Moore of Sierra South Paddle Sports told the LA Times, "We've sunk to new lows. "
Drydocks, barren landscapes with landlocked boats and boat ramps in puddles are some of the sights seen in the California Department of Water Resources' new aerial video shot above lakes Oroville, Shasta and Folsom reservoir. Their only hopes for more water cling to the expectation of this winter's El Niño forecast.

We ascended the North Fork much like climbing up an assemblage of steps. In places, the river is a trickle strangled through small rapids between placid pools. At each rapid we approach, we were forced to get out and wade through the rushing water. Footing was uneven and slippery. When the lake was higher, earlier in the spring, it was a relaxing upstream paddle. Now it's a shallow rocky fast-moving stream between pools. I reminded Carly over and over that the portages are a fun and exciting way to view the river as we will be well rewarded with a fun bouncy ride back on the return trip.


As we wondered about the next rapid on the horizon, weather forecasters are pondering El Niño. For months, climate scientists have said El Niño is likely to bring more rain to California this winter, The biggest question is, how much moisture and where will it fall?
“It’s still a bit premature to know if we’re going to have strong El Niño conditions during our wet season this winter, but the probabilities are increasing toward 80 percent or something,” told Marty Ralph, a climatologist with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography to NBC 7 San Diego.
After studying California weather for 25 years, he says this summer resembles the lead up to the strong El Niño of 1997-1998 when storms battered Golden State. Still, he believes it’s premature to say we’re in store for another winter like that one. “Wishcasting doesn’t mean it won’t happen."


Near the bone-dry Pilot Creek about 3 miles from Rattlesnake Bar, we found a nice-sized pool below a wave train of newly uncovered Class I rapids. Here a large rock with turtle-shaped head peers over the deep and blue water. This is where the river turns toward the east, and where our trip upriver stops.

In the springtime when the lake was high, I paddled further, but now we had to settle here.
After a snack and swim we will enjoy a quick jaunt back down river. The Class I and II flows, despite the drought, made for a fun exciting ride back to the lake.
To learn about all the actions California has taken to manage the water system and cope with the impacts of the drought, visit Drought.CA.Gov.

Paddle Back

 

There is something about paddling: the quiet rhythm of the blade sliding in and out of the water, the feel of my body's movement and tempo as I lean into the stroke and pull the paddle toward me. Relaxed, glide, I stroke again. Needing each other to cross the lake, my body and my kayak have become one. My feet, knees and thighs unseen under the bow sway back and forth holding steady to the course while my arms and torso, operating like a turbine, charge us forward. In each motion of the paddle, the horizon inches forward and the rest of the world slips further behind.

The world is at peace except for hurried ripples made by the bow slicing through the stillness of the lake. Behind me, the water surface is now scratched and broken into millions of tiny undulations drifting into the calm of the lake. Ahead of me lies the illusion of a priceless mirror laying flat against the earth and reflecting images of the trees and hills cradling this canyon lake. The sky is jet blue, the shore is dark and water is an upside down copy sharper than any photograph could ever produce. 
Environmentalist and wilderness guide Sigurd Olson was more poetic in his description, while paddling the lakes and forest of Northern Minnesota and Ontario, Canada. "If it is calm," he wrote in Open Horizons, "The canoes drifting through reflections with nothing to break the vast silence but the hypnotic swish of paddles, there are moments when one seems suspended between heaven and earth."

Not far ahead, a turkey vulture soars overhead with its wings tilted upward.  With it's ugly red-head and diet of the dead, its not as majestic as the eagle or hawk . The bird is looked at with disdain to most. It circles and spirals on prevailing wind currents with little change to its large out stretched wings. It looms over the lake and canyon, holding me in a trance while I paddle below.
It has been a bad week and the vulture knows it. There are problems at work, troubles at home and doctors with test results. Life is not as tranquil as this peaceful lake. Tribulations dwell outside these canyon walls and that vulture wants to devour us. 
I pass the outcropping of the tower rock formations that the vultures call home and whisper to myself
"Not today my friend. I maybe trampled, but I'm far from extinguished." I paddle on as the vulture slips out of sight.

