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| Strings of natural "pearls" -- ice drops -- drape the shore of the Albion River |
This seems to be
a year of endless summer in Northern California. Perfect for
kayakers, except the paddling recipe always includes the phrase, “add
water.” So NorCal Yak will be dishing up more kayaking venues to counter this infernal
drought.
Mendocino County
fits the bill. Although earlier this month, a trip up the Albion River
produced some weird weather of its own. Highs were in the mid-60s for several
days, so we dressed for an unseasonably warm day on the water. But the farther upriver we
paddled, the more the air temperature began to fluctuate.
Under bright sunlight,
the river was as cozy as a country kitchen. But when we slipped into the mountain
shadows, it became more like paddling into a meat locker. Felt like a 20-degree swing,
almost instantly. My toes went numb from icy water beneath
the hull.
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| A strange white smoke boiled up into the sunlight |
Then we
spotted something most peculiar – white plastic bags littered the darkly shaded
shoreline ahead, and low smoke blew over them. Or so it seemed.
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| Frost piled like snow in the shadows |
We paddled up to the scene and found large clumps of heavy frost deep in
the shadows untouched by winter sun. But where the sun did find its way, mist began
to boil off the ground. Then the mist floated back into the shadows and
promptly froze once again – coating bushes, branches and even cobwebs with
millions of tiny, glistening ice-drops, like fine pearls.
This phenomenon
is called rime ice – essentially frozen fog. I've seen it in the Blue Ridge Mountains
so thick that it could snap tree branches like twigs. Very unusual, but weather-wise, it seems that anything goes this year, so be prepared. Like, always carry extra
warm socks, even when it's supposed to be an endless summer. Those toes still feel cold.
Launch lines
Assuming mild
weather conditions, the North Coast provides great off-season kayaking. Here’s more info on the Albion River.
Cold weather
kayaking can be tough on more than your toes. Here are some safety tips for those
winter paddles.
© 2014 Glenn Brank
