Fall Paddling and Apple Hill

Fall is here in the foothills and the weather could not be better for paddling.  I headed out midday Saturday to a fairly empty lake with a temp of 82 degrees.  The water was like glass and the light breeze was refreshing.

I did the power paddle around the island then headed up the canyon.  The current was pretty strong for this time of year and gave me a good workout for that last turn to the cable.

I spotted some turtles and others basking in the sun.

And this guy was there to see me out when I left.

Sunday was Apple Hill day.  The Foothills and beyond celebrate every fall with the opening of Apple Hill.  Wineries, orchards, food, family fun, did I mention food, craft fairs and incredible apple pies, abound at the many orchards. This is FUN for the whole family.  We took the little ones for train and pony rides, and the big ones had some fresh made apple fritters.  Yeah Fall!  Hope this weather holds up for awhile.

And...we are getting a little color here.

 Happy Paddling,

WaterRat

Mendocino Coast, Sea Caves, Jellies, Llamas and the Jug Handle

In September I travelled to the Mendocino coast with my paddling group for hiking and Kayaking.  We all met up at these cute little houses we had rented in Fort Bragg and visited with the resident llamas for a bit. This place was perfect for a group like us.  We had about 12 people sharing 3 houses. 

On Friday we explored the coast via Jug Handle park and hiked for a couple of hours. There were some natural forts made from twisted trees that brought out the little kid in all of us.

 
Saturday morning dawned a little grey and we steeled ourselves for a foggy, damp paddle, always a possibility at the coast.  By the time we made it to Van Damme beach it was bright, sunny and warm..woohoo!

We launched into some light surf with our guide and headed straight into a cliff that had a hidden opening, our first sea cave. Beautiful, magical, dark, then light...we came out the other side of the cliff.  The ocean was pretty mellow and the coast where we paddled was protected from the big waves breaking just out to the west of us. 

We paddled along the headlands through very thick kelp. 

We went into another cave with some different rooms and trails.  Being fairly claustrophobic I stayed within sight of the lighted entrance. 

Back out in the light we maneuvered around some waves and continued along the coast.

We saw a lot of wild life, including jelly fish, anemones, star fish, sea stars and abalone divers!

I got to try out my new waterproof camera and got some great Jelly shots.

We had a great trip, can't wait to get back to the coast.  Monterrey Bay and Elkhorn Slough is up next.

 Leaving Fort Bragg Harbor

A Sunset, Moon Rise....and the Great Pumpkin

The gang headed out to the lake for an amazing sunset and full moon paddle last night.  The weather had turned stormy on Monday, but all was clear for our Tuesday night adventure. Soooo nice having the lake pretty much to ourselves and a few die hard fisher people.  We headed up the canyon against a light current, just enough to make it fun, then casual floated back as the sun slowly slid behind the hills.   By the time we were back under the bridge the moon was peaking over the tree tops.

We headed into the sloughs where it got really dark... and a little spooky. We all heard some pretty loud splashes and were pretty sure it had to be the Great Pumpkin out for a swim.

The gang headed back to the dock for some hot chocolate and cookies. What a great night, warm weather, flat water, sunset, moon rise...good friends...great paddle.

Toting that Yak - No excuses!

One of the first questions that comes up when speaking with new yakkers is how do I lug this thing around on my own.  Get creative!  But seriously...lots of great carriers out there make sliding the boat on and off your car pretty easy.  You just need a little leverage and a plan.  I struggled with finding the easiest, fastest way to load my boat until my daughter said, "why don't you just shove it in the back window".  Wow...it worked.  It takes me minutes to throw my boat in the back and even less to off load at any friendly dock or beach.  For longer trips I use car top glides. It take a few minutes longer and I have to strap it down...but even that take just moments.  I even have my own step stool. 
I also have a J rack for those days I need to carry more Yaks.  I can comfortably fit three boats and three yakkers in the Yak Mobile for those fun runs to Tahoe and beyond

I have seen all kinds of methods for getting your yak to the water.  My favorite Yak Carrier of all time is featured in the photo below.  I need one of these!

Thanks MJ!

WINNER - Best Kayak Carrier

The Lonely Kayaker

At a recent lunch a co-worker said to the group, “We need to get this poor girl more kayaking friends, she is always down at the lake by herself”.  Uh noooo, not "poor girl".   I have plenty of kayaking buds…well, can always use more of those, but not the point.  I like kayaking by myself.  No, …I RELISH kayaking by myself.  I call it my “Water Therapy”.  I know, it’s always better to have a buddy for safety…but if you are in a safe environment and take reasonable precautions, kayaking on your own…is well, relaxing, therapeutic, just pure joy.
Picture this…you are working all day, in an office, in front of a computer, talking, negotiating, number crunching, dealing with co-worker issues, etc.  You get the picture.  Come 4PM.  You grab your water bottle and head out to the parking lot where your boat is waiting in (or on) your car.  You are at the lake in 25 minutes and on the water in 5 more (I quickly change into play clothes in the back seat). 

For me, this replaces the gym for exercise.  I power paddle for about an hour around the island and back up to the cable hoping for a little current for fun.  And the reward…a leisurely float back down with the current, sipping water, watching the birds, jumping fish, occasional beaver, otters, herons, egrets, turtles and deer.
Depending on daylight left I head to the marshes for more relax time and check out turtle tree to see how many turtles are hanging out.

There are always other kayakers out there, some single, some with friends, but the lake is so big and long you can easily get away by yourself and enjoy the peace.  

Don’t get me wrong, I love yakking with family, friends and my club, and it is particularly great for those all day or weekend paddle trips.  But I value Kayaking as great exercise, relaxation and hanging with nature…in all its calmness.  

Sometimes, I crank up the IPOD music and boogie down the lake…so much better than a gym! So if you see a crazy blond haired lady in a Mango boat, rocking down the water…or just hanging out with the critters, come say Hi.