"The first thing you must learn about canoeing is that the canoe is not a lifeless, inanimate object; it feels very much alive, alive with the life of the river," said film maker and canoeist Bill Mason in Path of the Paddle, "Life is transmitted to the canoe by the currents of the air and the water upon which it rides."
There is energy and healing in the water. It has power that Mason said instilled life into my kayak and now transfuses into me. Water has been revered throughout the ages for inspiring the human spirit with hope and tranquility.
 In Psalm 23, one of most quoted Bible verses of all time, David is led down beside quiet water and his soul is restored.
 This trip to the lake has rejuvenated my vitality in the same way, as it has done countless times before. A friend once told when kayaking she hardly can remember what day it is. The lake was her portal of escape and a place to rekindle her mind.
The sun is falling behind the ridge. Along the highest points, the sun still hits the glimmering peaks while the valley is turning shadow.  It is time to turn around and paddle back to the access. It is a drug. A temporary high that always leaves me wanting more and more. This why I return to the lake every chance I can, so I can feel the paddle, it's rhythm and the sensation of the water. My consciousness is cleared and refocused.
"Penetrations into the unknown, " wrote Olson in Open Horizon, "All give meaning to what has gone before, and courage for what is to come. More than physical features, they are horizons of mind and spirit, and when one looks backward, we find they have blended into the whole panorama of our lives."
In a few short hours on the lake, I have undergone a recharge. My mind is at ease and my burdens have lifted. I paddle back restored.

Kids & Kayaks

We sat on the bank and the river went by. As always, it was making sounds to itself, and now it made sounds to us. It would be hard to find three men sitting side by side who knew better what a river was saying.  Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It.

This Father's Day weekend I will enjoy the company of my oldest son visiting from Omaha. We will try to fit many things into his week-long visit, including reminiscing about our previous kayak and camping trips we have enjoyed together.

The other day, my wife asked me when I had developed such a keen interest in water sports and if I had kayaked growing up.  In Nebraska, we really didn't have access to water outside the public swimming pool where I learned to swim. My dad was a hunter. He took my brother and I hunting almost every fall weekend for upland game birds and fishing only a couple of times.  He would pack up the family station wagon every summer with camping gear and take us on cross-country trips to central Nebraska, the Black Hills and even to California. He would often pick scenic state parks to visit that included a lake or river for swimming. It was those summer camp outs and hunting trips that offered my first taste of exploring the outdoors.

My junior high school offered canoes trips along the Missouri and Niobrara rivers which were my first paddling experiences. Those great trips that I took with friends and classmates planted a seed in me that would later grow into a passion.

However through college, building a career and raising a young family those canoe trips turned into someday-dreams. In Fargo where the lakes are 45 minutes away, I didn't have the time and I didn't make the time. There was always a something else to do such as a work assignment, a doctor visit or another bill to pay. The water might as well have been a million miles away.
But then something great happened. My kids transformed from babies to creatures of action and adventure.
They wanted to camp. They wanted to canoe. They wanted to explore.
My kids were attending and working at summer camps offered through Boy Scouts and Campfire. Adults were needed to supervise and insure safety. That is what I told myself, but I came because it was fun. It opened a whole new world for me that I had forgotten. I was hooked again.

Before long I was attending the camps with them and taking them along on our own family adventures. Back on the water for at least a few days a year, my enthusiasm was just beginning. A couple of years later I bought three kayaks, some PFDs and paddles. I wasn't a real live kayaker yet, but I was getting there. The next season we added some whitewater boats and a tandem kayak to the fleet. The tandem meant we did not have to leave the dog behind.

On our paddling and camping trips into Minnesota, we stayed at scenic state parks with water access. After setting up the tents and exploring the lake or river, we remembered the day's journey fondly that night by the campfire. Some of my best fatherhood memories have taken place fireside with my kids. Laughter and reminiscing circled like the smoke from the fire.

