Rolling Wednesday

Rolling on Lake Calhoun this evening. Calhoun is just under the Minneapolis skyline, with beaches, and a paved path all around the lake. Sometimes you can have a hard time just carrying a kayak across the path for fear of taking out a runner, or bicycle, there is that much activity around the lake. This evening SKOAC will be doing a rolling skill session on the North beach. It's been awhile since I spent a lot of time standing in the water helping someone get a roll going, I'm looking forward to it! Also some rumors about a new Q boat in town ...

In the Fog

Last weekend gave us some nice sunsets, and a chance to do some paddling in the fog. I'd done some blind crossings in the past, and this wasn't necessarily that bad, but it was enough that you really had to pay attention to where you were to stay on top of things. The islands are a different place in the fog, there is a whole different kind of beauty when the islands start hiding in the clouds.

Off to the Islands

Off to the islands again this weekend. The weather is looking great, Cowboy Junkies are playing at the "Big Top". Camping on Rocky and Ironwood. Life is good.

Summer Storms

After a day working in an aircraft hanger with the temperature around 90F (32C), the plan was to load the boat and stop by the lake for an evening of rolling to cool down. After a stop by the hanger to load the boat, another stop to pick up some after paddling refreshments, the clouds started to roll in. So My after paddle refreshments turned into a before the storm photo shoot. Just when the line of black clouds went by, the 60 mph (97 kph) gust front came through. Then as I turned to run back to the Jeep, I see a guy in a fishing boat racing back to the boat launch. Now there was at least 15 minutes this guy had to get off the lake before the storm hit. You'd think with all the lightning and thunder he'd get off the lake before the winds and rain ... must have been some good fishing!

Devils Island

First trip to Devils Island! I'd planned trips there a number of times, but the weather always made the trip iffy, and the whole reason to go would be to explore the sea caves. This weekend proved to be an exceptional time for cave explorations.

Intro to Lake Superior

The "SKOAC Intro to Lake Superior" trip went well this year, I hope everyone got something out of it, and will use last weekend as a stepping stone to their own paddling trips out to the islands. Basswood Island is a great first trip because the channel is well protected from the open lake, even if the winds come up, the waves are relatively small.

We did get a circumnavigation of the island in, and checked out the shipwrecks Fedora and the Ottawa. A walk through the woods to see the brownstone quarry would have been brutal with the mosquitoes, a couple people tried, and were beaten back in short order.

Now I have a couple days to get a bunch of wet gear dried out, re-packed, and drive up to Little Sand Bay for the short crossing to York Island for Thursday night, then Devils Island for the 4th. It looks like we'll have an interesting and fun group going up this time, although the plans have been a bit dynamic, and evolving daily, it looks like Dave and I will be the first to arrive and will be picking up the permits. Summer is here!