A WEEK IN THE SIERRA PART I

I should be content forever. Bathed in such beauty, watching the expressions ever varying on the faces of the mountains, watching the stars, which here have a glory that the lowlander never dreams of, watching the circling seasons, listening to the songs of the water and winds and birds, would be endless pleasure.  John Muir

In 1868 a 30-year-old student of geology and botany with a deep affection for the natural world around him inspired by the likes of Emerson and Thoreau wandered into the Sierra Nevada Mountains. He wasn't the first by far. Native Americans, explorers, and fortune hunters had been traveling throughout the narrow range in California's mountains for centuries. He would spend much of the next ten years exploring those mountains. He recorded his thoughts on his beloved mountains in journals publishing nearly 100 essays and articles for newspapers and magazines. His passion for the wilderness would inspire the creation of Yosemite National Park, found the Sierra Club, and set off a worldwide environmental movement that continues to this day. 

Getting ready to paddle Loon Lake

 John Muir is one of California’s most important historical personalities. The famous naturalist is synonymous with Sierra Nevada Mountains. Trails, wilderness areas, schools, parks, roads, and monuments, bare his name. A prolific writer, Muir's words describing still echo from the mountain tops,
"The Mountains are calling, and I must go," is one of his most famous quotes. It's a powerful call that many can relate to. It's the simple notion of the need to be outside, away from the confines of the world, enjoying the calm and splendor of nature.

At least, that is what I had in mind when I brought groups from Bayside Adventure Sports up for a week of outback camping to Loon Lake in the Crystal Basin Recreation Area. The mountains are calling. But throw in high a Sierra pristine blue lake, textured granite shores, starry nights, and awe-inspiring views, it's a perfect venue for kayak camping, offering a Muir-like setting for solitude and tranquility.
Sitting about 100 feet higher than Lake Tahoe at 6,378 feet, Loon Lake is nestled on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the Eldorado National Forest. It's not as large as Lake Tahoe, covering some 600 acres, and is about 5 miles long from end to end. Before the dam blocking Gerle Creek was completed back in the 1960s, a narrow ridge at the bend separated Loon Lake from its sister Pleasant Lake but the one now in the shape of an upside-down boot. The lake can easily be paddled in a day. It's even better for an extended along the lake shore camping trip.
 

Rounding the elbow of the two lakes

Just getting here has been a bit challenging. But we're in a wild place now. I reminded the people coming with me to put their phones on airplane mode while loading up at the south access. They wouldn't be finding any bars on their phone anywhere. There are no amenities at all. The nearest store is about 20 miles away. One would have to go further to find any gas or services. When you come to Loon Lake, it's because, you really want to be here and escape everything else.

It was still early in the day. Gentle swells bounded over the lake when we all got on the water. It's common in the afternoon for the fetch to pick up with southwesterly winds creating tiring and dicey waves at the far east end of the lake. Going out is great with the wind at one's back. Coming back, however, can be challenging in the wind-prone choppy waters.

 

John Taylor and a loaded canoe

Aiming for the far mountains to the east, I point out Brown Mountain south of the lake to my group of paddlers. I told them that when I first started coming there with Current Adventures, it always had snow on its top. I could remember feeling excited about being able to kayak with snowcapped mountains in view in August. However, in the last couple of years, the snow is no more. Drought and heat have made it tough on the year around the beauty of the mountains. Scientists warn someday, there might not be any snow in the Sierra as things warm up.

An early advocate for the preservation of wilderness, Muir did his best to hold off reckless exploitation of our natural resources by loggers, miners, am builders. He referred to the wilderness as "places for rest, inspiration, and prayers." He never had to think about global warming and climatic change back. Back then, the world was setting the stage for global warming as industrial nations were just beginning to ramp up the use of fossil fuels at the expense of our atmosphere. It's people now like Greta Thunberg who taking up Muir's fight not just for the wilderness but for the future of the planet.

The lake is really high this year. So high we would be able to get into coves and bays, I've never been able to explore by kayak. Usually, they are high and dry this time of year. We paddle toward the Buck Island Lake Tunnel, a four-mile underground aqueduct starting at Lake Buck Horn and ending at Loon Lake. It's part of the Upper American River Project bringing water and hydroelectric power to the valley.