"Remember the time at camp?" Taylor, my oldest would start.

"You mean the time that kid's swimsuit was hung on the flag pole?" added Cole, my youngest while roasting marshmallows.

Along with a collection of others, I had heard that story a dozen times before. I'm sure the trees that surround the campsite have heard thousands more like it.  I listened to the telling and retelling of their tales again like it was the first time. The jumble of camper's hi jinx and mischief have turned into family fables. Taylor has a way of stretching one story to another and another providing nostalgic entertainment. I have often said there is no one better around a campfire than Taylor. Even the trip we were on would later be a story at some distant campsite to come.

The next day brought more paddling, exploring and spending time together. The trip would end too quickly with a stop for ice cream or pizza or both on the way home.
 
So on this Father's Day weekend, may all dads and their kids build classic tales of their time together along the water. Those adventures will live in their memories and will be told over and over again as long there kayaks, canoes and campfires.

Kayaking Fargo, Red River Reminiscence

 Originally published on May 6 2014. This post has been an Outside Adventure to the Max fan favorite. 

The city of Fargo has been all the news this past year. It has a new hit TV series that shares its name. ESPN College GameDay came to town for a visit last fall,  and it received rave reviews from the national media about its urban trendy downtown nightclubs, restaurants, and bars. It seems Fargo is cool. After living and raising a family there for quite a while it nice to see it get some positive attention. But, for me, the best part is its river.

 Slicing through the communities of Fargo and it's next door neighbor, Moorhead, Minn,  is the Red  River of the North. This slow-motion friend doesn't seem to be in a hurry at all.  It meanders 550 miles from its source in Breckenridge, Minn all the way to Lake Winnipeg in Canada. In one of the world's flattest places,  the river can pick and chose its own way.  There are not many straight lines in this waterway. In some places along the river, Minnesota is on the west bank, while North Dakota is to the east. Moving very slowly and sloping at just a half-foot per mile, any beginner can navigate this river easily.

Urban paddle through downtown Fargo and Moorhead

Sunset on the Red River.

 Kayaking or canoeing has never been so easy. Along with the cities' parks departments, the Riverkeepers, a nonprofit organization established to protect and preserve the integrity and natural environment of the river in the Fargo-Moorhead area, have developed several access points along the river. Two favorites are located above and below the Midtown Dam in Dike East Park. The dam has been retrofitted with a rocky slope. Fishermen hang out here daily during the summer months.
 From here one can paddle either north through the center of the cites to get views of the skylines and bridges, or go south towards Lindenwood park to escape the bustle.
  It is hard to believe this is an urban paddle as one winds and weaves around with the stream. Willow, cottonwood and box elder trees cradle the river at each bend. In either direction don't be surprised to see beaver, river otters and white-tailed deer. It feels like a trip into the wilderness.
 Of course in other places, one can tell they are in a city.  The sounds of traffic and train horn echo off the water. The music of a jazz guitar floats down from a riverside venue or the Oak Grove High School Band plays its fight song at its football field near to the river. It is always good to remember pizza or a glass of wine are minutes away after the kayaks are loaded up.

Kayaking only stops when the Red River is frozen.

 One of the more popular events on the river is the annual Race the Red kayak and canoe race sponsored by the Riverkeepers.  Each year area paddlers come to challenge skills, raise money for Riverkeepers and have fun. The race features a 10-mile competitive race and a 2-mile fun paddle. The race begins at the Lindenwood Park bike bridge and ends downstream at the floating bridge above the Midtown Dam.  For more information log on to Riverkeepers.org

Lining up for the race.

Debbie and Nick after placing in last year's race.

 I'm now part of the Red River's history. I'm sure no one in recent times had paddled up and down it so much. It's muddy looking waters, ever-changing direction and rumble of its dams still call and always will. I have seen picturesque sunrises and sunsets,  cool morning mists and tranquil snow falls at each bend. I have enjoyed time with family and friends floating on the river as well as solo trips of solitude. The river was a wonderful friend in my journey of life.

Paddling the Red River.