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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

 

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ALL YOU CAN PADDLE: PADDLE TOWN SACRAMENTO

Ever go to a restaurant buffet and you're almost overwhelmed by the selection of items? There is American, there is Mexican, Asian, and Italian. There is seafood, fried food, barbecue, and even pizza. I mean there is something for everyone and so much to sample, that there is no way you can get everything all on your plate for just one sitting.

That's what it's like when it comes to the Sacramento area and the American River. It's a year-round paddling smorgasbord for everyone's taste and appetite that will leave you stuffed yet craving more.

Adrenaline junkies will lick their chops for whitewater delicacies of the three forks of the American River, only an hour away from Sacramento. During the spring and summer, the North Fork, Middle Fork, and South Fork are the area playgrounds for whitewater kayakers and rafters of all different levels. Commercial whitewater rafting outfitters offer a wide variety of river experiences, while The River Store, provides a cafeteria of boating supplies, boat demos, and kayaking instruction.

"There are multiple runs of varying difficulty," says area paddler Martin Beebee, "All of which are easily accessible: from moderate Class I and II rapids, perfect for learning to navigate whitewater, to Class V runs with plenty of challenges. So there’s a variety to choose from, depending on what kind of adventure you’re in the mood for."

South Fork of the American River

>The South Fork dishes up a recipe for some serious fun in its first five miles from the Chili Bar access filled full of exciting Class III whitewater with rapids with scary names like Meat-Grinder and Trouble Maker. The so-called easy section serves appetizer through the valley consisting of several Class II rapids including Barking Dog, before gorging down "The Gorge", the river's most challenging series of Class III rapids descending at 33-feet per mile toward Folsom Lake.

For area sea kayakers, Folsom Lake and Lake Natoma are hors-d'oeuvres of delight while prepping for a big trip to San Francisco Bay or Tamales Bay, while the rec and SUP paddlers will revel in the classic comfort of both lakes' bays and sloughs.

Folsom Lake

Forget summer weekends. Come to Folsom Lake either mid-week or wait until late fall or early spring to escape the speed boat and jet ski crowd. Out in the open, it can feel like the ocean with the wind and waves, but there are a few quiet and scenic spots like on the lake's north arm worth exploring. You might have to choke down the Delta Breeze, but you will savor the sunsets.

And if Folsom Lake is a little too hard to swallow, all paddlers will gobble up Lake Natoma.

"Lake Natoma is great for many reasons," said local paddler and photographer Tom Gomes, "Living in the Sacramento area, we are so fortunate to have such easy access to such a resource that offers incredible views. It’s big enough to get a good exercise paddle and there are no powerboats to compete with."

This narrow and popular 5-mile lake is the main entree of the area's paddling venues. It's an a-la-carte of racing shells crews, outrigger canoes, SUP paddlers and kayaks and sailboats sprinkled over the waterway. Outfitters use the lake for classes and moonlit tours while racing crews have been known to hog-up much of the lake a few weekends a year.

Lake Natoma

Want just a taste of the lake's fare? Kayaks and SUPs are available for rent at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center. Sit back and enjoy the sun or go a nature safari while exploring the lake's sloughs.
"It’s very scenic with more wildlife than anywhere else," added Gomes, "I paddle the Natoma sloughs quite often, but it never ceases to amaze me how removed I feel from the real world while realizing that I’m right in the middle of a densely populated urban area. I feel like I’m Huck Finn, exploring uncharted waters with abundant wildlife, just waiting for the alligator to swim by."

The lake with its three California State Parks' access points is lined with biking and hiking trails encompassing its shores. Bird watchers will feast one's eyes at sightings of geese, herons, egrets, cormorants, and bald eagles flying and nesting along its banks. The lake is home to many established rookeries to nesting colonies while migrating birds arrive in the spring and stay throughout the summer.