It's a massive tunnel that I've seen at all stages of the lake's levels. I've paddled in it before using a headlamp for light to guide myself along the cavernous way. One extremely dry year, I climbed up to it and walked into the darkness of the tunnel big enough for a railroad locomotive. And like I said, with the lake this high, the entrance is only marked by the tunnel's warning sign, everything else is underwater.

Finally, the wind and waves come to end after getting around the lake's elbow as we paddled into the calmer and protected Pleasant Lake section of the lake. It lives up to its name after paddling along the wind-prone Loon. The water turns placid and quiet, and time here begins to slow.
 

Brown Mountain and Pleasant Lake

"Another glorious Sierra day 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." wrote Muir in My First Summer in the Sierra.

Our camping site is in view now. A great spot adjacent to the boat-in camping sites. A cove to land our kayaks and canoes, plenty of space to set our tents, and gorgeous scenery in all directions of the lake, forests, mountains, skies, and fresh air surrounding us.

Muir said, "Going to the mountains is going home.”
As we beach the boats with Muir like exhilaration, I say this will be our home for the next week. I would be looking forward to every day, if not every minute of my week in the Sierra.

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OVER THE BOW: LAKE JENKINSON

As the nation’s largest reservoir continues to dip to record low levels amid a worsening drought, Lake Mead’s receding waters are revealing a series grim of discoveries. Park rangers responded to reports of human skeletal remains uncovered at the lake's Swim Beach.

Located 20 miles east of Las Vegas, Lake Mead is formed by the Hoover Dam. The water source for millions of people, when full, it holds more water than any other reservoir in the United States. However, as the Western United States is plagued by an ongoing drought, the lake levels have fallen to historic lows.

Earlier this month, for the first time, Lake Mead was designated to operate in a Tier-2a shortage, which increased water restrictions for Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico. 

As Lake Mead dries up, it's revealing some historic and often grisly discoveries. According to MSN, four human bodies have been discovered in the lake. A set of human remains was discovered in a barrel that police believe belongs to the victim of a mob-related shooting.

Local resident Steve Schafer and the owner of environmental services company Earth Resource Group, which is working to uncover the bodies, think there will be many more.

"There are a lot of bodies which have still not been found at the bottom of Lake Mead. Most are just legitimately drowning victims. But, I'm sure there are some nefarious ones out there like the news is reporting and the [body in the] barrel. I'm sure there are going to be more," Schafer told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Last season, Lake Jenkinson shrank to near record levels. While there were no grim uncovering's, outside the ancient tree stumps, fishing lures, and one long-lost paddle board paddle found near the boathouse of Sly Park Paddle Rentals, with each passing week, the lake's bottom became more exposed. 

The lake is nestled in the El Dorado National Forest south of Pollack Pines, California. When full covers some 650 acres. Water from Jenkinson Lake is used for municipal water supply, irrigation, and recreation. And like Lake Mead, as the area develops and the population grows, municipal and commercial water has increased. So as Northern California suffers through the year of drought, the lake's water levels are severally impacted.  

 

One year ago, the world watched as the Caldor Fire ignited in the Sierra Nevada foothills and burned up communities and landscapes in its path all the way to the rocky crest of the mountains of the southern shores of Lake Tahoe. Little did we know that the fire would abruptly end our season at the boathouse in mid-August and shut down Sly Park Recreation for next month. Instead of boats, canoes, and paddleboards on the water, fire trucks and helicopters were filling up with Jenkinson's lake water to battle the nearby fire. 

By the time I was able to return in late September to sweep away the ash and remove our paddling gear for winter storage, the water level had dropped ten feet and was just above 50% of its capacity. The boathouse and the dock had sunk deep into the lake, resembling a narrow river canyon. The lake's extended shoreline looked more like the surface of Mars with its dry red rubble bathtub ring wedged in between the water and trees lining the lake. The sidewalk leading to the gangway of the dock had come to an abrupt end during the middle of our season.  Now even the trail I had constructed had fallen short. 

Like an unlocked time capsule, the kayaks, and canoes were undamaged right where I left them the month and a half before. The only evidence that I had away was a layer of ash coating their hulls. Inside the boathouse, more ash-covered SUPs and paddles, a stack of unused waivers, and my left-behind coffee mug, to name a few. I only could stay for a while. I swept out the ash and gathered all the paddles to take out of the boathouse till next year.   

