Our Group



Welcome Paddlin' Chix! Our group of women, who enjoy kayaking, canoeing and rafting, come from diverse backgrounds and share not only experiences, but a unique bond as well. As we explore new rivers, ocean and lake places to take our watercraft, we want to provide a safe venue where women can come and connect with other women, building what we hope will be lasting friendships.

This is our spot to centralize and journal our doings. We can view planned trips, where to shop for equipment, training topics, what to bring on paddle trips, share pictures, stories and more! As we continue to build this place, I hope that it will become an excellent resource for us as we look forward to our many paddle trips together.

(The posts on this blog are written by Becky except where noted)

Friday, September 2, 2011

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.

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