The American River is a sweet treat for everyone. This 23-mile recreational waterway meanders through the heart of Sacramento along The American River Parkway. Seasoned with a good mix of fast-moving currents, along with some slow and lazy flows to satisfy every water enthusiast's cravings. Not just for paddlers, more than 5 million visitors annually indulge in this wildlife and recreation area.

The Lower American River

"I love paddling on the American River especially in the off-season when the wildlife is stirring around and the people are not," said Sacramento paddler Lynn Halsted. "Early morning or late afternoon and evening are always my favorite times. Watching the river otters and beaver swim around and doing their thing while I watch from a distance is magical."
Just downstream from the Sunrise Access, San Juan Rapids spices up the river for boaters and summer-time rafters. A constant Class II rapid stretching out more than halfway across the river creates a long and vibrant wave train and chaotic churning eddy that can scarf up unsuspecting paddlers.

San Juan Rapids

Further down, the river is peppered with a few ripples, but mostly it's an easy slow-baked urban paddle all the way down to the Sacramento River, serving up views of bridges and large pleasure boats to mark the progress to Discovery Park and the confluence of the two rivers. From there, nothing is stopping you from having a pie in the sky dream of going on a paddling binge all the way to the Golden Gate.

So whatever boating you have might a hankering for, in Sacramento, you'll be able to fill your plate and come back for seconds, again and again, to satisfy your paddling hunger and nourishment.

And don't worry about taking too much. There is enough for everyone.

This article was originally published in Canoe & Kayak, May 7, 2018, and was published in Outside Adventure to the Max on June 8, 19, 2018.

 

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CANOE MORNING

Thus the Birch Canoe was builded

In the valley, by the river,

In the bosom of the forest;

And the forest's life was in it,

All its mystery and its magic,

All the lightness of the birch-tree,

All the toughness of the cedar,

All the larch's supple sinews;

And it floated on the river

Like a yellow leaf in Autumn,

Like a yellow water-lily.

  Paddles none had Hiawatha,

Paddles none he had or needed,

For his thoughts as paddles served him,

And his wishes served to guide him;

Swift or slow at will he glided.

---  from the Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

It was another quiet early weekend morning on the lake that I have come to look forward too. Just turning my truck into the park and driving with the windows down along the lake's conifer wooded shoreline as giving me a feeling of jubilation as the earthy scent of pine delights my scent of smell. It's the perfume of the forest. So sharp, so sweet, and ever so refreshing as anyone who has taken a therapeutic walk in the woods will tell you.

Arriving at the boathouse and to access I gazed down the path to the water below. The lake glistened a golden glow in the bright morning sun silhouetted by the rising row of pines. Where there were ripples on its surface there are brief flashes of diamonds. I inhale the view of tranquility taking in both its sight and sound. It's time to reset my body, mind, and soul because my rush to the lake is over.

I'm not the first, nor will I be last to find that elation about the beauty of water the forest. A nineteen century Wesleyan Missionary in Northern Canada Egerton Ryerson Young called it one of those sights that seldom comes to us in a life, where everything is in perfect unison.

"I was entranced by the loveliness of the sight," Young wrote in his book By Canoe and Dog-Train Among the Cree and Saulteaux Indians, "The reflections of the canoe and men and of the island and rocks were vivid as the actual realities. So clear and transparent was the water that where it met the air, there seemed to be only a narrow thread between the two elements. Not a breath of air stirred, not a ripple move."


The upper lake part of Lake Jenkinson is much narrower and quieter than its larger sister lake nestled in the picturesque setting of Sly Park near Pollock Pines, California. Divided by a narrow channel, the larger the rounded lower lake is home to the speedboats, picnic, and campgrounds and swimming beach while the upper part features a path to a waterfall, two nesting eagles and in the morning when the lake is still, a place to canoe.

Where do we come from and where are we going?" wrote filmmaker and canoe guru Bill Mason, "There is no better place and no better way to follow this quest into the realm of spirit than along the lakes and rivers of the North American wilderness in a canoe.”

