Sunday, July 31, 2011

July 22-24 Little Tupper Lake

On Friday July 22nd we headed to Little Tupper Lake for a camping trip. We launched our boats at the William C. Whitney Wilderness Area in the town of Long Lake, NY. (1 1/2 hour north of Warrensburg)  New York State acquired this property from the Whitney family in 1997 and it became open to the public in 1998. Little Tupper Lake is approximately 1 mile across and 6 miles long. Motors are not allowed on the lake. There are no fees to use the facility. Camping is on designated campsites on a first come, first serve basis. The sites are barely visible from the water and have quite some distance between them.
 After we were welcomed by a Park Ranger and given the rules of the area, we packed our kayaks and headed out.  From the launch area you can see the Whitney home across the lake, This weekend we kayaked and camped with Doug & Cindy, Gary & Sharon & Arvin. The shallowness of the lake and the prevailing winds will often result in large waves. For this reason, we used our spray skirts to keep water out of our boats. We were in the middle of a heat wave, so the temperature was hot! Tim, Gary & I wore bandanas to keep the sweat from running down our faces and to protect the guys from the sun. The waves were larger than we would have liked, so we paddled close to shore.
Ranger gives us the Rules

We paddled about 2 miles to get to our sites. Because our group would end up with 9 of us, we had to get 2 sites. There is a maximum of 8 campers on the campsites. Gary, Sharon & Arvin set up camp on site #4. They would be joined by Sharon's daughter Jessica, her husband Rich and their son Cade. Doug, Cindy, Tim & I were on site # 6. Our site was really nice. Our tents were up on a hill overlooking the lake. We had plenty of room and a beautiful view of the lake. 
Our kayaks

We spent the rest of Friday afternoon setting up our campsite and swimming. Gary, Sharon & Arvin came over for chili & cornbread for dinner. As we sat around talking before dinner we were attacked by flies! They weren't black flies, they were more like HOUSE flies! They really bite too! In spite of the the hot temperature, we ended up putting on long pants to keep them from biting. But that wasn't enough. I had to resort to extreme measures to cover my ankles. Bug spray didn't keep them away, so I used... bandanas!
Bandana Bug Protection
Cindy's Chili & Cornbread!
 When I was swimming, I went around the rocks where we had parked our boats and discovered that we had a nice sandy area. Doug named it "Nancy's Beach".

After dinner I went down and sat on the rocks by the shore while Tim paddled out farther in the lake to purify some water. While he was gone, a beaver swam up to a little cove near where I was sitting. It saw me move, slapped it's tail at me and went under water. When it surfaced again it went back into the cove to chew on some leaves that were on a limb laying in the water. It was fun to watch it swim and eat.
Tim purifies our water


The beaver swims away (upper left)


 On Saturday morning we got up and got moving so we could paddle farther down the Lake. Tim's back was killing him. Between already being sore and then sleeping on the ground... he was hurting. After we had breakfast we started out. There were some waves on the water, so we put our spray skirts on. We hadn't paddled very far when I felt a fly biting my legs! I had trapped one under my cover. I had to stop and open the cover to let him out. Once he was gone, I could enjoy the paddle.

We like to check other campsites as we go around the Lake. One site had some interesting brick columns. It makes you wonder what they were once a part of.
3 Brick columns


We made a rest stop at a nice sandy beach area. There were wild blueberries growing on the shore that we made a snack of. We took a swim and relaxed. Once we finished swimming we got back in our boats and decided to head back. The paddle was going to be a little tougher since the wind and waves had picked up. We decided to head straight across the Lake rather than follow the shore. The paddle back was a little tougher than the paddle out. We parked our boats at "Nancy's Beach" and went back up to camp. A little later we went down for a swim.
Swimming out at the Blueberry beach
Wild Blueberries

Beach grasses

In the evening we had our dinner and a nice "little" fire before going to bed for the night. The loons weren't as loud during the night as they had been on Friday night,
Doug makes a small fire
 Sunday morning we were up early to start breaking down camp before breakfast, Gary was going to grill some rolls and SPAM for a nice breakfast sandwich. We made the sandwices and topped them off with some Cheez Whiz for a tasty treat.
Gary grills breakfast

Time to dish up

We had a pretty easy paddle back to the launch. The waves weren't too big, so we cut straight across the lake again. It was a great trip. We would like to go back for a day trip to paddle the other end of the Lake.

Sunday morning sunrise

Nance & Tim

Saturday, July 9, 2011

July 9, 2011 Kaydeross Creek


Today Tim & I decided to paddle on Kaydeross Creek. We have avoided it for several years because when we paddled it in 2008 (or 2009?) we came upon a very large tree that had fallen across the creek and totally blocked the way through. We had to get out of our boats and try to find a way over the tree and then find a spot to get back in the boats. I had a lot of trouble and Tim finally had me get back in my kayak and shoved me over the tree and back into the water. Since that is NOT an option with our current kayaks, we have stayed away.