Last year's winter storms would yield much-needed moisture to help rebound the lake for much of our season. According to the Mountain Democrat, late spring conditions enabled the El Dorado Irrigation District to fill all its alpine reservoirs. Jenkinson Lake is 73% full, holding 29,970 acre-feet of water out of a maximum of 41,033. The lake is still receiving 14 acre-feet daily inflow from Camp Creek, and Sly Park Falls has stayed flowing much of the season.

That's good news for us at Sly Park Paddle Rentals as we head into September. 

Over the Bow is a feature from Outside Adventure to the Max, telling the story behind the image. If you have a great picture with a great story, submit it to us at nickayak@gmail.com
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SEASON OF THE CANOE

Canoes, too, are unobtrusive; they don't storm the natural world or ride over it, but drift in upon it as a part of its own silence. As you either care about what the land is or not, so do you like or dislike quiet things--sailboats, or rainy green mornings in foreign places, or a grazing herd, or the ruins of old monasteries in the mountains. . . . Chances for being quiet nowadays are limited. ---   John Graves

It's not my first time across the lake. And it certainly isn't going to be the last time. Especially since I've been working at the kayak and canoe rental boathouse on Lake Jenkinson at Sly Park Recreation Area for the past five seasons. I'm used to it now. I remember when the lake was at bubbly high a few years and a dwindling low like last season. This year, I'm crossing my fingers in hopes the lake doesn't get any lower. But the long-running drought is doing any lake in California any favors. It has been the same for these past couple of seasons where I start with high hopes and watch as the lake shrinks in size by midsummer.

In the middle of the upper lake, just in view of the boathouse. From here, I can paddle out and look at the whole lake. In the west are the narrows and the large bowl of the lower lake. It's where the speed boats zoom along like on a racetrack. To my east, the mouths of Hazel Creek and Sly Park Creek with an extended rust-colored shoreline pinched in between. There is no mountain view like at the far west of the lake, where one can peer out over the whole lake and, on a clear day, see the Sierra Nevada Mountain range rising over the pines. I'm a bit jealous of that view. The lake's conifer wooded shoreline and glistening waters are my vista.

Although canoes are primarily used for transportation on lakes and streams, I'm not going anywhere as I shatter the stillness of the water's surface. I'm simply paddling for the enjoyment of paddling. Writer Jerry Dennis says that paddling makes you part of the lake, a willing participant instead of an intruder to the pastel dramas of the lake.

"A good canoe does not merely travel across a lake or river," writes Dennis, "It glides along the interface between water and the air, making hardly a ripple in passing, and is so silent that it blends with the world."

Out the lake, the canoe is timeless. It's amazing how much inspiration and direction we can learn from paddling a canoe. While floating along in the stillness, my mind wanders on how the canoe has become a proverbial direction for navigating the smooth and rough waters of one's life. How often have we heard the phrase "Paddle your own canoe?" It suggests how you paddle the canoe is all very relatable to life.
For me, it inspires a sense of unbounded range and freedom. Like my bicycle, while growing up, it was a craft that offered me unlimited movement and exploration. For others, it can rekindle a memory of carefree days gone by. When boarding my customers at the boathouse in a canoe, I've heard them say they haven't paddled one of these since summer camp.
Canoeing in summer is a rite of passage. No one will schedule a canoe trip in the winter. Not that you can't. It's just not done very often. You see, canoes are meant to be kissed by the rising or setting sun when the waters swirl in gold and red. A vessel for cruising lakes and exploring bays where you can sneak quietly on birds, deer, and beaver for an unexpected encounter. A boat for finding a secluded spot for a picnic or swim where all you hear is the whispers of your paddle gliding through the water.

The lake glistened in a golden evening glow as the setting sun silhouetted the castle of pines around me. Dipping my paddle, I inhale the view of tranquility in both its sight and sound. Across the lake, some stand-up paddle boarders, the new rage, were making their way back to the access, reminding the way the days of the canoe are fading. However, the magic summertime canoe paddle certainly, won't ever be forgotten.

If you want to go on a canoe or kayak trip at Sly Park contact:
Current Adventures Kayak School and Trips
PHONE: 530-333-9115 or Toll-Free: 888-452-9254
FAX: 530-333-1291
USPS: Current Adventures, P.O. Box 828, Lotus, CA 95651
info@currentadventures.com
owner Dan Crandall dan@kayaking.com

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BACK ON THE WATER: 2022 GREAT AMERICAN TRIATHLON TRAINING

The peaceful evening river shoreline was shattered by Dan Crandall's epic battle cry. Somewhere between the Tarzan scream and the Rebel Yell, the sound pierces the quiet and echoes throughout the valley. Moments later, the paddlers he is leading chime in with their call. Crandall tells the group in doing the cry will ease their tension and freak out the racer in front of them on the river. It will also let folks know racing is back on the American River Parkway.

