View Full Version : Kayakers??
AngelsSix
09-30-2007, 22:24
I didn't want to hijack the RV thread.... where are our kayakers?? Where are your best spots?
Lake Powell, AZ on a Dagger Magellan. Nice times.
Oregon has some very good white water. It is a secret so don't tell anyone.
Surgicalcric
10-01-2007, 07:38
All I know is east coast whitewater sooo...
Nantahala River in Western NC (Class1 - Class4 Rapids) is great for beginners or those wanting to work on technique without the hassle of large rapids.
Chattooga River on the SC/GA border (Section 3 has mostly Class 3/4 and one class 5 rapid while Section 4 is mostly class 4/5's with one class 6 rapid) is a good river for a more advanced paddler, especially section 4.
Ocoee River (Upper/middle section) in Tenessee is a great place as well. Again a mix of class 3/4 and a couple 5's.
New River Gorge and Gauley in W. Virginia are a couple other good choices if you are a more experienced paddler, unless you just like practicing your rolls. My first few trips down the Gauley I spent more time in the water than I did in my boat. I would also not bring a low/mid volume boat here. The drop rates are too great IMO for a small boat.
Those are the most common ones close to Pope/Bragg that I have paddled. There are a few smaller rivers around if you are interested as well.
Crip
Rumblyguts
10-01-2007, 08:14
The Apostle Islands are a good spot off the tip of WI. One can base out of the Red Cliff area for a few day trips or strike out to the islands for an extended trip. There are a few submereged wrecks in that area as well.
Farther down the South Shore in the UP is Pictured Rocks National Park. Great red-colored sandstone, some caves, and pasties galore (that's food, not the things that that Rick's dancers would wear). If I remember, adjacent on the east side is a state or natural park with some nice dunes.
MN DNR has a Water Trail on the North shore with a string of 34 campsites and 78 rest areas for kayakers from Duluth to Pigeon Point -- along the entirety of Minnesota's shore with Lake Superior. A nice trip would include going past Tetagouche State Park and climbing above the waves at Shovel Point or Palisade Head.
Up at the US/Canadian border one can catch a ferry out to Isle Royale. Paddle along the island and day-hike the interior. The island has been home to many wolf/moose predator/prey studies, and you'll probably get raided by the foxes.
There might be some whitewater on the St. Louis River west of Duluth as I've heard of an anual rodeo there.
Ret10Echo
10-01-2007, 09:23
Some less challenging but rather scenic areas is along the Eastern Shore of MD. Now that the migrations are starting it makes for some great bird-watching and paddling through the Blackwater NWR and other areas.
Rumblyguts
10-01-2007, 12:09
Lake Nipigon, Ontario.
The put-in was about 3 hours north of Thunder Bay, and this is a big lake in a very remote area; a true wilderness experience. No established campsites, just crash where there is room. We saw one plane, and one commercial fishing boat on a 5-day trip. One of the few times where I wondered if anybody had walked where I did on the shores.
Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone N.P.
Put-in at West Thumb, then paddled around the south end of the lake. Great wildlife, and if you paddle far enough, you can get out of the burn-out area to see a great contrast of ecosystems.
Notes: I did these trips in 24' canoes, but the outfit that I used to work for converted these trips to kayak for safety. The lakes can get awfully choppy and the water is cold (38 degrees?).
Sionnach
10-02-2007, 12:31
I do kayak fishing, but I'm looking at whitewater boats.
Chattahoochee for Trout
Lake Lanier for Stripers
Flint River for Shaol Bass
All kinds of other places for whatever is bitin'
River fishing in a kayak is a hoot!
I mostly do the Cuyahoga River with a HazMat suit on. Don't want to pick up any small animals or viruses.:eek:
Anyone kayaked out on Puget Sound before?
Anyone kayaked out on Puget Sound before?
Yep, it's great, especially north of Seattle in the San Juans off of Lopez. Good for whale watching, etc.
Also great is up north in SE Alaska: Glacier Bay, Prince William Sound, Misty Fjords. . . Pretty much the entire inside passage.
cheers,
Books
x SF med
10-05-2007, 00:03
Anyone kayaked out on Puget Sound before?
Does sailing by the kayakers count? Put the fear of God into a couple of them during a regatta this summer, they paddled into the finish area and thought they could win a pissing contest with a Santa Cruz 52. Up at Whidbey Island in July we nearly speared one with a One Design 35 (1D35) - this time the guy was paddling the start line. Most of my kayaking and canoeing is done away from boats that can kill me, on water that will do the job very nicely.
