ROUGH ROAD TO SERENITY

 

                              Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations

Up until then, we had been OK. Then the road suddenly stopped! Being a road, that is. Huge ruts and massive rocks block our way. We sat at the point of turning around, going back and finding another way. Meadow Lake Road on the east end of Bowman Lake looked more like a mountain goat trail than a lane travel.

In all my trips to the water, it has always been fairly simple. For trips to Lake Natoma or the Lower American River, stops signs, traffic and parking spots are my biggest concerns. With a little luck,  I'll squeeze into a spot at the boat ramp instead of having to park further away after dropping the kayak off at the water edge. For bigger trips,  I leave the driveway, wade through traffic to the interstate, speed along to the exit, before getting stuck a slow-moving tractor or truck on the blacktop. At the crossing, I turn off the blacktop and on to the gravel road down to the boat ramp.

"It’s the portage that makes traveling by canoe unique." said famed paddling guru Bill Mason. He, of course, was referring to hauling canoes through the northern woods from lake to lake. That's how it's done in places like the BWCA. Canoes are inserted into lakes and streams and then carried by hand to other lakes and streams in between, while whitewater extremists have no trouble transporting kayaks up mountain canyons on their backs to attempt the first descent of the waterfall. The paddling is the easy part, getting to the water is always the ordeal.

Our friend Curt Hough said it was a place we had to paddle. High in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Lake Foucherie is an outdoor paradise. Clear water, mountain views and towering pines encompass the lake. A hidden and remote treasure that offers more that than just tranquil splendor, but serenity as well. It's so beautiful that photographer Ansel Adams might have switched to color film to photograph its grandeur. We gathered in my pickup with tandem kayak on top and looked forward to what naturalist John Muir described as an inexpressible delight of wading out into the grassy sun-lake when he wrote, "Feeling yourself contained on one of Nature's most sacred chambers, withdrawn from the sterner influences of the mountains, secure from all intrusion, secure from yourself, free in the universal beauty."

The Bowman Lake Road off Highway 20 on the northern end of California's Nevada County is bumpy but well-traveled by four-wheel drive pickup and Jeeps. It weaves and winds mostly on gravel in a northerly fashion past Fuller Lake, up to the dam site. The Meadow Lake Road begins just below Bowman Reservoir's Dam, turning off and winding up the mountain. The road is rocky and a bit unnerving with a steep drop off at ones the side. It would be a wonderful breath-taking view of the mountains and valley if I wasn't holding my breath at the sight of the depth chasm. About half way up we came to our roadblock. There was just no way my truck could clear those ruts and rocks. We regroup, turned around and went back down finding a different road up the mountain via GPS.

The first road must have been the express lane for four-wheel drivers and mountain goats, while the other road switchbacks up the hill and meets for the same view Bowman Lake. At an elevation of 5,585 feet, the lake gleams through our windshield. Its granite rock formations lining the lake buffer between the water and sky. The north side road runs parallel along the steeped lakeshore. It is slow going, however, our destination seems to be in grasp.

All the way to the end of the lake and Jackson Creek the road went from good to bad, to worse. My wife Debbie had taken the wheel now and compared the road to dried up river bed. It might as well had been an old creek bed. Washboard grooves and stones tested the truck's tires and shock absorbers while driving up what looked like an evaporated stream. I walked ahead in spots and clearing rocks and looking for even ground. At the Jackson Creek Campground, the road splits and leads to Sawmill Lake and Lake Foucherie. It wasn't any better. It was a rugged adventurous drive over a parched creek bed and a pine-lined path. When we limped into the Sawmill Lake Campground and saw the sight of Sawmill Lake, we agreed that we have to save Lake Foucherie for another day and unloaded our kayaks.

After the rigorous day of travel, the payoff came softly. Sawmill Lake cooled us in an instant. The water gave us relief, the pines refreshed us and the majestic mountain views mesmerized us with their beauty. It wasn't our original destination, however, its wilderness seems to sing to me. You made it!  It's the journey that matters, and the adventure lays in just getting here.  Now enjoy my serenity.

Naturalist Sigurd Olson thought of it that way when he said, "And that, I believe, is one of the reasons why coming home from any sort of a primitive expedition is a real adventure. Security and routine are always welcome after knowing the excitement and the unusual. We need contrast to make us know we are really alive."

SIERRA HIGH, LOON LAKE PART II

The day ended with a Dan Crandall bear story by firelight. We had just gotten off the water after viewing the Perseid Meteor Shower on the lake. The fire was slowly fading and in Dan's story the bear was closing in. Across the glowing embers, I saw other campers melting into their camp chairs as their sleepy eyes and yawns were revealed by the fire's flicker before sinking back into the shadows. Their muscles were stiff and sore from the day's paddling across the lake. Many had already retired to the comfort of their tents, while others put off the inevitable crash into their sleeping bags hoping to make the day last just a bit longer.

