Back at it on BRG

It's good to be paddling again. And on something of consequence this time. I headed north to get on the only class V river still running in California: the Burnt Ranch Gorge on the Trinity River. It's not exactly the hardest of class V runs (it may be the easiest, in fact), but it's still a solid run at a decent flow. Twice the flow of the only other time I've done the run five years ago.

A picture of me for a change

Considering my lack of paddling in general, my recent experience on class V runs (a paddle to my face on a portage, a hike out after a friend breaking his boat, not to mention the Rubicon epic of last year), and that there were only two of us, this definitely had the potential for disaster. But I'm happy to say that this day (almost) everything went smoothly.

I drove up in the morning and we put on by 1pm. After a mellow warm up section we hit the first significant rapid. We snuck it last time at low flows but this time we took the heart of it. I got flipped in the hole at the bottom but quickly flushed and rolled up. Sometimes the best thing that can happen is an early flip - it settles you down, you remember your roll works fine, and it's not so bad getting your face wet.

The finish of #1, vertical log and all

The heart of the run are Burnt Ranch Falls numbers 1, 2, and 3. None are actually falls, but each is a multi-step class V rapid. We scouted #1 and it went fine. We scouted #2 and it went fine. We scouted #3 and decided to walk. The bottom hole looked a little sticky and the lead in was a little junky. But the portage is on steeply sloped granite and our only injury of the day was when I fell and landed hard on my butt. So I decided it was safer to run the rapid and it went fine.

After that I was more relaxed. It felt at home being on a river again, leading down rapids I barely remembered, enjoying some lovely scenery, watching the salmon jump, the eagles fly, and the otters play. Now if only there were some more rivers running...

The next day we drove out to the coast just checking out the area. I got in a little photography practice (still loving my Nex-5n) and then had dinner with friends in Arcata before heading home. It's good to be back.

And here's a quick edit of the video:

River folk

I really haven't missed the paddling that I haven't been doing this summer. But I just spent a weekend up on the river doing some teaching and paddling with friends and I realized that I have missed the people. Paddling is a small sport, and as such creates a special community. We recognize each other (or at least each other's boats) just from seeing the same people in the same place. We may have absolutely nothing else in common besides paddling, but that's enough.

I paddled class II whitewater all weekend. First with my friend and his fiancee. She was warming up for a couple of days of class III and wanted to work on her roll. She hit every single one - even the three I made her do at the end of the day. Then we had some pizza a beer before crashing in the back yard of a local friend. Doesn't get an simpler and any better.

The next two days I was teaching a beginner class. One student was the son of a former student; one was the wife of a former student. On the river I ran into another half dozen former students and more paddlers I know, from fellow teachers to folks just out enjoying a holiday weekend. Everywhere you turned it was warm smiles and friendly hellos. In the evening we had a farewell dinner with a British girl off to Africa for the season, talking about grad school, wedding plans, and beat downs.

It's really the time off the river that makes whitewater kayaking so special. It's getting away from everything else and spending a few days immersed in a different culture, a friendlier, better culture. It's just the joy of being one of the river folk.

Taking it easy

Well, my back's still not 100%. But after a whole week of doing absolutely nothing I was getting a little stir crazy. So when a friend asked if I wanted to paddle the South Fork (class III) I jumped at the chance. Something nice and easy, a little float down the river with old friends and new. I think my back could handle that.

And the other thing that became apparent over the weekend is how great the river community is. Since I haven't been paddling much, I really haven't been out on the river. I didn't even realize how many people I just wasn't connecting with. I managed to run into friends from all over - one up from L.A. for the weekend, a Brit living in the Bay I hadn't seen in months, a river local who never makes it down to the city. And most of the regular assortment of friends who live up there.

So I don't have any exciting videos to share. Not even pictures thanks to the film that has developed on the lens of my waterproof camera. And I don't have any tales or insight into paddling from this trip. But I had a really good time, and that's what taking it easy is for.

Back in action

I know it's been a while. I haven't been paddling for reasons I won't go into. But I'm back now and hopefully will be getting on the water again (and updating this blog when I do).

So it's been super hot here in Sacramento - over 100F for the past ten days. A trip down to the ocean sounded like the perfect day to cool off. Some of the locals had the same idea and where planning to paddling out the Golden Gate on Sunday. I decided to head down a day early and meet up with a Bay Area local for a paddle out of Dillon's Beach. When I arrived it was 55F and foggy, with a little breeze already flowing. Nice relief.

Dillon sits at the mouth of Tomales Bay. We launched and headed the other direction: towards Bodega Bay. We didn't plan on going far, but instead stayed close to shore to explore among the rocks. The swell was small and it allowed for a peaceful and interesting inspection of barnacles and seaweed. It's been several months since I've been on the ocean, so it was nice to just feel the swells and run a few slots.

We passed the mouth of Estero San Antonio, heading up it about twenty feet before deciding it was just too shallow to keep going. Even our coast is dry and barely flowing at the end of this hot summer in California. we stopped at a beach just up from the estero that normally has a small waterfall but the trickle of water barely made the stone wet. Still, it was a nice spot and as we set we watched the fog come and go - it kept hinting that it would break up and leave us a blue sky but it never did.

When we returned to Dillon Beach, not only was the sand more crowded with beachgoers, but we met a few kayakers just outside the surf zone. They were some folks practicing for the upcoming skills clinic from BASK - Bay Area Sea Kaykers - the local paddling club. We followed them in and after cleaning up hung around to talk paddling for a while. A very nice return to paddling.

Unfortunately, the combination of carrying my boat down the long beach, cool temps, and sitting for hours seemed to have strained my back. After the paddle it kept getting tighter and tighter so I decided to skip the second day of paddling and headed home to rest. Apparently I've got to ease myself back into this paddling thing...

Here are some more pictures from the day:

120818 Dillon Beach

Beauty is where you find it

I'm in Wyoming at the moment for reasons that have nothing to do with kayaking. But I brought my sea kayak along because I knew I was going to need to get out and do a little paddling while I'm here. Paddling always helps one keeps one's sanity. I didn't know what I was going to find for water, but knew that it would be easier to get out alone in my sea kayak than to find folks to paddle whitewater with. And most places have flat water around, while good whitewater can be far afield.

Entrance to Fremont Canyon

So in looking for water I found some info on Fremont Canyon here in southern Wyoming. It was a whitewater report that said the canyon had some great paddling but was normally low. Very low. Didn't sound like something for my situation. But then I ran into a rock climber who said the canyon was the best climbing around. And below the power plant in the canyon it was all flat. So I took a closer look and discovered that the Alcova reservoir is at the mouth of the canyon. And you can basically paddle up half way on flat water when the incoming water is low (like it is now).

So I got out for a little paddling. In one of the most beautiful canyons you could ever ask to paddle up. Shades of Lake Powell. So enjoy the photos and go out and find your own beauty.

End of the Flat Water Paddling

Middle of the Canyon

Rock Formations near Shore

Looking out at the Alcova Reservoir