I had to drive to a server farm in Grand Coulee which is about an hour away from my home in Moses Lake, Washington and adjacent to Banks Lake which is the main reservoir for the massive irrigation system built around Grand Coulee Dam in the 1930s. No use wasting an entire day working (on Sunday!) so I loaded the F-1 up and spent some time paddling one of my favorite areas: Eagle Pass near Steamboat Rock State Park. The central Washington area enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year so we get spoiled with good weather. No exception to this rule as I unloaded the F-1 at the launch ramp at the main park area. Banks Lake is about 30 miles long and there are RV parks and launch areas at several places. At Eagle Pass, named for an early road that wound through the area before the dam was built and the area flooded, there are three main launches. The main launch at Steamboat Rock State Park, a launch ramp at Northrup Point (with no campsites but a neat little rest area offering toilets and showers) and Jones Bay with more primitive campsites right on the water and pit toilets. I launched at the main ramp this time because the sandy beaches were just what I needed. This is an area of flat water rock gardens with hundreds of granite outcroppings that offer enjoyable paddling and even some stealth camping opportunities. Paddling north from the main park I passed the campsites at the north end of the peninsula and then north into the islets. With the largest fishing tournament of the year in progress there were some dicey moments paddlng across some of the channels. These boats often go 60mph and there were also some "muscle" boats going around and around. Then, of course, the jetskis. I have jetskis myself but see no purpose in just running the damn things in circles. I must be in the minority. At any rate the boat wakes offered some opportunities to surf and some of the more shallow areas around some islets even offered some breaking waves to play in. Tent cabanas lined the sandy beaches as I paddled back to the launch ramp with cute girls in bikinis throwing sticks for their golden retrievers to go fetch. It was all I could do to resist fetching one of the sticks myself. I could have used a scratch behind the ears from a cute girl in a bikini. Photos and more at my blog www.nwkayaking.net. So .... what did YOU do this weekend? Craig Jungers Moses Lake, WA www.nwkayaking.net *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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Gary J. MacDonald wrote: > Nice place, but I don't see any golden retreivers in your photos? > GaryJ > > Craig Jungers wrote: >> Tent cabanas lined the sandy beaches as I paddled back to the launch ramp >> with cute girls in bikinis throwing sticks for their golden retrievers to go >> fetch. It was all I could do to resist fetching one of the sticks myself. I >> could have used a scratch behind the ears from a cute girl in a bikini. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I just plumb forgot to snap a photo in all the excitement. :P Craig On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 3:23 PM, Gary J. MacDonald <garyj_at_rogers.com> wrote: > Nice place, but I don't see any golden retreivers in your photos? > GaryJ > > Craig Jungers wrote: > > Tent cabanas lined the sandy beaches as I paddled back to the launch ramp > with cute girls in bikinis throwing sticks for their golden retrievers to go > fetch. It was all I could do to resist fetching one of the sticks myself. I > could have used a scratch behind the ears from a cute girl in a bikini. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Craig Jungers wrote: > So .... what did YOU do this weekend? On Saturday, we ran the Bartender (aka kayaking mothership) off Port Townsend, WA, sneakily eying all the cool 1920's - 1930's cruising vessels at the Port Townsend Wooden boat Festival. Had intended to hit the festival, but other issues sent us home early. We saw no bikinis, but learned a good joke about Sex on Mars. Unfortunately, the joke is not PG. You won't pry it from MY lips! Lots of sng Pygmy kayaks about, a lovely umiak equipped with sail, and scads of multi-sail schooners etc. The PTWBF is a very cool event, even for kayakers. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
What did I do this weekend...well, I'm glad you asked, let me tell you about it! My wife and I and a couple of friends drove an hour and a quarter Downeast to Deer Isle and launched our kayaks out of Old Quarry Adventures in Webb Cove (440 10.296'N 680 38.279'W). Captain Bill was happy to take our launch/parking fees and give us the lowdown on the local conditions. We loaded up our boats in a light sprinkle which vanished by the time we were ready to hit the water. Conditions were good with light SW winds and small seas. Since it was a Sunday, there were very few lobster boats to avoid as well. There was just enough fog to give the awaiting islands of the Deer Isle Archipelago an air of mystery. We paddled leisurely out of the cove up to Grog Island and then to Bold Island on our way over towards Hell's Half Acre, spotting birds as we went along. The guillemots were out in great abundance and, unusually, many were perched on the low-tide ledges. We paddled over to Devil's Island and poked around in the nearby ledges trying to identify the various shorebirds. A light fog was drifting over Millet Island to our east and it looked very inviting. Since boat traffic was unusually light and