Does sailing by the kayakers count? Put the fear of God into a couple of them during a regatta this summer, they paddled into the finish area and thought they could win a pissing contest with a Santa Cruz 52. Up at Whidbey Island in July we nearly speared one with a One Design 35 (1D35) - this time the guy was paddling the start line. Most of my kayaking and canoeing is done away from boats that can kill me, on water that will do the job very nicely.
Oh yea! I know what you're talking about but seriously, its one of the nicest places you can kayak around..esp. if you have the time and the friends around you...and if you're lucky as far as the killer whales coming around during the season...absolutely loved it..but that was ten-twelve years back when I last went out there..
There is some very nice kayaking around the Northern Neck of VA. Gotta find all the secret put in spots though. ;)
I was out this weekend and found a fossilized whale vertebrae, the darn thing is near the size of my face. Makes a pretty sweet paper weight now.
I am going to post a guide to kayaking the whole coast of the Neck in a month or so. Put in spots, trail discriptions. I will post a link here when I finally get it done.
p.s. Dry suits are great! Nothing like taking a nice swim when there are ice sickles around.
Ok and now if you have not seen this video before enjoy, all I will say is that there are kayaks involved:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWqIPkHJzNM&feature=related
Its real.... I promise ;)
A lot of folks ride waves on kayaks in Carlsbad, CA by the smokestacks. Looked like fun.
hunteran
01-28-2008, 00:06
A lot of folks ride waves on kayaks in Carlsbad, CA by the smokestacks. Looked like fun.
Near the Encinas power plant?
I've been kayaking out of La Jolla cove a couple of times, its pretty cool to go out to the kelp beds and look around (especially if you bring a mask and snorkel).
Daredevil63
04-10-2008, 17:05
For you whitewater boaters search out americanwhitewater.org. It shows every river that has a rapid in it in the US. It gives discriptions, directions, and pictures on all the rivers, great site.
Daredevil out
Matta mile
04-10-2008, 20:09
BTW,
Should anyone want to freshen up their deck cord (black low stretch 3/16" dia) or deck bungie please leave me a PM with your address and I will get some out to you.
We manufacture deck cord and bungee for Kayak Mfg's where I work.
MM
Weedon Island Park, across the bay from MacDill and Honeymoon Island in Dunedin, Tampa area. Weedon has mangrove swamps with kayak trails cutting throughout the park. This afternoon I had the kids out on Honeymoon Island and watched a dolphin pod swim within 30 feet of a kayaker, pretty cool! Weather was 85 and sunny, can't beat it! :)
ZonieDiver
12-12-2008, 01:03
Lake Pleasant, AZ can be very, well, pleasant. So are the Salt River reservoirs - especially Canyon Lake. As was mentioned, putting the kayak in at La Jolla Shores by the "old" Sea Lodge and paddling over to the caves, Cove, or kelp can make for a nice day.
It is also great to kayak-dive there, since it can be a long swim out to the drop-off. I have a sit-atop: Cobra Fish-n-Dive... very stable for those entries and exits! Kayaked out at Isla San Pedro Nolasco (aka "Seal Island"), offshore from San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. Great way to get further from the dive boat and all the "troops"!
I focus on whitewater kayaking, but do some kayak fishing once in a while. If anyone is in the New England area and looking for some great white water I suggest the Tariffville Gorge in Simsbury/East Gramby, CT. Great white water year round, in the spring, after a heavy rain fall and on scheduled openings of the dam up river there is a section that produces a wave close to 12 feet high. Great area to paddle and there is always other kayakers around willing to show visitors the area and for safety so bringing a buddy is not essential. Really great paddling!
rm1240
AngelsSix
12-12-2008, 22:22
If anyone in the greater Moore cty, Cumberland cty, et. al would be interested in some weekend floats, send me a message. If I am not working on base or teaching a CCH class we usually get a good group of folks to go float, even if it is just a day trip. The guys tend to go on weekenders, we gals tend to stay home for those.:D We prefer the day spa experience.;)
You sea kayak guys might find this race interesting:
http://www.watertribe.com/UltimateFlorida/UltimateFloridaOverview.aspx
Some of you are probably crazy enough to try it :D