"I think a lot of people want to go back to basics sometimes," wrote former Canadian Prime Minister and paddler Pierre Elliott Trudeau in his memoirs, "To get their bearings. For me, a good way to do that is to get into nature by canoe – to take myself as far away as possible from everyday life."

Current Adventures Kayak School and Trips has hosted this two-day overnight one-of-a-kind camping experience in August for almost ten years. During the days, paddlers escape the heat while exploring the pine-scented Loon Lake in the Crystal Basin Recreation Area east of Lake Tahoe, while at night campers are treated to a night-time paddling experience to view the Perseid Meteor Shower. All the meals and paddling gear are provided, freeing kayakers up to only de-stress and unwind in the realm of nature.

"I don't know.  I lost count," said Dejaun Archer, when asked how long she has attended these camp outs.  "It's probably been about seven or eight trips. I like the group, I like the people. It's just really great. The food is great. The scenery is great. It's just a lot of fun.  As long as they keep doing them, I'll keep coming."

Pristine blue water, textured granite shore and clear skies greeted the group of 20, mostly women boaters earlier that day for their first trip on to the lake. I was along for my second year as a guide for the trip but still felt the same thrill as everyone else while lowering the kayaks into the water. While most had paddled a kayak before, with each cast off I sensed their brimming excitement of exploring the unknown. At 6,378 feet, Loon Lake features 10 miles of boulder-lined shoreline with awe-inspiring views of the Sierra Nevada, however, the California drought had taken a toll on the mountain reservoir this year. At about 50 percent of its normal level, the lake's crystal clear water was significantly lower than my last visit. Our usual hidden-away paddling destinations and coves were now parched and dry. The popular visit to the tunnel on the east end of the lake turned into a hike instead of a paddle. Loon Lake paddling veteran Archer didn't let the drought soak up the fun.

"I don't think it (the lake) is any different, but it is lower." said Archer, "We got to walk into the tunnel. I have never done that. I have been here when you couldn't see the tunnel at all. I have been here when the tunnel was very short and you couldn't go in it, and I've been there when we kayaked in it. Now this time we got to walk in it, which I thought was really cool."

The lake might be low, but the trip was full of laughter and springing with new friendships as the boaters paddled along the lake shore. Each paddler shared the enthusiasm of kayaking with one another. Some speeding ahead together, while others hung back embracing the beauty and calm of the day's journey side by side.  Dinner and the campfire afterward provided more laughs, some wine, and camaraderie.

"It's a pretty good group," said Current Adventures' Dan Crandall, "Most of them are doing something they have never tried before and enjoyed it. They all came as strangers and are leaving as friends. They will all probably end up paddling together. That's kayaking."

The smoldering embers ignite one last time, while the bear in Dan's story backs off and ambles back into the woods. Above me, the last meteor shoots through the stars perfectly framed by the silhouettes of towering majestic pines. I look into the night sky and ponder Trudeau's profound words...

"A canoeing expedition…involves a starting point rather than a parting. Although it assumes the breaking of ties, its purpose is not to destroy the past, but to lay down a foundation for the future. From now on, every living act will be built on this step, which will serve as a base long after the return of the expedition…. and until the next one."

STARRY STARRY NIGHT....LOON LAKE PART I

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

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

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

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

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

"An airplane." says another.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

OVER THE BOW: LAKE NATOMA

  The path of the paddle can be a means of getting things back to their original perspective. – Bill Mason, Path of the Paddle

 It was a quiet morning on Lake Natoma earlier last week. A slight breeze passed over the water, causing barely a ripple. I could feel its coolness coming off the water and in the shade of the trees. It was a welcome relief from the daytime heat that usually blasts this valley.
I had beaten the rush. The parking lot of the Negro Bar access was still empty along with the rest of the lake. The usual array of Huki boats, sit-on-tops and fishermen had yet to arrive and the lake was pretty much mine for my own adventure.

I wasn't lost in the wilds of the BWCA or Desolation Wilderness. I was only a couple of miles from home and could hear the hum of traffic buzzing over the Folsom Avenue Bridge. But, I might as well have been. Because with each muffled stroke of my paddle, I slipped further away into nature's domain.
Environmentalist and wilderness guide, Sigrud Olsen said  'There is magic in the feel of a paddle and the movement of a canoe, a magic compounded of distance, adventure, solitude, and peace. The way of a canoe is the way of the wilderness, and of a freedom almost forgotten."'