Pushing away from the dock at the boathouse, the Old Town canoe is transformed into a time machine with each quiet stroke of my wooden paddle as it takes me back to the way it used to be.  My morning solo paddles are a reflective time as I ponder the water, the trees, and the sky. In a way, it's sad that so many sleepy campers just up the way, miss this time on the water.

The calming emerald green waters design what looks like a moving painting as it ripples and shimmers and reflects on its fluid canvas. The gentle sound of my paddle dips and singing birds create soothing magic of serenity. But then again, I have had a few mornings when a hurried fishing boat passes by with its droning engine desecrating the morning's tranquility and sanctuary. At this time of the morning, the only way to honor the lake and its transparent placid flat waters is by canoe with only a paddle.

“The movement of a canoe is like a reed in the wind," wrote canoeist and naturalist, Sigurd Olson, "Silence is part of it, and the sounds of lapping water, bird songs, and wind in the trees. It is part of the medium through which it floats, the sky, the water, the shores."

Sweeping my paddle, I glide among the ducks and geese at the little bay across from the boathouse. Below, I can look down into its crystal depths and see a few fish darting away from the movement of the canoe. If I'm lucky, one of the neighboring eagles will fly over while fishing the lake from above. I can't really go much further, nor do I really want too.

I find solace in the just floating idly in the little bay watching and listening to the creation about me. As writer John Graves pointed out, "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. . . . Chances for being quiet nowadays are limited.”

Of course, the time is fleeting on the water. As the sun comes up, the park wakes up, as folks seek the relief of the lake's cool waters to escape the summer's blistering heat. I take a few more sips of my coffee before I make one big giant turning stroke back to the dock.


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
Or book online at currentadventures.com

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

This article was originally published in Outside Adventure to the Max on July 26, 2019.

 

 

PADDLING WITH SLY PARK PADDLE RENTALS

Sly Park Recreation Area is an idyllic summer setting nestled in the Sierra foothills near Pollock Pines, California. Offering something for everyone the park is the perfect spot to visit for a day trip or kickback for a long weekend.
Surrounded by a fringe of tall pines and rocky shores, Lake Jenkinson is reminiscent of those coming of age movies about summer camp. Certainly the jewel of the park, the lake provides opportunities for swimming, fishing, and boating. In other words, it's a perfect spot to paddle away the day.

Divided by a narrow channel, the lake is divided into two components. The larger lower lake is home to speedboats, picnic, and campgrounds and a swimming beach, while the upper lake has an old-fashion feel being a bit narrower and much quieter due to the 5 mph speed limit that is strictly enforced.
The upper lake is home to Sly Park Paddle Rentals which offers canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards throughout the summer on weekends in the park. For the past two seasons, The River Store & Current Adventures Kayaking School & Trips has been operating the boathouse rentals.
Off to a slow start due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the boathouse opened for business in mid-June and will continue operating through the weekend thru fall.

The boathouses hours
Fridays 12am-8pm

Saturday 9am-5pm 

Sunday 9am-5pm

(During the July 4th weekend the boathouse will be extending its hours by being open 12-8 on Thursday, July 2 and 9am to 5pm on July 3, 4, 5,  and 6th)

To help you enjoy the paddling experience of Lake Jenkinson, while at Slay Park Recreation Area here are a few tips to get you on the water.

Before you go
Plan early. While Sly Park Paddle Rentals does take walk-ups, it's best to make a reservation to ensure you get the kayak, SUP or canoe you want for an hour, all day and even overnight. You can book online at Sly Park Paddle Rentals or call 530-333-9115 or email at info@CurrentAdventures.com.

Entering the park requires a day-use fee. Camping is also an additional fee and requires a reservation. You can book that through Sly Park Recreation Area.

