Kayak Sodak

New post finally! New paddler, too

2010-06-22T11:57:00.001-07:00

P1050436
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

Two of my best friends ever - Keith and Brian - joined me for a little op on Grass Lake just west of SIoux Falls last weekend. Keith was a novice's novice, not having paddled in several years and while we considered the Big Sioux River, we decided against it because it is so high.

Grass Lake seemed like a smarter, safer choice, and the pelicans agreed!

We hit the water before noon, and we had the lake to ourselves. The temps were mid 80s but the wind was pretty much non-existent, pry 3-5 mph from the west.

Keith had little if any difficulty making his way down the lake. It was fun to watch him learn, and I took care not to over-coach, as that is all one needs when they are learning something, to have someone constantly shouting new advices.

We covered the length of the lake, but we saw no critters on any banks. We did have pelican accompaniment, and that was pleasant, and we were able to hop out at one point and stretch and just relax.

It was a great on the water and a good way to get this blog back on track. Big thanks to Keith and Brian for their journeys to join me in Sioux Falls for a fun day on the water. I think now Keith will pry seek out more paddling operations. I hope so.

Finally - we are back on this bloggo

2010-03-16T12:01:00.000-07:00

Hola amigos, amigas!

Been a long time since we got cracking on this blog. Just finished a pool event last Sunday and hope for another one on March 28. Want to join us? Write Jarett at

jbies0341@hotmail.com

We'lll update this more often in the near future.

Vikes win for my inaugural Lambeau visit

2009-11-02T20:29:00.001-08:00

IMG_2814
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

Not paddling related, but the nature of the game warrants this transgression.

Got to see Favre return to Lambeau. Got to see that, and watch the Vikes establish the distance between themselves and their archrival.

It was awesome. Here's some pix.

Video coming, including my first-person take on the "First Snap of Favre" which is cool.

Praise Cheesus!

J

More pix at Iron Bieso on Flickr.

Lake Benton - Found the island

2009-07-21T06:56:00.001-07:00

P1020034
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

I took off about 4 p.m. Sunday, July 19, and drove to Lake Benton, determined to find the island all the maps show on the far northern/eastern end of the lake.

But I had no idea where to put in to best reach the island. I drove through town, then past it a little ways and took a left to head towards the lake.

I hit water and a nice little beach perfect for kayak launching. The area was dotted with benches but there was really no one around, so I got unloaded and on the water.

Conditions were ideal - little if any winds, mild temperatures and plenty of sun. I was not alone on this long lake in Minnesota, there were plenty of folks out and about on boats either fishing or skiing. I guess the green hue of the water did not dissuade anyone from getting out on a summery afternoon.

I made good time up the southern/eastern shore of the lake, passing mostly cabins and boat docks. I kept reaching points and thinking "The island will certainly be around this one" but after about four of those, I was ready for a leg-stretching break, so I took one.

I finally rounded a bend and noticed what appeared to be an island off to the left. I headed out to it to make sure, then stopped on a strip of sand.

Sure enough, it was the island, and it has its own pond/swamp. There was also a cabin out on the island. I circumnavigated the whole thing - be careful, motor boats, there's a ton of shallow water around this isle - and shot this cool "from the deck" video of the back side.

I saw a few herons, a few sea gulls, and then it was time to gun it back to the car some three miles down the shore.

Lake Benton is cloudy with algae now, but it's still a good place to paddle for me.

Been a while - catching up

2009-07-07T18:05:00.001-07:00

P1000700
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

Summer has taken flight, leaving me away from the keys and this blog.

Hope everyone's been on the water a TON.

We have. Here's some bringing you up to speed stuff. The viddy above is from the Missouri River and our trip with Jimmy Z.

I just realized I have not posted since the May trip. That's sucky. Sorry.

We went to Verm to see Jim and the rain let up later on Saturday and we did High Lines to Clay County. It was great. Look how close we were to this eagle.

There were two that day, and we saw a deer swim across in front us, all the way across a good 50-yard stretch. It was pretty amazing. Herons galore, too.

We had good weather, pry cause we dressed for rain. It was a fun run, and that route takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours. It's an easy put-in and take out.

The following weekend we were out in the Hills, had a great time on Pactola. We considered Deerfield Lake, but the reservoir was a half-hour closer, and it was just gorgeous.

We met some Black Hills paddlers on the lake, and that was nice. The water seemed colder than East River lakes, but it might have been my imagination. It temped out on my thermometer at about 60.

We had hoped to hit mucho water, but did not make it to other lakes, we were too busy enjoying time with the family.

The following weekend found us in Chamberlain for a wedding, and look at my friend, Chris, seconds after getting in the kayak for his first ever paddle.