Alone in my thoughts and on the water, I felt a certain exuberance in this calm of tranquility. On a simple morning cruise around my neighborhood lake, I felt that same deliverance and enchantment that Olsen pontificated about his beloved northern lakes and forested wilderness.  I was minutes from the freeways, gas stations and fast food restaurants, yet the lake was still home to things wild. Ducks, geese, beaver, and deer find the same sanctuary that I do near its waters.

It was an effortless paddle for me, through and around the slough of the lake. The lake level has been a bit higher in the past few weeks making it an easy way to navigate through the tiny rocky islands without scraping the bottom of the kayak. In the stillness, I brushed past the prickly blackberry bushes tangled up against the water. The berries hang over the water like gaudy ornaments. They were a lush tempting red, far from being ripe enough to pick and very tart to the taste. The black ripened juicy ones are few and out of reach.

Up near the Rainbow Bridge, the river has joined the lake. The cold water released from Folsom Dam only runs a short way as the American River before being captured again by the Nimbus Dam, creating the lake. I felt the slight tug of the current and hear the gentle sound of water flowing over the rocks. I marveled at the three-story canyon walls embracing the narrow river on both sides. Further up the Folsom Prison cable sign lets me go no farther. I put my kayak into the current and felt it turn me back downstream.

 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

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.

STAND UP! NOW PADDLE!

 The beach is busy and the lake is dotted with what seems like a 100 stand up paddle boarders cruising along the shoreline. The boards are colorful, the paddles are long and sleek and the paddlers ever so graceful. It is a common scene this summer as the stand up paddling craze sweeps the US and Canada. An upright view of the water offers a refreshing escape from the summer heat. The only thing you need to join the stand up paddling revolution is a board, paddle and depending on your swimming ability a PFD to get started.

  "Where are you going to paddle? For most paddle board shops, that would and should be the first question they ask you." explains Bayside Adventure Sports paddling coordinator, Brian Hughes.  "Lake paddling is considered "flat-water" paddling which covers about half the boards in the marketplace.  You would not want a board suited for surfing on waves."

While paddle boards come in different lengths, widths, thicknesses, and construction, they are all designed for either flat water or surf and sometimes a little of both.  Here is an idea of the type five basic boards at the paddle shop.

• Surf specific boards
• All-around/Touring boards
• Racing Boards
• Yoga Boards
• Inflatable stand up paddle boards

Surfing boards are narrower, shorter, lighter, and have a tapered nose and tail. They are designed for quick turns, high performance, and are used primarily in the ocean. They are also less stable than larger multipurpose boards that are wider, longer, have a greater volume. Their size and volume make them much more stable than wave boards.

 "As a general guideline," says Hughes, "Wider boards are more stable. Narrower boards are what we call "tippy," meaning that while paddling, you feel like you could fall off at any second. Flat-water boards do not have as much rocker as ocean boards. The rocker is the slight curve that follows the bottom of the board.  A board with a lot of rocker will have somewhat of a "banana" appearance, and when you set that board on flat ground, the nose and tail will both be lifted off the ground.  Flat-water boards don't need as much rocker."

The all-around touring boards are ideal for beginners trying out SUP boarding for the first time.  A board with a wide tail is usually more stable. Beware of boards that have a roundness to the side to side contour of the bottom of the board. "Any roundness added to the bottom," says Hughes, "makes the board more tippy." 

 Racing boards designed for intense training are longer, narrower and have an extremely pointy nose and a very long fin. These boards are very unstable unless moving forward at a fast speed.  Yoga boards are wider and longer than surfing boards. They have a soft top and places to hook up various exercise tools like resistance bands and safety equipment. It is also good to have an anchor so they don’t drift away during a mid-lake workout.

If storage and transportation is a problem, consider inflatables paddle boards which are lighter and easier to transport in the trunk of any car.  However, making wave riding a challenge, they are not as stiff as a regular board. "They work,"says Hughes, "but can feel "bouncy" if not inflated properly, and they don't make a high performance inflatable board."

Newer paddlers should first choose a board with more volume until they get used to the sport. The more volume a board has the more stable it will be out on the water. A paddler's height and weight
are important dynamics in paddling the board. "It is a function of the weight of rider as contrasted with size of the board, "said Hughes,  "A 250 lb. person is not going to be able to ride a nine foot long board.  They need a twelve foot board, or longer.  By the same token, a 110 lb. person is going to have a hard time riding a twelve foot board, and will be much better off on a nine to ten foot board."

 Below is a chart of Eastern Mountain Sports recommended weight ranges.

