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| Holiday decorations adorn trees over a Lake Natoma bayou |
If you missed Winter Solstice, it occurred here at 8:19 p.m. on Dec. 21...
...and it’s easy to overlook the shortest daylight period of the
year. Yet it’s auspicious for several reasons, not
the least of which is that it officially kicks off my Other Paddling Season. No big sales at Macy’s or one-hour specials on Amazon to commemorate this season, but it's special all the same.
By December, many kayakers have packed away their paddles, but they are missing a great opportunity to discover peace and quiet on
the water. (Or salt water thrills, more on that later.) Northern California has dozens of lakes that are just right for gentle winter paddling. Mine happens to be Lake Natoma, near the town of Folsom.
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| "Is that mallard crashing our holiday party again this year?" (Click on photo to spot the culprit more easily) |
And
so I made the pilgrimage to Natoma last Saturday to usher in the Winter
Solstice. It was a gray day with mild
temps and no rain – a perfect Solstice paddle. No crowds on the water or in the parking lot. But neither dull nor dreary, as it turned out -- a day of quiet surprises.
First,
I discovered that someone had decorated a bayou’s overhanging trees with bright
holiday ornaments. Kudos to the paddling decorator, whoever you are. Next was
the wildlife viewing. Birds and other critters are much calmer (and so am I) without some
yahoo toting a boom box on his kayak or paddleboard. Ever heard of earbuds, bub?
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| Just say your "I do's" quietly and don't scare the fish away |
And
then there are those unexpected sights: A wedding party photo
shoot just below the Folsom bridge, and just above a couple of guys who were
fishing. I don’t think either one was angling to catch the bouquet. Back
at the launch, a tiny Indian shrine featuring the Hindu Ganesha, god of
beginnings. Well, we are close to Jan. 1, though I doubt Hindus solemnly honor New
Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
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| A season for Hindu traditions, too |
(A cautiionary note: Even on the calmest lake, some common sense must prevail in cooler weather and water. Always wear a PFD and dress as if you expect to dunk yourself.)
But if all this sounds just a little too tranquil for endorphin addicts, there’s hope on the still-low horizon in the next two months. The Other Season features some of the greatest high tides of the year, also known as king tides. (See the California King Tides Project.)
But if all this sounds just a little too tranquil for endorphin addicts, there’s hope on the still-low horizon in the next two months. The Other Season features some of the greatest high tides of the year, also known as king tides. (See the California King Tides Project.)
In
2020, these super tides occur around the weekends of Jan. 10 and Feb. 8. (Check specific times and places at this online tide predictor.) Let’s take
a couple of my fave paddling destinations for example. On Saturday, Jan. 11 in
Sausalito, a high tide of 6.6 feet at 11:21 a.m. will drop more than 7 feet by
that same evening. It’s a great chance to see Sausalito’s houseboat neighborhood go high, then dry.
At
Elkhorn Slough in Monterey County, high tides of more than 6 feet will prevail
between 9:15 and 10:44 a.m. between Friday, January 10, and Sunday the 12th. This is also migrating waterfowl season, so
paddlers will have great opportunities to explore side channels usually too
muddy to navigate.
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| King tide floods private dock in Tomales Bay, 2016 |
In
Marin County, king tides of more than 6 feet will prevail the same weekend from
about 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. around the Inverness area, opening wide areas of Tomales Bay.
On
these high notes, may the wind always be at your back and tides always run in your
favor this New Year. Here’s to safe paddling and new adventures on the water!
© Glenn Brank 2019
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| And remember, a little touch of Other Season weather is just bonus water for paddlers |