Standup paddling boarding is extremely popular on the lake and the boards are always being rented on busy weekends. Tandem kayaks and canoes are also very popular for families to get their young children out on the water. Single kayaks are great for those who want to get out and explore while perfecting their paddling technique.
Boathouse staff recommends booking at least two hours on the water to keep having fun.

What To Bring
Sunscreen, sunglasses, snacks, and beverages (no glass containers), small ice chest(s), shoes, or sandals will make your trip more comfortable, and a COVID-19 face covering. PFDs are provided by the boathouse for both children and adults. Remember paddling even on lakes comes with inherent physical risks that can be minimized by wearing a PFD. California boating law requires every child under 13 years of age on a moving recreational vessel of any length must wear a PFD.
Also, Sly Park Paddle Rentals is implementing a few new protocols on the dock area to help keep the staff and the visitors safe and they are asking everyone to wear masks while on the dock area for everyone’s protection including our employees.

When You Are Here
Best advice, come early and stay late. The park is extremely popular on weekends and day-use quickly fills up fast. Expect a line to get in the front gate anytime after 10 AM on up to 2 PM. Beat the crowd by getting to the lake early to enjoy the best time on the lake.
Boathouse manager Nick Carlson says the lake is calm right at opening and in the evening.

"Early in the morning the wind is coming from the east, but a little after 9 it stops and the lake is like glass. It's my favorite time of the day and the best time to get on the water. Towards mid Day the wind starts up from west coming through the narrows." 

Beat the crowd all together by going on a sunset paddle on Friday evening when the boathouse is open till 8 PM. On both Fridays and Saturdays, you can rent your canoe, SUP or kayak after hours and return it the following morning. Check at Sly Park Paddle Rentals or call 530-333-9115 to check the availability of the paddle craft. What could be better than having a sunset paddle before returning to your campsite?

Parking is available at the Stonebraker Boat Launch, 2.3 miles from the park entrance. Sly Park Paddle Rentals is located near the ramp.

When You Are on The Dock
To help keep staff and visitors safe, Sly Park Paddle Rentals is asking everyone to wear a mask while on the dock to meet the State and local health requirements. Hand sanitizer is also available at the gate.

The staff will only allow one family or a group of friends on the dock at a time. Others will be asked to wait just outside the dock area until other parties left the dock to ensure safety.
You might also be asked to wait outside the dock area when groups are returning to the dock. Staff will sanitize all the equipment after each use before going out again.
Every adult has to fill out a liability waiver for themselves and their children. You can streamline this by filling out the form online when you make your reservation at Sly Park Paddle Rentals.

When on the Water
Getting on the lake is a great place to relax and have fun. Maybe take a trip up toward Sly Park Falls or just float around the narrows. However, during the current health guidelines please consider keeping a 6-foot distance between others and avoid large crowds.

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

We are always looking for guest bloggers to share the stories and pictures of their adventure.

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

TEN YEARS AS A PADDLER

Kayaking is my intimate relationship with water. I feel vulnerable and at the water's mercy. Sitting in a boat, only millimeters of carbon and fiberglass keeping me dry and protected, I am connected to the forces at play. I feel every ripple, every current and the slightest breezes. I am exposed to all elements and my inferiority is constantly being thrown at me.  For me, kayaking is a meditation of humility...Daniel Fox

We've all started our kayaking genesis for different reasons. For some, it's a fun and enjoyable low-impact activity, offering a great way to burn calories and tone those muscles. While others, like the camaraderie it builds on the water with other fellow enthusiasts. Others enjoy their escape into a stress-free world of relaxation and serenity of the peaceful lake. But for most, kayaking offers the ability to get closer to and interact with nature.

2010 Red River

Summer 2020, marks the tenth anniversary of my kayaking evolution. It has been an amazing journey. From Minnesota to California, I've paddled in some beautiful and amazing natural places over the years. I made some great friends, stayed in pretty good shape, and have enjoyed both the emotional and mental health benefits while on the water.
"It's my opinion," said Current Adventures Kayaking School & Trips' Dan Crandall, "That those who choose to get into kayaking are often subconsciously looking for that self-understanding and as their confidence builds, they become a better and happier version of themselves."

