From trickle to torrent in minutes -- a paddler's tale

Testing the new spillway at Folsom Dam (Youtube photo from late 2017)

It began like another uneventful winter day on tranquil Lake Natoma…. 

Karen paddling into "big pipe" on a typically calm day (2009)

….as we pushed off from Nimbus Flats on Friday (1/12) and paddled into “the big pipe” just across the lake. Of course, we had no idea that the new spillway at Folsom Dam, about seven miles upstream, had opened minutes earlier.  The outflow shot from around  2,000 cubic feet per second to more than 14,500 cfs - and was coming straight toward us.  

To put it another way, that was about 6.5 million gallons a minute -- enough to fill about ten Olympic-sized swimming pools. A significant amount of water, even in a bathtub

All you need to know about kayaking (part 2)

Second in a one-part series that pretends to be….

…the last word on paddling tips. And it would be if you drown, God forbid. So start by wearing a PFD whenever and wherever you go kayaking. Recently, I encountered a nice  

Paddling on July 4th or any summer weekend: Hit the water early, get off early 

fellow at the Russian River estuary at Jenner, in Sonoma County. He was about to launch a large, fairly stable sit-on-top kayak. It was a mild, warm day, especially by North Coast standards, with barely a breeze. He asked, “Do I really need to wear this life jacket?” I paused and silently thanked the Water Gods for endorsing NorCal Yak’s Third Law, which states: 

Don’t allow a rattle to disrupt your next paddle

Snakes have gotten a bad rap since that incident in Eden...

At the aptly-named Rattlesnake Bar near Folsom Lake (2015)

….and there are already a number of rattlesnake bite stories around Northern California this year. Kayakers need to stay alert whenever they launch or land in areas with brush, rocks or near downed timber, since that’s prime snake habitat.

But the rap on rattlers is unfair. An increase in snake sightings and incidents this spring may be traced to unusually wet conditions that have prompted an explosion in the rodent population. Rattlers and other snakes are great rodent predators. Since rodents are a prime carrier for ticks (Lyme disease) the Hantavirus and other risks to human health, snakes are beneficial.

Kayaking danger rises with storm-fed rivers

Floodwater rescue drill from Glenn Brank on Vimeo.

When it rains it pours, and when it pours, kayakers should think....

...long and hard before launching into storm-fed water. A few days before Christmas, a couple of Folsom paddlers launched their 10-foot recreational kayaks on Lake Natoma, just above the bridges and in the narrows that channel water releases from Folsom Lake.

The current was running close to 20,000 cubic feet per second - approximately the speed and power of your average freight train.

One of the paddlers wore his smartphone in a waterproof case around his neck. Its video

Practical New Year resolutions for a kayaker

2016 draws to a close on the water

They tell us that the most successful New Year’s resolutions involve a small number of attainable goals - so here’s my kayaking resolution list, as simple as one-two-three:

1. Play it safe. Remember that every mistake can be a learning experience except for the final one, because that one is fatal by definition. Think about safety before a trip begins, checking weather, currents and tides; as well as tying the kayak atop a vehicle, and then launching with the appropriate gear and clothing.

2. Take out the garbage. Take a few seconds to remove a can or bottle floating nearby, or pick up a piece of garbage someone left at the shoreline.

3. Support the cause. Join or renew membership in local kayak clubs and non-profit groups that defend clean water and our rights to enjoy it. Now, more than ever, kayakers need to help protect our environment.

Happy New Year from NorCal Yak.          

Paddle over to see a Tomales Bay icon while you can

Despite appearances, the "S.S. Point Reyes" was no shipwreck -- it was going to be a fixer-upper 

“Picturesque derelict” sounds like a contradiction...

But any kayaker who’s ever paddled on Tomales Bay knows what I’m talking about. It’s a nautical hulk known as the “S.S. Point Reyes” or the “Tomales Bay shipwreck.” In fact, it’s no shipwreck at all, but an icon for the West Marin County community that became its final resting port. Just step or paddle back a bit and observe the scene, on or off the water.

A suspicious fire last February nearly destroyed the old girl

Tomales Bay rises and falls dramatically with the tides, from shimmering salty expanse to stinking mud flat. Many structures near the waterline are a bit rough and ragged but as full of character as some of their inhabitants.

