Clues

As I paddled on Upper Klamath Lake last week, I saw several species of birds-pelicans, white egrets, gulls and 'ducks'- even a blue heron- resting on the exposed rocks near Putnam's Point.  The water has dropped maybe three feet, and the willow tree no longer brushes the water. The birds enjoy a safe place out in the open, untroubled by my distant passing.  I pull out my camera, and the low battery symbol is flashing on the screen.  I know I can push it a little and pull off a few exposures before the system collapses.  I was just starting my paddle up the shoreline.  I ran out of tape in my dispenser a couple of days later.  Something else, that I've already forgotten, finished, ran out...whatever it was- there were three things that said to me, 'finis'.  Need I say that the Fall equinox is this Friday? 

The feeling to hunker down for winter, is on the horizon, but it's not really necessary, yet.  The waters are calming, running low in the rivers, and paying attention to the changes will keep us going for a while.  Changing to warmer clothing, using spray skirts more, checking on river flows to see if rocks are going to be a problem- just a few things to enjoy the changing season.  My summer list of places to kayak, campouts  and hikes have been pleasantly accomplished.  The fall list is fairly small-paddle Spring Creek when the leaves are changing; take the run from Collier Wayside to Chiloquin; paddle Lake of the Woods... maybe Fourmile before it closes? and going with fellow paddlers!

I recharged my camera battery; I bought a new roll of tape; and while I'm still working on my version of a 'dry-top' for water resistant wear while paddling- I'm ready to think about this change of season.  What remains is to connect with paddlers wanting to do the same.  "Getting Connected" was a theme in church this last Sunday- and I am eager to kayak with others who enjoy it, too.   If you are interested in any of the paddles I've mentioned, please let me know and we can work out the times. 

Winter doesn't have come in a hurry and storing my kayak would be in line with missing the marvels of Autumn.  Let's connect and go kayaking!

Waldo Lake & Crater Lake

It's taken a couple of weeks to process the paddle camp that the three of us went on simply because there are too many words to express how satisfying it was. The weather was good, with winds that blew in the afternoon and then with gusto during the night and into the early morning.   Winds died down by the afternoon and put a kabosh on using the kayak sail Mary had rigged.  We found the camp spot across from Shadow Bay 'right where I had left it', and it was available-yeah! Goal one.  Goal two-paddling to Rhododendren Island, find it, and walk it.  Which we did.  If I had known, we could have packed our lunch and enjoyed one of two picnic tables there.  The last I had heard, it was closed to camping, however, the fire pits showed signs of recent use. This year, we just missed the flowers blooming by about three weeks.  Along the way we saw several other paddle-in camp spots I remembered, too.   In a book I have that spoke of Waldo Lake, it said the best way to explore it, is to take several days.  Oh, yes.  There were sandy shores that beckoned, and I saw more to want to go back and explore.  One note of resignation.  If you aren't bundled up for the cold, just assume that a screen tent is a sanity saver worth planning for against the mosquito hoards.  and repellant.  Lots.
Sunday morning dawned over a still lake disturbed eventually by our passage back to the put-in. I saw a humongous beetle doing a back-stroke in the water and made a slow lazy circle (that's about all I could do with my loaded 14 foot kayak) around to check him out. As I leisurely paddled into Shadow Bay, I became aware of a good reason that it might be called that. Through the clarity of the waters was my shadow on the lake bottom.

The legacy of Waldo Lake was exemplified by the departure of a fellow kayaker. I asked his permission to take his picture because I just loved what I was seeing in this family's outing. Thanks, Brendan!

For more Waldo Lake photos, please visit the photo album at the right.

"Wildflowers At Plaikni Falls, Crater Lake, NP"

And Crater Lake.  Just visited there yesterday to hike the new trail up to Plaikni Falls.  A nice easy path, and RIGHT NOW the park is awash in a proliferation of Wildflowers!

"Plaikni Falls, Crater Lake, NP"

Vist soon, they won't last much longer.