Where Nancy launched from


So, once again we put in at Grays Crossing near North Line Road in Ballston Spa. There is a short carry from the parking lot to the creek. We put my boat in first. It was very muddy and created a big muddy suction on my feet.  Once I was seated in my boat I tried to ignore all of the mud that ended up in the bottom of my kayak.




Where Tim launched from



Tim noticed a better spot to launch from, so he carried his kayak over a foot bridge to an area with less mud. He said he had much better footing there. I waited along the side of the creek for him to get settled in his boat and catch up to me.

And off we went...





View from the first turn.




This was the view as we started out. The water was shallow and there was some current, but no problem paddling through.













We passed this stump with day lilies growing on it.
It was prettier in person.







We enjoyed the luxury that you didn't always have
to paddle. There was usually plenty of current to keep you moving. Here I am, just floating along.
There were some areas where this worked against you. When we had to paddle around log jams, there were areas that you had to paddle hard to avoid trees & rocks along the side of the creek. When we went around one log jam Tim stayed left and I kept a little farther to the right. I was able to duck under some branches and get through. Tim got pushed up against a tree by the strong current and had great difficulty getting free. He injured his back in the process and there will be no kayaking tomorrow.

Tim hits the "rapids"

At this point we still hadn't gotten to the Rt. 9 overpasses yet! We approached a turn in the creek and could hear the water moving around the turn... "rapids". We pulled off to the side to evaluate the best spot to go over the little rapids. We decided the center was the best, and Tim went first (my sacrificial lamb). That spot worked for Tim, so I followed in the same spot. It was a fun little ride. The concern is that there might be a rock hiding in the ripples of water.



My guy





We had some really nice water along this section.
We didn't see much wildlife on this trip. We usually see a number of birds at the least.








Finally we make it to Rt. 9 ! It had taken us 90 minutes to get there. We still had to go under I 87 and paddle a little farther to get where we parked my car. We never had to stop for the Big Tree that had kept us away for 2 years. I can't even say that I could tell you where it had been! There was 1 spot though where we did have to get out of our boats and pass our kayaks over a tree limb (in thigh deep water) and then sit on the limb to get back in. It had all worked out so well;      UNTIL....


We hit the BIG log jam!!!!! There was no getting around or over this one. It was just a tangled mess of trees, limbs & sticks. There was no choice. We had to get out, carry our kayaks up the hill and get around the jam and back down to the water. Tim had hurt his back, so this was not the best thing for him to be doing. We carried my boat first and then had to go back for his boat. Twice the fun!

The view from the top of the hill as we moved the boats













 

Boats in the mud while we decide where it's best to re-load



















    We finally make it to the I 87 overpasses.










Just a short paddle now to get to the area where we parked my car. We pulled off to the side of the creek and got out. We had to carry the boats over a little water and up a hill to the car. The mosquities were as thick as thieves! We got my kayak up to the car and had to go back down to get Tim's kayak. It took us 2.5 hours to get from the start to the finish. If we had no log jams to deal with, it would have been a great paddle. But as I look at Tim sitting here with the lumbar support behind his back, I am pretty confident that we won't be paddling the Kaydeross again any time soon. The only way around it would be if we paddled with someone willing to bring (and use) a large chain saw! We do not recommend this trip for "the Yakkers".

Our muddy kayaks are still sitting on top of my car. Normally Tim would have them washed, dried & hung back in the garage. Hopefully tomorrow we'll be able to get them down. I volunteered to drive around with them on my roof all week, while he rests his back!

July 8 Sherman Island with my girls!

For Mother's Day, Erin & Megan planned to take me kayaking. They thought, and I agree; that it would be nice to have a Mother/daughter day on the water. Erin ended up with a horrible case of the Flu, including a trip to the E.R., so we had to postpone. Then there was the Bridal Shower, the Wedding, our trip to Washington state, rainy weather...  The new date was selected, the weather forecast was promising and we were psyched.
The girls arrive

Sue is ready to go in her new life vest
 I got home from work at 4 PM. Erin was there and Tim already had the Jeep all loaded with our kayaks and gear. Megan gets out of work at 5 PM and would hurry home so we could head straight out. We wanted to make the best of our time before sunset. At about 4:15 it started raining out. Actually it was pouring! The sky was dark, and we were a little concerned. In nearby Sillwater they were being hit with thunder & lightning as well! We stayed optomistic and thankfully the rain stopped and the sun came back out. Megan rolled in about 5:45. She ran in to change, we loaded her car and off we went.