The Great American Triathlon returns this weekend in Sacramento. The race, formerly known as Eppie's Great Race, will have athletes run, bike, then paddle the American River. Organizers took two years off due to the pandemic, but this Saturday, they are bringing the 40-plus -year-old tradition July race back to the parkway. The race, formerly known as Eppie's Great Race, will have athletes run, bike, then paddle the American River.

Dan Crandall works with a paddler.

While most triathlons have participants swim along with a bike and run, the Great American Triathlon uses kayaks and stand-up paddleboards for the water leg of the race.

"It's definitely different. What I say is, you are on top of the water, not in the water. You can enjoy the view, talk to people while you are paddling," race director Nicole Young told KCRA-TV.

The kayaking portion does provide a different dynamic from other triathlons with its "no swim" competition feature, and with the two years break, some racers may be a little rusty when it comes to paddling the river.
Like in past years, to help people get on the water, Crandall, the owner of Current Adventures Kayak School and Trips offered an array of training nights. During the last couple of weeks, to get the participants familiar with the river, he and his instructors have shown them the fastest and safest routes on the water to ensure success come this weekend. Over the years, Crandall and his instructors have coached over 1,000 participants to build their confidence, paddling skills, and river reading knowledge.

"Keep those hands loose and drive your feet into the foot pegs to get your power," Crandall calls out to the boaters preparing to leave the Sunrise access, the starting point for the kayaking section of the race. Crandall reminds racers to focus on their pace and use more than just their arms to make the boat go. He encourages them to use their core for maximum power and endurance.

San Juan Rapids

The Boston Marathon has Heartbreak Hill. Great American Triathlon has San Juan Rapids. It's a rapid, where racers can lose valuable time and go from first to 31st by miscalculating the boil. During the practice sessions, the paddlers were encouraged to run the rapid a couple of times during their training sessions to familiarize themselves with its flow and circular eddy.

"Lean forward. It's more about finesse than muscle here," warns Crandall while approaching the rapid. "Let it push you around a bit. Just get through it, and most importantly, smile and show the river you are not afraid. If you show fear, the river will dump you for sure."

During each of the training nights, there were more smiles than swims as the boaters navigate the troublesome rapid and paddled downriver to the finish line at River Bend Park. For some, it's their first trip down the river. For others, they are looking forward to racing again after the 2-year break.

Crandall and the Iron Hussies

 The 2nd Great American Triathlon is sponsored by Innovations Health Systems, a Citrus Heights-based healthcare holding company and managed by Capital Road Race Management. This year’s triathlon is once again raising funds to support the American River Parkway Foundation and local children’s charities.

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

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PADDLE UP: SUMMER 2022

  

For paddlers, Cyril Derreumaux and Madison Eklund, the summer of 2022; will be one to remember. Both will be taking epic kayaking trips. One is going across the Pacific, the other across Minnesota and through the heart of Canada. And they are both doing it alone.
French-born U.S. citizen Derreumaux will be leaving next month in his second attempt to paddle to Hawaii from the coast of California some 2,750 miles aboard a 23-foot-long custom carbon fiber kayak. While Eklund's trip has already begun as she retraces the 2,000-mile journey Eric Sevareid made famous in his classic Canoeing with the Cree.
In 2012 Natalie Warren and Ann Raiho matched it. Warren recounted their story in her book, Hudson Bay Bound: Two Women, One Dog, Two Thousand Miles to the Arctic.

Madison Eklund

Eklund will brave raging currents, strong wind and waves, and maybe polar bears. And she will do it all alone.
“It seems like it would be a really fun adventure,” Eklund told the Grand Forks Herald, "The danger there is lightning and the rough waves and being wind locked where the wind is so aggressive where you can’t paddle fast enough,”

Good luck to you both. Sure, many of us will follow their adventures on social media. But while epic trips might not be part of our summertime plans, a lot of us hope to spend some time on the water with a paddle in our hands. Here are 22 paddling ways to help make summer 2022 an epic paddle adventure.