Beginner	Advanced
Weight: 120-150 lb. Length: 10 ft. 6 in.-11 ft. Width: 28-30 in.	Weight: 120-150 lb.                                  Length: 9 ft.-10 ft. 6 in                                 Width: 26-26.5 in.
Weight: 160-190 lb.. Length: 11 ft. Width: 29-32 in.	Weight: 160-190 lb.                                 Length: 9 ft. 6 in.-10 ft. 6 in.                                 Width: 27-28 in.
Weight: 200-230 lb. Length: 11 ft.-11 ft. 6 in. Width: 29-32 in.	Weight: 200-230 lb.                                  Length: 10 ft.-11 ft.                                 Width: 28-28.5 in.
Weight: 240-270 lb. Length: 11 ft. 6 in.-12 ft.         Width: 32-33 in.	Weight: 240-270 lb.                                 Length: 11 ft.-11 ft. 6 in.                                Width: 29.5-31.5 in.
Weight: 280+ lb. Length: 12 ft. Width: 33 in.	Weight: 280+ lb.                                Length: 12 ft.                                Width: 32 in.

 The SUPs come with one, two, or three fins and sometimes even four or five. The fins keep the board going straight. On flat water a single fin works well. Fins are made of either fiberglass or nylon. The more fins a board has, the more specialized it is.  Fiberglass fins provide the best performance, but they’re stiff and sharp, and can be a danger if not careful. It’s also common to snap a fiberglass fin in very shallow water or on the rocks.

Experience in a canoe or kayak will help when learning to stand up paddle board. With the right board, stand up paddling is fairly simple.  Experience will help in picking out a board. Hughes suggests renting the board a few times before taking the plunge.

"Let the person who rents the board be your guide," said Hughes, "The first time out, you are not looking for performance characteristics. You are looking to have a sufficient board underneath to have a pleasant experience. Once you have paddled a few times, and are thinking of purchasing a board, the best strategy is to go to a "demo day" and try a bunch of boards." 

Stand up paddle boarding is an easy way to enjoy the great outdoors, get some exercise, and have fun. It’s also great way to give your body a full workout. Whether the ocean or the serenity of a quiet lake, the board will offer a great time on the water.

Eppies Paddle Training

 

Eppie’s Great Race known as “The World’s Oldest Triathlon” is the one of the largest paddling event in the United States. Founded in 1974, the race features a 5.82-mile run, a 12.5-mile bike and a 6.35-mile paddle held along the scenic American River Parkway in Rancho Cordova and Sacramento.
That 6.35 miles down the American River with all its ripples and one rapid requiring whitewater skills presents the most challenging and exciting component of the annual race. Participants are expected to transfer from bicycle to boat at the Jim Jones Bridge for the final leg of the race. While most of them come with running and biking skills many of them have never paddled the river.

"When you go through bridge bays," instructs Dan Crandall of Current Adventures,  "You'll want to drop over into that deep faster current along on that right shore."

Current Adventures Kayak School and Trips has conducted intensive kayak workouts with racers for the past several weeks building up to this weekend's race. The sessions have provided instruction on paddling technique and have turned troublesome San Juan Rapids into a speed bump for the participants.

"Are you ready to paddle tonight?" yells out Crandall from his kayak like a general addressing his troops in formation, as he paddles back and forth in front of a line of kayakers. 
 "We gotta about a week left. I want hear something out of you otherwise were just going to give up...Go home. Watch TV.  Eat popcorn. Peppermint Patties.  Drink milkshakes. All that good stuff you want to do, that you can do the day after the race."

Some paddlers have use these sessions to update their skills and get down a practice run for the event, while others are kayaking for the first time. The Current Adventure instructors in stride help each paddler with paddling fundamentals, boat handling abilities, and reading the river for the day of the race.

"Start being very aware on the lines on the river." said Crandall  "Use landmarks look ahead. Every time you come around a corner, set a new course to the next corner, don't just be staring at the bow or the deck of your boat. You'll get lost. People will pass you. You'll end up in eddys going the wrong direction. The trolls will find you! So keep your chin up.  It helps you breath. It helps you get more torso rotation and helps you keep looking ahead.  Looking ahead is what makes you faster and keeps you on better lines."

At the end of course at Riverbend Park tired paddlers pull their kayaks across the finish lines with an understanding of the river and what is hand for this weekend's great race.

Current Adventure Kayak School ant 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

Is It Time to Update Your PFD?