It feels almost like yesterday when I launched my first kayak ten springtimes ago. Minnesota offered clear and smooth rivers and lakes and plenty of sun dazzling days to begin my pilgrimage. June paddling meant exploring, camping, and family fun.

2011 Cuyuna Country

And the only reason, I can remember it so well is because that summer I began keeping a kayaking journal to keep track of my paddling experiences. throughout the day. Ever since I have chronicled every day in my life I have put a kayak in the water.

 June 16, 2010...It was a wonderful evening to nice to waste. We went on a short trip down the river to the First Avenue Bridge. It was the first day I kayaked in the sun for a long time.

June 16, 2011...After setting up camp we put in on Portsmouth Mine Lake. The weather is so calm today, hardly a breeze as we paddle across the lake. It's amazing. We saw ten loons all dancing, fishing, and calling to us out on the dark water. After the boys tired, I still needed more. I portaged over the highway and discover another endless line of lakes.

2012 lake Bemidji

June 16, 2012...The morning started out on the lake early off to the outlet for the Mississippi. Paddling is slow in the tandem. This boat is built for fun, not speed. I greeted a few loons couples along the way.




"When once a man is launched on such an adventure as this," wrote C. S. Lewis, He must bid farewell to hopes and fears, otherwise, death or deliverance will both come too late to save his honor and his reason."
Leaving my home of some 30 years behind in the midwest and loading up a van full of kayaks with my bride and heading to California was like going over a waterfall. But as Grand Canyon explorer John Wesley Powell said, "We have an unknown distance yet to run, an unknown river to explore... Ah, well! we may conjecture many things."
It was a homecoming of sorts, to the places I had always dreamed about being. I wanted to see natural places with tranquil clear cobalt lakes and rushing wild whitewater and mountain vistas.

2013 Lake Maria State Park, Minnesota

June 16, 2013...We enjoyed the sun on our bodies and the warm temperatures of summer. We paddled around the whole lake and even into the marsh area where it's so narrow we had trouble turning around.

2014 Folsom Lake

June 17, 2014...A peaceful night on Folsom Lake. A little breeze, but not much. Not a lot of boats, meaning not a lot of waves. Some sea kayakers were practicing rolls when Debbie and I put in at Granite Bay. Some clouds in the distance over the Sierra, but clear and bright over the lake.

2015 Negro Bar

June 19, 2015...Taylor is here this week. He flew in on Tuesday and has been having fun with us. It great to paddle with him again. We unloaded at Negro Bar and paddled up to the cable. He said the walls on the canyon remind him of Duluth when we ent there to visit. The sun was bright and there was just enough of a cooling breeze.

2016 Lake Natoma

June 16, 2016...with Current Adventures as we start our Eppies Flat Water training on Lake Natoma. Kim is good spirits as he teaches the group of five a paddling refresher course. Most have paddled before and will be all taking part in the eppies Iron Man. we worked on some paddling exercises and balance.

2017 Lake Natoma

June 16, 2017...Up the canyon and back through the slough and around the bend. That's what it's about on Lake Natoma at Negro bar. It's a party place today. One guy in a kayak was playing loud music, a group of kids was jumping off the cliffs and paddle boarders were relaxing with the flow.

"Canoes, too, are unobtrusive," writer John Graves observed, "They don't storm the natural world or ride over it, but drift in upon it as a part of its own silence."
Paddling offers outdoor enthusiasts a wide range of experience. While I will always enjoy the heart-stopping exhilaration of whitewater rapids, the rush of paddling a sea kayak on a distance trek across the bay or big lake, my roots in paddling will always be with the canoe.
Like a souvenir from my childhood memories, my time on idyllic California's Lake Jenkinson will always rekindle those feelings of nostalgia while on its waters.