Paddle A City Skyline
Once on the water, many cities, from New York to San Francisco, offer incredible views of their skylines. Sure, you won't feel that get off the grid feeling but paddling through waters surrounded by skyscrapers is a unique experience just the same.

The River Store

Head to a Paddle Shop
They have everything we want. Kayaks, canoes and paddles, and more. Where else can you meet folks that paddle the same places you do. You might even paddle with them. By getting your gear from your local paddle shop, you're keeping your friends employed, as well as keeping up on festivals, competitions, community gatherings, and river cleanups on your waterways.

Read a Paddle Adventure
Whatever reason you can't get to the water, you can still be inspired by it. There are some great guidebooks and autobiographical stories to help you get your paddling fix.

Dog and Paddle
Kayaking with your dog can be a great adventure for both of you. Getting your pet ready for paddling will take some prep work, but it’s more than worth it, and the dog will have to.

Paddle Without a Shuttle
Sometimes a shuttle isn't worth the trouble. If fish can do it, so can you. You will learn to read the river currents traveling upstream. And whenever you get tired, you can turn around and go with the flow.
 

Moonlight Paddle 

Paddle Under Fireworks
Independence Day fireworks celebrations are hard to beat. They are great on land and even better from the water. Coast-to-coast cities with rivers, lakes, or even ocean bays offer some boat-friendly places for watching fireworks on the Fourth of July. And if that doesn't work for you, there's always a possibility for a full moon paddle.

Paddle at Sunrise or Sunset
It's been said, the best reason to own your own kayak are sunrises and sunsets. We can only agree. The crowds are gone, and the water is still and glistening. We can't think of a better time to be on the water.

Get a New PFD for Your Paddle
We just float this past you. If it's old, faded, and worn, it's probably time to retire it. Experts say PFDs are made up of a variety of materials that over time can be damaged by UV rays. It might not float when you need it to, and that would sink your summer.

 
 

SUP on Lake Jenkinson 

Stand Up & Paddle
Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) offers something for everyone, and it's all the rage. You can head out for a relaxing paddle on a calm lake or catch waves in the ocean. Or maybe you’d like to do SUP yoga or go for a fast-paced paddle to get a workout.

Paddle It Before You Buy It
You wouldn't think about buying a car without a test drive, so why would you want to do that with your kayak? Many shops have demo programs for people in the market to buy a kayak.

Paddle with Snacks
Paddling trips are a lot of fun, but they can be very tiring. The last thing you want to happen is you run low on energy mid-paddle and then struggle to make it back to shore. Consider menus that are nutritious, good tasting, and easy to prepare, that are also lightweight and don't require any refrigeration.

Paddle Whitewater
Don't think the adrenaline-fueled world of whitewater paddling is beyond you. It's not. After a few lessons from qualified instructors, you still won't be going over waterfalls, but you'll be paddling Class II and Class III rapids with a big smile.

Loon Lake 

Paddle On Overnight Trip 

What makes kayak camping so appealing is anyone can do it. While some physically demanding canoe trips require a high level of skill, there are many kayak trips suited for the novice and first timer. Most people are looking for an authentic wilderness experience that is not over the top when it comes to being physically demanding, and kayak camping is a great fit.

Paddle in Your Neighborhood
As gas prices soar, this just is the summer you might want to stick closer to home. Check out where you can paddle in your own area. As paddle sports have become more popular, many rivers and lakes now offer public access to accommodate many a paddler.

Paddle Off the Grid
In today's world, we have become so dependent on our electronic devices and the internet. Maybe it's time to enjoy some tech-free days on the lake in the woods. Pack the boat and gear and experiences that are back to the basics, free of distractions with meaningful time with friends and family

Paddle Old School in A Canoe
Did you know canoes are time machines? They are a way to rekindle memories of your first paddling adventures at summer camp. To activate it dip your single blade in the water and paddle forward.

Paddle a New Paddle
Next to the kayak, your paddle has the biggest impact on your performance on the water. Even a short tour involves thousands of strokes, so a proper paddle can make all the difference. After all, your hands will be wrapped around this tool for the better part of the day. So, you might as well choose a great one.
 

Canoeing on Lake Jenkinson 

Be Ready for a Paddle Rescue
We're all ready for a great time on the water. But learning some basic rescue skills and first aid instruction will make it more fun for you and your paddling crew and a lot safer also.