the crossing was short, we decided to paddle over there via Spruce Island for a lunch break. Millet ( 440 8.740'N 680 35.919'W) is on the Maine Island Trail and open to trail members for day use. After lunch on Millet we continued island hopping around the archipelago playing tag with the fog banks and getting a chance to practice our map and compass skills. The scenery was fantastic (the rock cliffs on Eastern Mark Island - amazing!) and the lack of boat traffic was truly remarkable for that area. We enjoyed it immensely. After a couple of hours of paddling, we stopped again on Little Sheep ( 440 10.602'N 680 36.647'W) - another Maine Island Trail property - for a stretch break. Little Sheep is a jewel of an island, very small but open for camping for small groups of trail members. We wandered around the circumference of the island in about 10 minutes, observing some very interesting granite formations as we passed. After that, it was a couple of miles of paddling against a light current and wind through ranks of cormorants and gulls among the rocks of Buckmaster Ledges and back to the put-in. A perfect day of paddling that we will long remember! Mark Goff Hampden, Maine *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Sep 14, 2009, at 7:48 PM, Goffma_at_aol.com wrote: > What did I do this weekend...well, I'm glad you asked, let me tell you > about it! I went multi family camping and handed a rec paddler my GP. He is a retired helicopter pilot and really understood how to use it with almost no explanation. I think I have him converted. Jim et al *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Well, since you asked. I went for a hike to Punchbowl Falls in the Columbia River Gorge. It was pretty warm. There were cute young things by the dozen along the trail, mostly wearing bikinis. This is by no means typical of hiking in the Gorge. Turns out, someone had decided that the happening place for the high school crowd last weekend was the swimming hole below the falls. And did the word ever get out. It wasn't Woodstock, but it was very weird for the usually staid Gorge. Didn't have a camera, but my brain is still seared with images. Fortunately, the high school crowd doesn't go beyond the falls, so I imagine the hike beyond is still pristine. But I'll never know, since I didn't go past the falls. Brad Quoting Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>: > Tent cabanas lined the sandy beaches as I paddled back to the launch ramp > with cute girls in bikinis throwing sticks for their golden retrievers to go > fetch. It was all I could do to resist fetching one of the sticks myself. I > could have used a scratch behind the ears from a cute girl in a bikini. > > Photos and more at my blog www.nwkayaking.net. > > So .... what did YOU do this weekend? > > > Craig Jungers > Moses Lake, WA > www.nwkayaking.net *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
So you'll never know because you never ventured past the bikinis! -----Original Message----- Fortunately, the high school crowd doesn't go beyond the falls, so I imagine the hike beyond is still pristine. But I'll never know, since I didn't go past the falls. Brad *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
And your point would be........ On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 9:04 PM, Mark Sanders <marksanders_at_sandmarks.net>wrote: > So you'll never know because you never ventured past the bikinis! > > -----Original Message----- > > Fortunately, the high school crowd doesn't go beyond the falls, so I > imagine > the hike beyond is still pristine. But I'll never know, since I didn't go > past the falls. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:58:18 -0700, "Craig Jungers" <crjungers_at_gmail.com> said: > So .... what did YOU do this weekend? The majority of my saturday paddles are basically the same. Start next to Jubilee Yacht club in Beverly Mass and depending on the wind and waves make a course decision. The usual choices are up the coast to Manchester-by-the-Sea, and the islands just beyond that. If the wind/waves are out of the south east/north west paddle to Marblehead and the islands near there. If I'm in shape and the weather is nice the loop is from the put in, to Marblehead, around Children's, then Baker, then Misery islands and then back to the start. One of the guys got motivated and talked his wife into taking her walk on the beach in Nahant, after driving my minivan there for a shuttle... We put in at Pope's landing in Danvers, went out the danvers river, cut over past salem willows, around Marblehead neck, (thomas moore rock had some interesting wave patterns), then south toward Egg rock (off of swampscott), then into the beach at the base of little Nahant. I noticed after passing egg rock that my heart rate was down around 125, so I picked up the pace and pushed myself into the beach. It was nice to know that I'm in good enough shape to push the pace for a mile or so after 13. Total distance was 15 miles, in 2.5 hours. It was nice to string together a series of sections that we usually do as loop paddles and paddle it as a point to point trip. As an additional bonus the forecast of fog until noon didn't pan out and we had mostly sunny conditions with a light breeze. More waves would have been good, but I get tired at about 15 miles and wouldn't want any more challenge ;-) Kirk -- Kirk Olsen *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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