 I have had my Personal Flotation Device or PFD since I got my first kayak. It's old and dependable and fits like a glove. My front zip Extrasport Eddy with quad-hinged front foam and retracted shoulder adjustments has made almost every kayaking trip I have taken since I bought it in 2010.  It's once bright yellow and black fabric is now sweat-stained and faded in the sun by countless trips to the river and lake. Made to last, its zippers and adjustable belts show little signs of wear tear with over five years of use. It could last another 10 years before its retired and exhibited at the Wisconsin Canoe Heritage Museum. You don't just throw away a piece of canoe and kayak history.
Regardless of my sentiments, the PFD is hardly the vest I bought new. Experts say PFD’s are made up of a variety of materials which over time can be damaged by the environment where they are utilized.
"The foam inside the PFD loses floatation a variety of different ways from ultraviolet light damage to off-gassing just sitting on the shelf, " says the  River Store whitewater safety instructor Gigi McBee, "The floatation comes from the bubbles in the foam maintaining their shape. As the PFD is exposed to UV,  it loses some of the bubble structure and will compress."

 McBee gives 3 tips to tell if your PFD is starting to lose its floatation.

• Does color looked damaged by the sun, including looking at shoulder straps and stitching in critical areas that are pulled on in an emergency.  If there is color damage your PFD is not as strong.
•  Squeeze the foam between thumb and index finger, release, does the foam bounce back instantly, or does it gradually come back out.  If it gradually does the foam no longer is holding air in many places and has lost floatation.
• Go out and test it.  Get out in deeper water, if you feel like the vest is floating you well great, keep in mind whitewater is aerated and does not hold you up as well as nonaerated water.  Saltwater will give you more buoyancy. 
• UV damage can cause the stitching to fail, and fabric to tear,  Check the fade of the PFD.

 "Was it red once and now pink? Is the elastic stretched out, neoprene faded," said Mcbee, "If you are depending on your PFD to stay on you especially if someone has to haul on the straps to pull you up into a raft or out of a sieve you really need that stitching and cloth to hold up."
There isn't a set number of days or seasons says Mcbee for the life of a PFD.  Most folks can get away with buying a new PFD every 3-6 years depending on its use, storage, exposure to UV rays. Heat can damage the foam on the inside of the jacket and some oils will be reactive with the foam in such a way that the air pockets in the foam will soften and lose air content resorting in less floatation. 

"There are some ways you can do to extend the life," said Mcbee, "Store it somewhere cool, Use something like 303 to spray on the fabric of the PFD to protect it from the sun and don't leave your PFD in the car where it can get over 100 degrees." 

• Air dry in a cool out of the sun area when not using your PFD, keeping it free from molds, oil, and salt residue.  NEVER dry with an external heat source like heater, dryer, or in the hot sun. as this will damage the foam floatation.
•  Clean PFD with a mild soap periodically to help maintain the exterior fabric.   Do not use the PFD as a seat cushion it will damage the foam floatation.  
•   Check buckles, zips to make sure they are in working order. 

The great thing about PFD’s is that they float… well, at least they should, that is why Mcbee recommends a simple float test before that big river outing. 
"See if you are positive or negative on the buoyancy." said McBee,  "Most PFD’s used in the paddling industry are type III or type V these hold 15.5 to 22 lbs of floatation. If you are negative a little loss of flotation is a big deal.  If the vest is not for you, but for friends to use, you may want to go with a high float PFD that way even if it loses some floatation it will have more then the average jacket."

Looking at my PFD now, it might be time for an upgrade. The final decision was voiced by my wife.
 "It's ugly and stinky and I don't want it in the house."
Wisconsin Canoe Heritage Museum let me know when the exhibit is ready. Until then my PFD and its history will be on the display in my garage.

Over the Bow: The Lower American River

 “As humans, water makes up seventy percent of our bodies.  Water is who we are at our most elemental level.  We must learn to respect water, as it is us. “ – J. Michael Read
 San Juan Rapids is constant Class II rapid on the Lower American River downstream from the Sunrise Access in Fair Oaks, California. It's clay ledge stretching out more than halfway across the river and fast water creates a long and vibrant wave train and chaotic churning eddy that wreak havoc and fun for area paddlers. The American River has picked up speed since making the sharp right turn to the north at Suicide Bend. A chute of waves gives paddlers an idea of what is coming up as they approach the rapid. Soon a roar fills the air and the sight of the rapids appear below.
 There are three ways to pass through San Juan Rapids.  Being off to the right provides the best waves, in the middle for a fun drop and extended bubble wave or stay to the far left and avoid the rapid only to feel it's powerful eddy effect. Underneath the rapid, the river flows back together smashing into the cliff creating a circular boil,  before slowing down to gentle speed.
The rapids are the last hurdle in the popular of the Eppie’s Great Race course. The popular running, biking and paddling race in Sacramento in its 42nd year.  Current Adventures Kayak School and Trips has offered intensive training at San Juan Rapid for competitor training for Eppie’s Great Race. These are sessions providing instruction in paddling and learning how to treat San Juan Rapid like a speed bump on race day. Practicing racers were encouraged to run the rapid a couple of times to familiarize themselves with its nature.
Learning to how to paddle the rapid is fun and exciting, but with any fast flowing turbulent water safety advised along with the use of a personal flotation device or PFD.  A 64-year-old man has died last week after emergency crews flew him from the San Juan Rapids to Mercy San Juan hospital. The Sacramento Metro fire department received a call about an unconscious man at the rapids. Bystanders and boat rescuers gave the man CPR before he was flown to the hospital by Metro Fire’s helicopter crew. The victim was not wearing a PFD.