2018 Lake Jenkinson

June 17, 2018...Father's Day at Sly Park. I loaded up and headed to the park to work in the boat rental boathouse. Dan and Current Adventures took it over this season and business is good. It has three canoes, seven paddleboards, and a bunch of kayaks. It's all fun stuff and one of the area's most beautiful lakes.

2019 Lake Jenkinson

June 16, 2019...Father's Day at Sly Park. It was a very pleasant day with little wind coming through the narrows. As I look back on those days in Fargo, I could never ever imagine I would be working in the Sierra foothills on a lakefront as good as this. I mean who would have ever thought back then all this would lead to me. Life is funny indeed.

June 16, 2020...John and I decided to run the river last week and kept to the plan. Meet at Rossmoor, dropped off a truck, and return to Sailor Bar for a trip downriver. It's a beautiful evening for a paddle. Not too hot, Not too cold. Just right with a mild breeze and cloudless skies.

2020 The American River Parkway

As one can see, my kayaking evolution has not been solitary. It has only progressed through the continued support of my wife, family, and friends only with the paddling community.
This ten-year span is not out of the ordinary for many who call the water home with the need to push off the shore to see what is around the next bend. As the
Chinook Blessing says, "We call upon the waters that rim the earth, horizon to horizon, that flow in our rivers and streams, that fall upon our gardens and fields, and we ask that they teach us and show us the way."

We are always looking for guest bloggers to share the stories and pictures of their adventure.

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WHITEWATER ANDRAGOGY

 

       Definition of whitewater: frothy water (as in breakers, rapids, or falls)
       Definition of andragogy: the art or science of teaching adults

One of my all-time favorite westerns is Lonesome Dove. Written by Larry McMurtry and later adapted into a TV miniseries starring Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall, it's the classic tale of two retired Texas Rangers leading an epic cattle-drive to Montana. In the opening scenes, the stoic Captain Call played by Jones is seen trying to saddle a spirited dapple-gray mare they have nicknamed the Hell Bitch. It's not going well for Call as the horse tosses off the saddle and kicks him away.
Gus played by Duvall watches on with amusement as Call dusted himself off and walks angrily toward him and the corral fence. In their conversation, Gus utters a line that stuck with me over the years.
"Look who's talking. When did you change last?" he questions Call, "Still breaking horses when there's plenty of gentle ones."
Call refuses to budge commenting on the strength, intelligence, and the beauty of the animal despite its bad temper and willful ways.

For some reason, I thought about that scene as the pace of the river I was kayaking began to accelerate. I was approaching the succession of its oncoming rapids, where the rocks and water collided into a relentless storm of white fury. Frightening and exhilarating all at the same time, it's foaming and churning wild water that showed every sign of being untamable.
In the brief moments, before my anxiety yields to the rush adrenaline, I couldn't help but wonder why a man of my sensibilities is still trying to learn to paddle whitewater rivers when "there plenty of gentle ones" in this world.

"Do hear that?" Kim Sprague asked me as we listen to the low rumble of the rapids in the distance. For many, the sound of running water can be soothing. Who doesn't love the sound of a babbling brook or lake waves lapping along the shore? But that's not whitewater. Rapids roar. Rapids thunder. Rapids boom.
"Those who don't, can't hear the music." he declared.

Kim Sprague

I've known Kim, ever since joining the team of Current Adventures Kayaking School & Trips. He is a few years older than me with a grey beard, weather face, and long hair that makes him look like a retired rock star on the way to a Grateful Dead reunion. A likable nomadic soul, he has doled out an exorbitant and comprehensive paddling education to me over the years. But it's not just to me. He shares his passion and his elan with everyone he meets on the water.

