San Juans, Sprague and Sails

      I usually handle the technical end of this blog, but Becky is on vacation this week so she asked me to write the post.      
      For the San Juan trip we now have 11 ladies who have paid their deposit and I can easily see having 12, the maximum per group allowed by Sea Quest Expeditions , by the time it is all said and done. This means we are assured of having our own private kayak tour, as there was a 10 person minimum for private tours, and it assures us of the discounted group price we have been figuring on. It also means we are going to have an outrageously fun time!!! Bring your Depends if you have bladder control problems because we are going to laugh our heads off.
      Becky also asked me to report on the paddle trip Charlotte, Wendy and I took last Saturday. It started off with me baptizing Charlotte in the icy cold Sprague River. Well, not exactly, but when I “seal” launched her off the bank she went bottom up in the river. Charlotte is an experienced paddler, but this is the second time she has gotten wet. Both times I guess I had a little something to do with it, but she forgives me. The first time was last October when we took a group of ladies to Lake of the Woods. She let a lady use stable little “Kermit” while she paddled our sit-on-top “Flipper”. True to his name, he flipped her off. This time I told Charlotte that if she was going to keep “goin’ under” we ought to make it count for something - like maybe we could capitalize on these immersions to rebaptize her. Anyway, back to the Sprague River, it was low (304 cfs). It was at half the flow of this same time last year when we went with Peg (592 cfs), which made for a lot of rock dodging and a slower and less fun ride. However, one thing about the rivers in our area – the Williamson, Wood and Sprague – they are great practice for learning to control your boat. Maneuvering through the tight turns on the Wood and around the shoal shelves and rocks in the Williamson and the Sprague lends confidence for successfully paddling Class II rivers like the Rogue.
      In the Training Topics section to the right, I have posted an article on the use of a whistle, its necessity and limitations, when used in kayaking. I have also added a "Fun Stuff" section.
     Last but not least, it’s time to buy a sail for my kayak. I have consulted Peg about this because she has sailed a kayak. She owns a tandem Klepper kayak (which is for sale BTW) which we sailed to Doe Island in Howard Prairie Lake a couple of years ago. I drove to my office late on Wednesday and when I saw the wind kicking up white caps on Lake Ewauna, I felt the adrenalin rush and decided my next purchase needs to be a sail. The question is, which one to buy as there are several on the market. I am favoring the Spirit Sail but the jury is still out. Here is a short You Tube video of a guy rippin’ along with a similar sail. Pacific Action Sails (They even used a white Prijon Seayak exactly like mine in the ad. Think that’s a sign?) With as much wind as we have and with the lake nearby, Peg and I decided that having sails mounted on the hard shell kayaks would be a heck of a lot of fun. These are downwind sails so basically you point your boat down wind and let the wind carry you – not a lot of technical sailing experience needed. The next best thing to paddling rapids is to paddle swells and troughs - compliments of the wind. -Mary

Vernal Equinox

Oooh-La-La!! The calendar says spring starts on Saturday!  A few bushes outside my house are hinting that it's so....temps are rising, but the water is still pretty cold out there.  Until earlier in the week, I felt like I had been keeping my head ducked for more winter, like there was going to be one more ball to drop.  Then, someone said, "Spring starts on Saturday" and my head went up! Spring! Take those noisy tires off! Dust off the kayak! Check that equipment  (one paddle-TWO blades) and I've started going past my street after work  to the marina at Moore Park to sit and look at the water, listen to the wind, the waves and the birds.  I look at the waves and think, " that's not so bad...I can paddle through  that..."  or, after spying a fishing boat motoring  towards Pelican Marina, and seeing the trailer parked in the lot, "what does he know that I don't?  If he can go out, why couldn't I? Maybe I could just bring my kayak down and put in the water, and paddle around the marina inlet here...." Anyone else turning the season?

Getting Ready

It seems that half the fun of getting ready for an event is in the prep work.  Whether its a birthday party, or a campout,  gathering in all the stuff can be like turning a kid loose in a candy store.  Whoa.  Enter the professor who KNOWS. Oh, no, check it out-the old Templar knight sitting in the cave with dozens of challis'   who says, "Choose wisely!"    Planning  is knowing what you need for the situation, or backing up a bit, asking what the situation IS.  Forgive me if I'm preaching to the choir- I offer these thoughts:  when thinking about what your event is, consider what you will need to be safe, comfortable and have fun.  Safe may be more information.  Do you understand the place and time (season) of where you will be? Comfort as in food, clothing, shelter; and fun-ACCESSORIES!  This is where it could get crazy....cameras, binoculors,  including  kayaks, paddles and gear, gear, gear.  My list is filling up of needful things based on knowledge, experience, and some expectation.   I will have a dry run,  to lay out and  pack the stuff  and throw a little dirt on the tent so it doesn't look so brand new.  Another good thing in getting ready is another set of eyes to look for holes or excesses. (Can you trade your giant pillow for a smaller version?)  The rest of the fun comes  in the middle of the party when you NEED that match to light the candles and  you HAVE IT!   or, on that chill morning when you crawl out of your warm sleeping bag--there's nothing more rewarding than making that hot cuppa to hold in your cold hands.  Plan well!

 The emails have been sent.  The mail with our reservations sent. Dates established. Costs calculated.  The San Juan trip is underway.  If you missed any of this, be sure to contact Mary for any needed information. 
Today, I don't have anything clever to say.  Rather,  reflective after talking to a friend who mentioned "her fears".  Everyone has them, I responded. Since then I've been thinking about what is said about fears...face them...tackle them with knowledge...whatever it is,  it's better when we can deal with them, rather than ignore them. It asks for courage,  gains confidence and brings peace to that place formerly occupied by anxiety.   I've been studying these words:  "Be anxious for nothing..." (Phillipians 4:6-7) and  facing  more of my fears hiding in the shadows.  Bit by bit, as I practice the rest of this verse,  those shadows will become places of peace.  One of my current favorite movie lines and scenes is from "Forbidden Kingdom" (with Jackie Chan). A young man is venting his anxiety to his teacher about whether or not he can accomplish his task.  The teacher responds: "Don't forget to breathe!"  Ah, what a good place to start!