Volunteer & Paddle
Don't be one who says someone should do something about this. Make this the summer volunteer. Help out in river cleanup, lead a youth group canoe trip and support local and national organizations working to preserve our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters.

Paddle a Water Park 

Sly Park Falls

Whitewater parks are popping up on rivers everywhere there is a paddling community to support them. Parks are seen as good revitalization projects. Whitewater parks, in particular, are part of urban development plans and dam removal efforts across the US. Parks projects are intended to offer places for paddlers to play, boost recreation-based economies, and maintain the fish habitat.

Paddle & Leave No Trace 

The Leave No Trace rules are easy to follow. Dispose of waste properly. Leave it as you found it. Minimize and be careful with campfires. Respect wildlife. And be considerate of other visitors.

 Paddle Under a Waterfall
Whether on water or on a hike, there is no better reward than to end your water trail in sight of a spectacular waterfall. The cascading water is beautiful and inspiring but remember to stay on the trails and watch your footing rocks can be slippery.

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HORIZON LINES

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

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

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

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

The River Store

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

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

John Taylor and Debbie Carlson on Lake Natoma

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

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

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

Lake Clementine 

Lake Natoma 

Lake Comanche Reservoir

Current Adventures' Dan Crandall 

Debbie Carlson & Yosemite Valley 

Lake Lodi 

Lake Clementine

Lake Jenkinson 

Rattlesnake Bar & Folsom Lake 

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OVER THE BOW: THE OTTER TAIL RIVER

The first river you paddle runs through the rest of your life. It bubbles up in pools and eddies to remind you who you are. -- Lynn Noel

It has been a long time since I've got to paddle the Otter Tail River in Minnesota. I started thinking about that while packing up and getting ready to move. Something about moving makes us feel nostalgic about the place we're leaving behind. We think about the things we'll miss. A neighbor, a restaurant or bar, and if you're like me, a favorite paddling place.

The Otter Tail River was the first river where I got a taste of whitewater. It's Minnesota's eighth-longest river running through the western part of the state before dumping into the Red River. It starts out as a narrow crystal-clear stream as it meanders downhill through the countryside's lakes and marshes. It doesn't move particularly fast but offers canoeists plenty of opportunities for wildlife views along the tranquil river trail. However, east of Fergus Falls, the Otter Tail River picks up speed after making an abrupt turn toward the west, running through a valley filled with Class I and II rapids.
Whitewater is uncommon in western Minnesota. The gradient of the land just doesn't drop that fast. In California, the gradient for popular whitewater sections is measured in feet per mile; but in northwest Minnesota, the gradient is gauged in inches per mile. So don't look for big drops. It has been said that a second-hand pool table has more of a slant to it than a northwestern Minnesota river.

That said, the Broken Down Dam site on the river just east of Fergus Falls has been offering thrills and spills for canoeists and kayakers wanting to take a small bite of whitewater. The crumbling dam has been mostly forgotten since its collapse over a century ago. Busting through its center, the river tumbles, swirls, and drops between two massive concrete walls. During the spring runoff or after a good summer rain, the stream can rage into a fast-moving Class III rapid. Combined with a boulder garden stretch of class II waves before reaching the dam's remnants, it's a perfect place for a whitewater kayak in a place where rapids are hard to find.

About ten years ago, I was just getting into paddling, and of course, just as I do today, I wanted the thrill and challenge of paddling rapids. With Sigurd Olson's words echoing in my head, "I know this: as long as there are young men with the light of adventure in their eyes and a touch of wildness in their souls, rapids will be run."
My son Cole and I dove in headfirst. We bought two used whitewater boats at a Twin Cities kayak auction. Probably, not the best fit, but it got us on the water. We took turns running that foam-laced section of the river one afternoon, feeling a sense of triumph after bounding through the crashing waves.

This move will be shorter than my move to California from the Midwest and the Otter Tail River. My wife Debbie and I are leaving Fair Oaks and moving up into the foothills of the Sierra Mountains, where we all know the rivers do rush, tumble, and fall. I will miss the closeness of some of my favorite paddling spots in the valley, but, unlike Minnesota rivers, I'll still be able to visit them from time to time.

 

Over the Bow is a feature from Outside Adventure to the Max, telling the story behind the image. If you have a great picture with a great story, submit it to us at nickayak@gmail.com

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