We were just downstream from where gold was first discovered in California on the South Fork of the American River. During the spring and summer, the Northern California river is a playground for whitewater kayakers and rafters seeking a rush of excitement. The first 5 miles from the Chili Bar access is brimming full of Class III rapids with intimidating names like Meat-grinder and Trouble Maker. The Marshall Gold Discovery Historical State Park access to the Greenwood Creek is the so-called easy section through the valley consisting of several Class II rapids including a popular surf spot named Barking Dog.
Descending at 33-feet per mile toward Folsom Lake "The Gorge" features the river's most challenging series of Class III rapids and is the last section of the river.
That section will have to wait for another day when my skills are hopefully more advanced. We decided on the alleged easy course for this lesson.

"We call this rapid Fuzzy Bunny," smiled Kim as we looked downstream scouting the rapid from our boats. He had already led me through a routine of paddling fundamentals in eddy turns and edge control most of the day. He had his work cut out himself, as he tries to break me of years bad habits. A paddling coach through and through, Kim preaches an effective and efficient stroke.
"Look where you want to go. Maintain your momentum and really drive your boat when crossing the eddy line," he instructed, "And no back paddling!"
He continued to remind me and reassure me throughout our time on the river that paddling whitewater can only be developed with time spent on the water.

Out on the river, I followed behind in a swift water version of Simon Says by attempting to mirror every one of Kim's movements. When he went to river right, I went to river right. When he edged to the left, I edged to left.
It's not just bombs away with Kim. He wanted me to catch and work every eddy along the river.
Catching eddies is an invaluable skill in whitewater paddling. In practice, it allows one to break down complex rapids into smaller chunks, but by doing so, paddlers evolve into better paddlers with even better boat control. Of course, for a newbie like me executing these moves can lead to an unplanned swim and rescue. Kim patiently takes it all in stride.
"We've all been there," he explained, "If you're not swimming. You're not working,"

Kayaking is a mental activity as much as it is physical. The hardest thing to learn is to stay calm, focused, and aware while on the water. I did my best to keep up, but like a lost tourist not knowing the streets and paddling tentatively, I missed a few eddies. To slow the motion of the kayak, I instinctively use my bad technique and pushed my paddle in the water as a brake as I moved past Kim safe in the eddy. He slapped the water with his paddle blade in rebuke. "Don't back paddle," he pleaded.

Barking Dog is a growling billowing white wave of water that comes in view moments after the river turns northward. A popular spot, river surfers, and playboater are lined up along the shore like kids in amusement park ready to ride the roller coaster. With technical skill, riding the wave gives them the sensation of flying as the river is hurtling below. Held in place by the steepness of the wave the paddlers will skip, veer, and flip down the front of it.
This dog does have a bite, however. While there is a large recovery eddy to left, there is is a powerful back eddy on the right just below the rapid. Churning like an out of control washing machine the water spins forcefully back upstream into a clump of trees that will only add to a paddler's misery. Just like in auto racing, the equivalency of crossing this eddy line is like hitting the wall at Daytona.
"T-Bone the wave," Kim commanded, "Hit it head-on. Keep it straight and stay to the left. If you turn sideways you'll roll!"

There is an electric moment of suspense as I approached and committed to running this plunging trough and its foaming crest. Following Kim, I dropped into the vortex. Suddenly, I was not just in it but I was a part of it. Like a thrill ride at Disneyland, the kayak was shoved down and just as quickly lifted up and hurled forward, only to be driven down again. I lost sight of everything except the bow of the boat as I'm doused with the wave's spray again and again. I scraped against the river rights eddy line swirls and all I could think of in my full-on survival mode is to keep my balance and just paddle aggressively as I can until the water smoothed out around me.

Looking back at the giant wave, I had a sense of euphoric triumph and as well as a bit of relief as I paddled back to join Kim in the foam-laced eddy below the rapids. As famed canoe guru, Sigurd Olson wrote, "In the grip of the river, a man knows what detachment means; knows that, having entered the maelstrom, he is at its mercy until it has spent its strength. When through skill or luck he has gone through the snags, the reaching rocks, and the lunging billows, he needs no other accolade but the joy that he has known."

