New Hobby

I have a new hobby to help keep me active in the winter. I have a couple of friends in Pierre that have been snowshoeing this winter, so last week I ordered a pair for myself. I've been out three times this weekend and I am really enjoying it. Best part is that it won't even interfere with my paddling!

First Paddle of 2011

At work this morning I was keeping track of the temperature. When it appeared obvious that the high would be 40 degrees, I took the afternoon off to go paddling. After gathering my gear, I headed down to the causeway. The dock on the causeway boat ramp has been removed and chunks of ice litter the ramp and the riprap adjacent. I headed upstream using a "new to me" paddle I recently won on eBay. It is a Flyer #3 wing paddle. Essentially, a wing paddle is another paddle type mostly used for sprinting or endurance racing. More information can be found at http://www.fastkayak.com/wing.html.
I paddled a bit upstream, taking pictures along the way. After, maybe half an hour, I turned about and headed back downstream. I tried to wait for a large chunk of ice to hit a pier on the railroad bridge, but I grew impatient and continued on. I am not sure about the wing paddle yet. The website is correct in that it can add to instability, but I could feel potential when paddling correctly with it. More paddling/testing is needed :)
And on to the pictures...

First ice of the year.

The forecast for yesterday was mid 40s, so I decided to take the afternoon off for a bit of paddling. As some of you know, I have been very disappointed in winter paddling gloves. Every combination I have tried have kept my hands dry, but not warm. The last couple of years I tried the NRS Hydroskin gloves and NRS Reactor gloves. A couple of weeks ago, I tried the Hydroskin gloves with NRS glove liners and still nothing. So, yesterday I wore the Reactor gloves with the glove liners.

After loading the CD Storm GT and some gear, I proceeded to the causeway. I considered going around La Framboise Island, but it was a bit windy, so I launched from  the gravel area near the American Legion cabin and headed towards Dump Island (between La Framboise and Pierre).

On my way down, the gloves performed very well. When I was about 200-300 feet from Dump Island, I noticed the water around the island looked a bit odd ...and shiny. Thankfully I did not go around La Framboise, because the river between Pierre and La Framboise has began to freeze. As I tried to capture some decent pictures of the ice, the wind pushed me into the "ice field". I had to claw my way out with both my hands and my paddle. My hands did get cold on my way back to the Legion, but the Reactor gloves with the glove liners has been the best option for winter gloves thus far. The high in Pierre hit 51 degrees according to NOAA.

From 2010-12-09

From 2010-12-09

From 2010-12-09

From 2010-12-09

November 6, 2010

Catchup

Last Thursday, I intended to go paddling with Sol Brich around La Framboise Island. I didn't get back to Pierre until about 6 PM when he planned to depart though. He was taking a coworker out onto the water, so he went ahead and began his float. I was on the water by 6:30 PM. I had a goal in mind... to catch up with them. As I approached the causeway to finish up my cruise, I saw Sol's pickup leaving the causeway. I made it around the island in just a hair over an hour! Some pictures from Thursday (notice how high the water is):
On Sunday, after returning from stripping cylinders in Chamberlain, I decided to embark on a journey up the Bad River. As I said above, the water is very high and I made it further upstream than I have ever before. I made it a full 4 miles upstream from the Bad River boat ramp... a full 0.5 mile farther than my previous record.Totaling 8 miles for the day.

Lake Vermillion, La Framboise Island, and Hobie mirage drives...

Last Friday, I was in Sioux Falls to catch the Wild Colonial Bhoys play at McNally's Irish Pub. Ryan Snuggerud met me there and we talked a bit and ended up doing a little game planning for the 2011 SDKC. Before heading back to Pierre on Saturday, I stopped at the Lake Vermillion State Recreation Area for a little paddling. Besides one fisherman, I had the lake to myself. First, I paddled from the boat ramp over to the bridge and into the small arm of the lake beyond. I then paddled up towards the dam (see picture below). I started to paddle up the north-south part of the lake, but the wind was blowing pretty good coming down the lake. After attacking the wind for a bit, I decided to head back. I would have liked to have made it up into the Vermillion River but I didn't want to wear myself out before the drive home. I think I spent about an hour on the water.

From 2010-09-18

Yesterday, I went for a paddle around La Framboise Island. When I got to the boat ramp on the causeway, I discovered that the steel ramp onto the dock was underwater!

From 2010-09-25

From 2010-09-25

From 2010-09-25

From 2010-09-25

A couple of pictures showing the dike structure at the end of the channel alongside the island:

From 2010-09-25

From 2010-09-25

It was a great day for a paddle. Not too much to report. Saw numerous ducks and startled one deer, a doe. After turning the corner around the island and heading back towards the causeway, I came across another kayaker. He was pedaling one of the Hobie mirage drive boats, probably something like an 8 foot model.

Converting a canoeist... and eagles.

Sorry that I haven't posted much lately. Beginning in August, I have been doing my field training for work and have been putting in 50-60 hours a week. The OT is nice, but my kayaking time is severely hampered. On Saturday, Chuck and took out a coworker of his that also happens to play ultimate frisbee with me on Wednesdays, Andy. Andy is an experienced canoeist and has done the Boundary Waters with his dad.
Nothing too fancy, we did our bread and butter route around La Framboise Island. We did see quite a few immature bald eagles along the channel/chute alongside the island.