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

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.

Over the Bow: Three Mile Slough

It was kind of solemn, drifting down the big still river, laying on our backs looking up at the stars, and we didn’t ever feel like talking loud, and it warn’t often that we laughed, only a kind of low chuckle. --Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Debbie joked when we pulled up the boat ramp that when people saw our pictures, they would think we were in Sisseton instead of California.  The view at Brannan Island State Recreation Area had that look of those Mid-western lakes we both remember growing up.  Flat, hot and windy. Tall grasses and stubby banks along the shoreline, while speedboats and whitecaps came with the open water. Even a South Dakota license plate in the parking lot gave us a double take.
It is the heart of the California Delta. An expansive inland delta and estuary to the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. Some 700 miles of rivers, sloughs, and wetlands come together before heading toward the Pacific Ocean. The area is alive with birds and great fishing.
Under the shadow of 3,500 foot Mount Diablo to our southwest, we paddled along Three Mile Slough. The slough is sandwiched between the two rivers and is jumping off point for many speed boats heading into the delta. We won't be going far to get our first taste of the delta. We slip into a quiet wake-free zone on the east of the recreation area. Swimming and fishing areas make up most of the west bank of the recreation area. A land bridge forces us back to Three Mile Slough. Into the wind, we paddle out to catch a view of the bridge by the same name.
A speed boat roars by putting water over Debbie's bow getting her all wet. She has had enough of this windy paddling exercise. We spent the rest of the day exploring the old river towns and their history on the way back.

Over the Bow is a new 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

BURNING WITH CONFIDENCE...PYRANHA DEMO DAY

We were not far from where gold was discovered in California that set off the Gold Rush. This Saturday morning South Fork of the American River was in a gush and for steady gathering tribes of kayakers, conditions couldn't seem more golden. Despite the historic on-going California drought, the river was full of water. Through deals made with upstream reservoirs and powerhouses along the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission guidelines, timed releases will keep dependable flows of whitewater and boaters coming all summer.

Pete DeLosa has a calm demeanor, an easy-going personality that makes you like him right away. He is a member of Team Pyranha and would be leading the trip down river. It's Demo Day,  a free event sponsored by the River Store and Pyranha Kayaks to give local paddlers an opportunity to try Pyranha's new 9R and Burn III kayaks.
"I think that is what I like the most." said DeLosa,  "Seeing people get in a boat they haven't paddled before and enjoying it.  Everyone thinks its boat height, boat weight and gallons. Stop looking at the specs. Get out and paddle different boats. Find the boat that makes you want to go out and do it"

 The shiny new kayaks glisten in the morning the sun. The 9R is the newest of Pyranha's fleet of kayaks. Its narrow width increases its speed while innovative outfitting and a lower knee profile offers maximum control.
 Across from it rests the Burn III offering a combination of precision and stability whether you are a beginner or expert. It was the kayak I will be paddling.
 I had looked for a bigger volume boat. The crossover kayak I own doesn't suit my skills and is a bad fit. I have had my share of swims with it. It always makes me a bit doubtful when it comes to my whitewater paddling abilities.
 DeLosa instilled some confidence in me.
 "Picture a good run at the top and you will have success at the bottom," said DeLosa. "Usually if you see something bad happening, it's self-fulfilling."

Then he said something that rolled me like a Class III wave.
"You know I'm scared to death of water." he said looking at the placid river,  "You know if you ask me I don't think I would swim across the water right here. I mean I could do it with a PFD,  but without it,  I don't think I would want even try it. Its something I have to overcome."
DeLosa is a special athlete. He can do amazing things in his kayak. I paddled behind him and the three others with us during the first rapids we met, coincidentally called Old Scary. I looked for the easy line hoping not to roll in the days first waves while the others punched through the big waves. DeLosa then pulled his kayak for a bit of surfing and offered tips to the other paddlers.