There were some more trips through challenging rapids along the way to Greenwood Creek. An obstacle course rock garden at Highway Rapids and the exhilarating high mounting waves of Swimmer's Rapids to end the session at the take out.

Like every good instructor, Kim offered praise of success at the end of the day. He added a list of things to work on (don't back paddle) and think about it for next time. But, that will be another day. Tired and feeling a bit beat-up, I picked my boat up and followed behind him on a hike to the parking lot.
Looking back over my shoulder, I caught one last glimpse of the river and its easy flow. At that moment, the scene from Lonesome Dove about the bad tempered pony flashed across my mind.
"I never seen a more intelligent filly," says Call. "Look how she's watching."
"She ain't watching you, cause she loves you," retorts Gus.

Yes indeed, there are plenty of gentle rivers out there to explore, ride and meander. Some of my best days have been spent aimlessly floating along in a placid waterway. But rapids unleash something wild in me. Beyond no doubt with tales of epic swims, lost boats, and even lost lives, whitewater paddling does offer some tough love. But, I want to know and understand its untamed spirit despite its dangers unpredictability. Its thundering rush does certainly does call to me.
Do you hear it? As Kim says, Those who don't, can't hear the music.

You want to go?

Contact: Current Adventures Kayak School and Trips 
PHONE: 530-333-9115 or Toll-Free: 888-452-9254
FAX: 530-333-1291
USPS: Current Adventures, P.O. Box 828, Lotus, CA 95651
info@currentadventures.com
owner Dan Crandall dan@kayaking.com

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OVER THE BOW: FOLSOM LAKE

“It is all very beautiful and magical here—a quality which cannot be described. You have to live it and breathe it, let the sun bake it into you. The skies and land are so enormous, and the detail so precise and exquisite that wherever you are you are isolated in a glowing world between the macro and the micro, where everything is sidewise under you and over you, and the clocks stopped long ago.” – Ansel Adams

Folsom Lake rises and falls with the seasons. At its fullest in early part summer, the lake features some 10,000 surface acres of water and has 75 miles of shoreline. While during the winter the lake level drops to a thirsty and parched skeleton of its former self.

As part of the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, the reservoir and Folsom Dam is a large watery expanse that extends about 15 miles up the North Fork of the American River, and about 10 1/2 miles up the South Fork of the American River located about 25 miles east of Sacramento, California. As a multipurpose waterway, the reservoir supplies much of the area's water supply while the dam operated by the United States Bureau of Reclamation provides both flood protection and hydropower. For outdoor enthusiasts, it's a recreational destination for water-related sports as well as biking and hiking along its rugged oak-lined shores.

Most paddlers will forgo summer weekends on the lake escaping the speed boat and jet ski crowd that usually creates an ocean of waves. Late fall and early spring provide the best conditions for paddling. 

It was on a late fall day a few seasons back that I made this trek to the lake near Dotons Point. A forest fire raging nearby had smothered the lake with a layer of smoke, while the low lake levels had left behind a dried stark and wondrous moonscape. The roads and paths to the water were blocked with large sharp rocks or gooey mud. The best solution was to find a level spot to park and carry the boat across the barren lakeshore to the water below.

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, we would love to see it. Submit it to us at nickayak@gmail.com

The Mission to Break Down Barriers to the Outdoors

Our friends at NRS and American Rivers are committed to cultivating common ground among diverse communities and making outdoor recreation welcoming and accessible to all.
Each Thursday in June, they will celebrate the experiences that make our hearts beat faster and fuller, sparking a dialogue to move our world forward—and having a bit of virtual fun, including exciting giveaways. Join the conversation. They invite you to share your stories with them and invite your friends to join the conversation by tagging #JustAddWater on social media.

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