Everything is precariously situated - the “Reyes” rests on a sandbar, which in turns sits atop a major fault line that at some future date could make flotsam and jetsam out of Inverness, Point Reyes Station, Marshall and all the hamlets in between.

But hey, no hurry on Tomales time.  Whether you’re on the geologic clock, checking tide tables for a kayak trip, or driving on Francis Drake Boulevard, slow down on the approach to Inverness and that strange relic just behind the general store.  Like its surroundings, the “Reyes” has for decades conveyed a sense of dignified, gradual decline - at least until recently.

Use tie-downs on every kayak trip -- or risk disaster

At the scene -- and time definitely did not stand still 

You know you’re in for a hair-raising kayak story when it begins...

"Miraculously, no one was killed or injured." 

This is one of those stories. Not to sound melodramatic, but it’s a paddler’s tale with lessons that could save lives. And off the water, at that.    

It happened last Nov. 27, Black Friday. While most folks were already stampeding into the shopping malls or sleeping off their turkey dinners, I headed toward Tomales Bay with paddling pal Trudy on I-80.   

Get out of the kayak cockpit to find a better view

My best sea otter video ever was taken from the shore...

It seems kind of strange to write this on a paddling blog, but sometimes, you can find the best view and take your best photos by getting out of your kayak.

This came to mind recently after two British tourists kayaking on Monterey Bay had a close encounter of the worst kind with a humpback whale. The whale - probably in the 40-to-50 ton range - breached and then dropped squarely on the Brits’ tandem kayak just off Moss Landing.

It's almost impossible to approach wildlife on the water without disturbing them, especially females with young 

Miraculously, the pair not only survived - they escaped without injury. Tom Mustill and
Charlotte Kinloch later recounted the incident in numerous press interviews, as a tour

Sea otters, paddlers, PBS find a special environment

Sea otter dines casually in the surf off a Monterey beach

One of the best things about paddling is that it brings us closer to nature. Out on the water, we become part of our surroundings in a quiet, unobtrusive and personal way. Kayaks are an ideal vehicle for exploring a wild world that can’t be fully appreciated from shore. 

So it was with my very first kayaking experience six years ago, on Monterey Bay. Just floundering around in a rental sit-on-top when a sea otter nonchalantly paddled right by. Thick fur, expressive eyes, whiskers, playful personality - the whole animal kingdom package.
 

More water this summer for American River kayaking

San Juan rapids will continue to provide good paddling through June 

6/25 update: Lower American flows still holding at about 2,000cfs this week.  

In the midst of an epic drought, here’s some good news for kayakers. The lower American River, one of the most popular waterways in Northern California, is now running at about 2,000 cubic feet per second - and should continue to do so through June. That translates to decent water for paddlers.

Paddlers escape a gooey death at Drakes Estero

Bogged-down blogger rescued by Jorge and Valerio, and not a moment too soon (Tom Gomes photo)

Update: The oyster farm lost its legal battle and was closed, but there will still be access for kayaker day use at the site, says the National Park Service. Check its Web site.

One of my more harrowing kayak trips occurred recently on Drakes Estero near Point Reyes - but not in the water. Not on dry land either, and that was the problem. A fave phrase of mine, “We cheated death again,” became “We cheated gooey death.”

It happened at the end of a beautiful day of paddling on a 14-mile tour of this spectacular
estuary within a national seashore. It’s named for Sir Francis Drake, an English explorer 

7 New Year’s resolutions for a kayaker

New Year's Day reflections near the Port of Sacramento 

1.  Never paddle fast when slow and smooth will do.

2.  Learn something new about nature, and treasure it.

3.  Paddle somewhere you’ve never gone before.

4.  Work with the current more, fight it less.

5.  Take more tours under moon and starlight.

6.  Introduce a friend to kayaking.

7.  Paddle more often - because time, like water, slips through your fingers. 

King tides hit California coast this week

High tide near Asilomar Beach, Monterey, after storm surge last November

“Time and tide wait for no man,” wrote Geoffrey Chaucer, and so it is for Northern California kayakers. This week, we’ll see the last “king tide” of 2013 on the Californian coast. It’s a phenomenon that occurs when the Earth, moon and sun line up and accentuate the gravitational forces that create tides and primo paddling opportunities. 