"Kayaking is more mental than it is physical." said DeLosa, "My first couple of years of creek boating were in a Wave Sport Habitat. I had bought it from a friend of mine and never even paddled the thing. I wanted to get to kayaking and he had a boat to sell. It was totally dumb luck, but it worked out great for me. For a couple of years,  I paddled that boat through what at the time the hardest water I ever paddled. I had done it all in that boat and I didn't want to get in any other boat.  I thought I was unstoppable in that kayak. It made me feel confident which pushed me to want to try new things. I had success and it kept me stoked. It also just kept feeding the cycle. The more success I had, the more confident I felt and I was willing to attempt more."

My confidence was beginning to soar with the Burn III. The river running kayak proved to be stable and forgiving through the turbulent water. After crashing through Barking Dog Rapid a popular kayak play hole, I felt an eagerness for more challenges. I took the lead at Highway Rapid a long rock garden wave train. I twisted and turned with the punches of the flow. The last one was Swimmers Rapid, rightly named because it seems to dump the commercial rafter customers at the end, was a victory lap for me. As I paddled up to the Greenwood Creek take out, I had a great sense of satisfaction. Credit goes to the Burn III.  
"I like seeing everyone having a good time" said DeLosa at the end of the day, "I like giving people the opportunity to get into a new kayak that they have tried before. And its like icing on the cake when they really enjoy it."

Angel Island

The winding trail keeps going up. Climbing steady with the view of the bay ever-changing. It started on pavement, leading to steps and then a trail twisting through a canopy of oaks and madrones. Crossing over the fire road the North Ridge Trail is interrupted with a picture post card view of Ayala Cove.
In the summer of 1775, Captain Cook has just completed his second voyage around the globe, George Washington was given the command of ragtag bunch of rebels fighting in a fledgling revolution and Juan Manuel de Ayala and crew of the San Carlos became the first vessel to enter the world's greatest natural harbor of San Francisco Bay.
Ayala later reported, "It true that this port is good. Not only for the beautiful harmony that offers to the view, but is does not lack very good fresh water, wood, ballast in abundance. It's climate though cold, is healthful and free of those troublesome fogs we had in Monterey."
Spanish navigators had been missing it for more than 200 years, but on Aug, 5th  The San Carlos battling powerful currents and using a crescent moon to steer by slipped past the Golden Gate into the bay. He saw an island and named it Santa Maria de los Angeles or as we call it in present-day Angel Island. Looking to protect his ship, he anchored it in Ayala Cove and remained there for nearly a month while is crew explored and mapped the bay area for the first time.

Over looking that cove today, ferryboat after ferryboat cruise in daily dropping off and picking up tourists at the island's visitor center and museum. The little cove is abuzz with activity as  visitors look forward to their new discoveries on the island.
 I'm here with four others from Bayside Adventure Sports. A church sports group based out of the Sacramento area. While most people visit the island via ferryboat, we all paddled in  and are camping at the kayak camp on the northwest side of the island. I had paddled around the island earlier today and now the goal is to hike to its top. A 788 foot climb up Mount Livermore.
The entire island is within Angel Island State Park boundaries and administered by California State Parks. The island has a history of being used in a variety of purposes including, military forts,  missile site,  an US Public Health Service Quarantine Station, and an US west coast Bureau of Immigration inspection and detention facility. Historic building, battery strongholds and installation facilities have been left behind to view on guided tours.
We are steadily climbing up North Ridge Trail on the east end of the island.  We have ascended between 500 to 600 feet since leaving the visitor center. Through the trees we catch views of old Fort McDowell and the bay.  It's a sailor's paradise today. Vessels can be seen skimming across the water in every direction. Their white and shiny sails bounding over their tops on the blue water. Like stars in the heavens there are way to many count.

It's a 5 mile trek around the island. For a dollar extra people can bring their bikes on the ferry or rent one in Ayala Cove while visiting the island. There are 13 miles of hiking trails and roadways on Angel Island. Cyclists have access to 9 of them. However, for the two and half mile trip up to Mount Livermore its all hiking. Steep switch-backs make the trail challenging to even the best of hikers.
At 700 ft. the trail splits into three. While two trails lead back down and one goes to the summit. The trees yield way to the bay for its view. There is still evidence of the 2008 fire that scorched 250 acres there. At 88 more feet we were rewarded with an island's awe-inspiring expansive 360° views of the San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin County.

It is a view Ayala never got to enjoy for himself.  Ayala had accidentally shot himself in the foot and left most of the exploring to his sailing master Jose de Canizares. On September 17, 1775 he sailed the San Carlos back out through the Golden Gate never to return again. A year later explorer Juan Bautista de Anza led the first colonists to the hilly peninsula facing the Golden Gate and and chose site for the  future city of San Francisco.

 Our visit was short also. When we loaded our kayaks up with our camping gear and paddled away the next morning, unlike Ayala we all look forward to our next visit to the little island.