We chose Sherman Island as our destination for several reasons: it's beautiful there, the water is almost always calm, and it is seldom crowded. We weren't disappointed! The water was as smooth as glass and there wasn't any one else there!

We headed off and Erin immediately started to rock her boat from side to side. "I love to rock!" She's a nut.  Ranger Sue was on Megan's boat wearing her new life jacket that I made for her to surprise Megan.
I was in my boat ready to enjoy my Mother's Day in July!
Tim stayed on shore while we paddled. He came prepared with his crossword puzzles to keep him busy while we were gone.
Nance, Erin & Megan
 As we paddled I told the girls to watch for the Bald Eagle that Tim & I had seen last weekend. I really wanted them to get the chance to see it. Megan had her camera with her and would have been able to get some great pictures.

We paddled, and talked, and laughed. It was nice. It was special. I was really enjoying my time with my girls. There aren't many times when we get to spend time alone like this. It was the first time Megan & Erin had been here. They were surprised that we were on the Hudson River; mainly because the water was so calm.
I explained to them that since we were between dams, there was very little current.
Erin & Megan head out

I showed them some of our favorite areas: where we had a picnic, where the hidden bridge is, and the little inlets and islands that are there. As we headed back, the girls started collecting sticks that were floating on the water. It's Erin's thing that she does. Each time she has kayaked with us, she has collected sticks. She got Megan picking up sticks too. It was funny. There aren't even "driftwood".
Since last week, sticks have been removed and this is almost passable!

We watched for the Eagle with out any luck. There were a lot of rings forming in the water where there must have been fish below us. Erin & Megan thought they saw a beaver in the water and we saw a big fish splash.
Sue, Megan and some "driftwood"






Check out the reflection of the girls and the kayaks. The water was so smooth. It was ideal for kayaking!













Tim was waiting for us at the shore. He had enjoyed himself. The air was a nice temperature and there were no bugs. He was able to finish his puzzles and relax. So, we all had a nice evening. Now we need to get a fourth kayak so we can all go together next time!
We arrive at shore after a beautiful evening

Sunday, July 3, 2011

July 3, 2011 Lewey Lake to the Miami River


I was a little worried this morning when I woke up to rain. We were supposed to meet the Yakkers in Mayfield at 8 AM. The forecast was for scattered storms, with most areas staying dry. We loaded up and hit the road. In Rock City Falls it poured! Fortunately we continued on and drove out of the rain. We met the group and headed for Lewey Lake. Day use was $8.00. We parked and unloaded, bringing rain gear and spray skirts with us, "just in case!"
We're here!




The paddle across Lewey Lake is 1.5 miles. Access to the Miami River is at the south end of the lake. I love it when we kayak as a group. It looks pretty as we paddle across in all of our different colored boats. Today we had 10 of us kayaking.






Tim paddles toward the Miami River


The last time Tim & I were here was September 2009. We had rented a cabin at Snowy Mountain Inn for our Anniversary. In 2009 we paddled the Cedar River Flow on Saturday and Lewey Lake/Miami River on Sunday. It rained when we paddled here the last time!






The grass lined Miami River
We navigate the twists and turns of the Miami River.

 
This trip ended up being a showdown between us
and the beavers. I think we ended up crossing
over 5 beaver dams by the end of our paddle.
In 2009 there was only 1. That year we got
out of our boats on the low side, moved the
boats to the high side and got back in. At the
first dam today, Gary was ably to remove some sticks from the edge of the dam and push each of us through. I was glad to be able to stay in my boat!





Gary starts breaking apart the end of the dam

Gary assist us through the opening in the dam 



As we continued down the Miami River we came upon a total of 5 beaver dams. Many times if the water level is right you can paddle hard enough to get over the dam. Not today! At 4 of the dams we were able to have someone break open a space that we could be pushed through. The middle dam was the tough one. The water was flowing over the dam pretty strongly. We went to the left edge, got out of our boats and pushed them through. When I went to step out of my boat the water was too deep and I couldn't reach the bottom. After a little
re-positioning, I was able to get out ok. As I walked in the river to get to my boat, my left foot was stuck in about 12" of mud. It took some work to get it out! We all got re-loaded and went on our way. We talked about the paddle back and being able to ride over the dams as we would be going from the higher water to the lower water. As it worked out, we paddled until the Miami River was too narrow to paddle. We headed back and "sailed" over each of the dams. The current going over the first dam on the way back forced you towards the bushes, so you had to paddle hard on that one. Other than that... smooth sailing!

Gary helps Tim through the opening in the dam

Sharon waits her turn

Current sends Cindy towards the bushes                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Nance slides over a dam

Paddling back across Lewey Lake                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Picnic after a great day of paddling!