 

A good weekend to clean up waterways we love

A fine selection of beverages from the lower American River (note muck rake, it came in handy) 

(9/16 update)
They say that one man's trash is another man's treasure. Can't say we found any treasure, but any day that helps restore a river's beauty is priceless.  Less than three hours of  kayaking a short stretch of the lower American River on Saturday (9/15) during the annual Great American River Cleanup produced more than five large bags of garbage -- plus an inflatable mattress, discarded life jacket, and chunks of styrofoam.

From rocks to riches, another side of Tahoe paddling

Paddleboarder plays peek-a-boo amind boulders at Sand Harbor

Sand Harbor: Boulders sliced, diced and polished by thousands of years of wind and water...

Meeks Bay, mansions:  These people earned it. Why, some waited years for their inheritances and stock options...

Every California kayaker should try to make it up to Lake Tahoe at least once a year. My fave Tahoe paddle is the incredibly scenic route from D.L. Bliss State Park to Emerald Bay and Fannette Island.  If you’ve been there and done that too many times, there are interesting alternatives.

Let’s begin on the Far Side, with apologies to cartoonist Gary Larson. Californians and Nevadans may not see eye to eye on much, but we share America’s premier alpine lake. And the view from both sides of Tahoe is spectacular, which takes us across the border and south of Incline Village to Sand Harbor.

Up the creek without a paddle - or public access

Paddling on the Mokelumne with a glimpse of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous"

Kayakers and others who use California’s lakes and rivers increasingly find they are unable to reach the water, encountering “no trespassing” signs, fences, walls, and other obstructions to public access. That’s the thrust of an investigation by Sacramento Bee environmental reporter Matt Weiser, published on Sunday (3/25).

Kayakers start bailing to stop brushfire

Paddler bucket brigade extinguishes brushfire at Lake Clementine

AUBURN - What began as a relaxing Saturday paddle on Lake Clementine turned into a brushfire fight for our small group of kayakers on Saturday (3/10).  We paddled up the lake to the first riffle on the North Fork of the American River and were headed back toward the dam when we smelled smoke after 1 p.m.

A mile or so beyond the rocky outcropping known as Robbers Roost, we could see smoke rising through the trees. Then flames appeared in underbrush near the shore. Someone had

Kayaker water bottle half empty or half full?

The 2011 paddling season really spoiled Northern California kayakers. Deep snowpack and extended runoff meant you could go almost anywhere and enjoy high water throughout the summer. The outlook for 2012? Not so good. Much of the state has experienced very dry, unseasonably warm weather all winter. 

Salmon Falls Bridge above Folsom Lake in February...

...and on the water near the same spot last August

At the same time, reservoir carry-over from last season will help keep many lakes and rivers up to paddle-worthy levels, at least early in the year. But you may need to plan on taking that trip a bit earlier, and consider other paddling options as well.

Kayaking from China Camp -- enjoy it while we can

China Camp village beach provides best launch at low tide

(7/23 update: A nonprofit group takes over China Camp to keep the park open...see news story for details.)  

CHINA CAMP - This has to be one of the most kayaker-friendly spots on the north end of San Francisco Bay. It’s conveniently located, offers cheap parking close to a good launch beach, provides picnic tables and clean restrooms, and features spectacular paddling to several points of interest. Oh, and a minor detail - China Camp State Park could be shut down by mid-summer.

Paddling into history at China Camp State Park

"Grace Quan" sails out of China Camp, where past and future may be on a collision course

(7/23 update: A nonprofit group takes over operation of the park, saving it from closure.)

Rack that kayak for a paddler’s ideal day trip and your drive might end on San Pablo Bay in Marin County. At China Camp State Park, kayakers enjoy fabulous views of the bay, plus hiking, camping, bicycling, fishing, and a fascinating glimpse of California past.

Sad to say, but China Camp and its rich history are on a collision course with a future fixated on the bottom line. Due to state budget cuts, China Camp is on a “hit list” of parks that may shut down permanently this year. Some areas of the park have already closed or operate only on weekends. It seems ludicrous to abandon a place with almost 150 years of history and so much to offer kayakers and other outdoors enthusiasts - especially when it’s so close to urban areas. (This is the first of two NorCal Yak posts on China Camp.)