Under the Golden Gate

I come back to the sea. In my case it is usually San Francisco Bay, than which no lustier, tougher, sheet of water can be found for small-boat sailing. It really blows on San Francisco Bay. During the winter, which is the best cruising season, we have southeasters, southwesters, and occasional howling northers. Throughout the summer we have what we call the "sea-breeze," an unfailing wind off the Pacific that on most afternoons in the week blows what the Atlantic Coast yachtsmen would name a gale. ---Jack London

When I think back on all those places I have ever wanted to kayak. I would dream of clear forest lakes, whitewater in a rocky mountain canyon and a sea view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
It is undeniably one of the greatest views ever. The Golden Gate Bridge is an icon of America. As I began unloading my kayak into Horseshoe Bay just to the north of the bridge, even in the early morning hours,  folks have already begun to congregate at the water's edge with their eyes fixed on the bridge in reverence.
It is a calm and beautiful morning. Out of the safety of Horseshoe Bay, I have heard about what challenges await. San Francisco Bay is legendary to the sea kayaker. Some of the wildest sea conditions on the entire West Coast can be found just past that sea wall. The bay is known for steep waves, fast and swirling currents and howling winds blowing through that Golden Gate. The last time my paddling partner, Erik Allen and I paddled the bay we faced a tiring wind on the return trip. I laughed at it anyway.
"You have never paddled Lake of the Woods at Zipple Bay, have you." I told Erik, and then exaggerated just a little, "They use a log chain for a windsock there."
Erik might have been concerned about the wind,  however, I'm worried about the tides and currents. Sea kayaking is still a foreign language to me. Ebbs, slacks, floods, and tide tables make up words in a sea kayaker's secret code. A flood tide makes it easier to paddle out while ebb will aid in the return. Finding the ideal time optimal for one's paddling experience.
Adding to even more the chaos are the pleasure crafts, ferries and ocean-going vessels competing for the same waterway. All of these factors should be considered when paddling in the bay and caution should always be exercised.

I picked a good time to paddle. It is early and the winds are light and the tide is in my favor.  I'm going solo across to Angel Island to join my camping party for an overnight on the island. They came the day before and I will be joining them. My kayak is loaded up with my camping gear, a change of clothes and an assortment of freeze-dried foods and power bars.
My heart races as I exit the Horseshoe Bay and enter the swells of the ocean. It is an exhilarating feeling as I round Yellow Bluff, a 90-foot cliff just of east of Horseshoe Bay. The waves crash gently against its walls. I enjoy views of seals bobbing their heads up above the surface of the water.  They are my only company so far. It is way to early for ferryboats. Their traffic won't begin till mid-morning. I stay along the shore for a while before making a northeastern turn towards Angel Island's Stuart's Point. To my left is Richardson Bay and Sausalito, to my right,  Alcatraz Island and San Francisco while behind me is the Golden Gate Bridge. Straight ahead is Angel Island silhouetted against the sun. Its dark mass rises out of a hazy glow.
It's a little less than 3 miles across to it. The island looms larger and larger with each stroke. I spot a few fisherman and sailboats on the horizon. It is an easy paddle till I catch the swell of and rapid water of Raccoon Straights. It pushes me past Stuart Point and towards the kayak in campsite. In the grass, I catch sight of my party's kayaks nestled in the grass. Up the hill,  I'm just in time for breakfast.

The day had just begun. After unloading my gear and quick breakfast I'm back on the water again with the group of paddlers. We make a quick trip across Raccoon Straights to Tiburon followed by a trip back through the straights and around the island.

  Angel Island is the bay's second largest island. It's about five miles to hike around which gives me an idea of the distance I will paddle while circumnavigating the island. I team up with fellow paddler Phil Montanes for the trek around the island. I watch Phil and his kayak disappear and reappear in the bounding waves while crossing the ferryboat lanes to Stuart's Point. Going around the west end of the island we take on the full brunt of the bay's winds. At times we don't even seem to be moving. We paddle hard past the rocky ledge before the bay winds decrease. From there, we sweep along the south side of the island, where we have the best views of Alcatraz and the cityscape of San Francisco. After Blunt Point, the bay is as calm a Minnesota lake on summer's afternoon. The eastern side of the island usually offers protection against the prevailing west winds. Here we catch our breaths and pass the historic sites of the island. The fort and the immigration station stand like silent witnesses to another time. Rounding the corner again we catch the wind and the view of Ayala Cove. This where the tourists arrive and depart the island via ferry boats. We have almost made it. Just past Point Ione, we see our kayak camp's beach and the far off view of the Golden Gate.

 Part Two of my trip to Angel Island next week in Outside Adventure to the Max.