“Spend as much time as possible on mountains, in small boats, or otherwise out in the weather; if you never get wet, cold, exhausted or scared, you won’t properly appreciate being dry, warm, rested and safe.” ~ Peter Jay

"I’m an adventuring river rat at heart. Put me on a floating piece of driftwood and I’m happy." ~ Christina Glauner

"There’s folly and foolhardiness on one side and daring and calculation on the other." ~ C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower novels

Thursday, April 30, 2009

This is sooo John...

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Earth Day Paddle

As some already know, I will not be able to attend the SDCA Earth Day cruise on the Big Sioux this Saturday. On Friday I will be taking the PE Exam in Rapid City and I am not going to feel like driving back to Pierre  Friday evening. So I took this afternoon off of work and went paddling.
The temperature was in the 80s; it is 87 right now (5PM). I put in at the ramp near the polo fields and paddled around Farm Island. I also took a short detour into the island. The trip ended up being about 8.2 miles. As I paddled downstream, I had to fight the wind but it wasn't too bad; only in the teens. When I came around the end of the island the wind calmed.


From 2009_04_22
I managed to get a couple of pretty awesome pictures of pelicans...
From 2009_04_22

From 2009_04_22

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Into Farm Island

The temperture was in the mid 60s and the wind was under 15 mph so John and I decided to go paddling. We met at the main Farm Island boat ramp and paddled into the interior of the island. Nothing much else to report. We covered 3.9 miles.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

April A La Framboise

After work yesterday, John and I decided to take a cruise around La Framboise Island. It was a beautiful day for a paddle; the high was 65 degrees and the the wind was calm. We covered 5.75 miles.
From 2009_04_13
The water was almost too low to sneak through the "island channel" but we persevered. We did have to use our hands to help get over a fallen tree and the dike, but we remained in our boats.
From 2009_04_13
Picturesque.

Slide show of the pictures I took; including a few of pelicans.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

11th paddle of 2009

I went out paddling today despite the wind. The temperature broke 60 degrees, but the wind was gusting up to 30 mph. I put in near the American Legion cabin and paddled along La Framboise Island down to Dump Island (around it) and back. The trip totaled 3.8 miles and felt refreshing... the breeze and water in my face... could be similar to actually paddling in the ocean :)
From 2009_04_11
From 2009_04_11
I wasn't alone on the water!

April

Yesterday afternoon I went for my first paddle of April this year. John had his RV at the Oahe Downstream campground (notice I did not say he was camping) so I met him and a couple of newbie paddlers that Chuck coerced into the hobby. Not to much to say, we paddled up the stilling basin to the dam, then down to the main channel, then back to the rocky beach by the campsites. Totaled appoximately 4 miles.
From 2009_04_10
From 2009_04_10
From 2009_04_10
From 2009_04_10
"So, what time was the dam going to  release water?"
From 2009_04_10
From 2009_04_10