He was a natural. He was fishing and drinking a beer and rolling a cigarette all while we bounced in the Missouri River. It was impressive.

We did not have success with the fish, but it was a fun op and I am sure Chris will want to go out again. Hopefully we'll do it soon. Keep fishing, DPZ.

I gave an intro session at Garretson the following weekend, and then over the Fourth we went to Vermillion and ran High Lines to Clay County Park again.

Laura and I, along with Dawn and Craig Myron and Bret Menard, we had a hootenanny out there on the water, and there were tons of boats and floaters and campers and such. Good action, though, that route is easy Japanesey and we enjoyed our day.

Mad world-saving props out to Rick Johns - he let us borrow a paddle because yours truly forgot to pack five - and to Jay Heath for the kayak loan so all five of us could go.

Rick's paddle is really cool, Craig and I both used it. I liked trying something new, but Craig, who was on his second-ever paddle, said he preferred the traditional wide-bladed paddle.

Thank you, Rick. Saved our bacon.

Laura is now 1 and 1 with the red boat we call Wendy, or Tippy Wendy, or Red Wendy. May 2008 she dumped in Lake Benton but rocked it and set pace all the way down the Mo on July 5.

Where will we end up next? Mille Lacs? Superior?

Not sure. Big Sioux for sure on Saturday - and there's an SDCA event at 9 a.m. Sunday, July 12, at the Klondike dam, South Dakota side, below the dam, paddle to Canton, about 3 hours.

Larry Braaten is running that show. Go join him. Why not?

We conclude our story ...

2009-05-27T18:34:00.001-07:00

P1000178
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

Can't say enough how much we owe our skins to Caleb and Chris, who dialed us in before we left and literally pulled us out when we were done.

We had a nice night of camping the second night - this time along the Cheyenne River.

Caleb was right: We never suffered for a need of fuel for our fire. We could find all sorts of logs, some jammed into other trees from the recent flooding.

We awoke on Sunday - Jim led the way on getting up and at them - to another glorious morning in West River, no wind, mild temps, and another boat-load and go ... we were going to make our noon hook-up time at the SD Highway 34 Bridge.

We were making good time, but it wasn't long before we realized we would be late. Had we put in an extra hour before camping each night, perhaps we'd have been closer. Could have been the wine at night ... or the need to sleep in a bit, after all, we were on vacation.

We called a halt even though we were running behind and luckily we got a signal on a phone, texted Caleb, and had him meet us at the Four Corners Bridge instead of the one at 34. We were all pretty clueless as to how easy/hard it'd be to take out there.

It was not the former.

We originally went to the left side (west) of the bridge, but Caleb hollered down to come to the other side at the last minute. Brian and Jim made it but I was caught up in some shallows and had to hand-fight my way back into the channel. From start to finish - challenges.

Since it was almost a quarter mile from the water to the ends of the bridge (showing just how high the Cheyenne can get) we opted for a tow strap extraction.

It worked slick with the dry bags and packs ... but then up the boats had to go.

Chris and Caleb showed those SCUBA diver muscles and after the first two boats went up, it was time for my slightly-longer, heavier fiberglass job. No photos - it was hard to watch. I am sure it would have survived a fall, but alas, not fun to imagine as we watched them fight it up over the edge.

Then we were off - back to Pierre - then back to Elkton. It was a long trip - a great one though. Something to remember. We'd lost some gear, faced some challenges on the water and in the wild, but we made it home with stories, photos, and video.

Plastic boats are the way to go on gravel-bottomed trips like this. My glass boat sustained a few scars but she's fine; we needed her for her freighter-like qualities. Plus fiberglass can be buffed out and touched up ... no big whoop.

The twin MVPs of the trip are Jim and Brian. No doubt. Their combined stick-to-itiveness, good humor, patience - and of course plenty of hours of hard paddling, gear hauling, and wood gathering - really, it would have been impossible to make the trip without 'em.

I'm sure all three of us will continue to visit the USGS and consider the flow rates on this route. It's an amazing trip - seems like you go to Mars - but it's not even out of the state! We owned it, learned to respect it, and probably will never forget it.

Thanks, guys - and thanks to you kind reader of this blog. If you are ever considering this same route, feel free to contact me and I'll do everything I can to help.

No hawks ...

2009-05-25T11:14:00.001-07:00

P1000459
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

But Hawks Nest Lake is home to hundreds of cormorants and egrets, and we saw 'em up close as the video shows. This little lake is near Ivanhoe, Minn., and it's not easy to access, but to be this close to so many waterfowl is indeed the reason kayaking is awesome.

More on the Belle Fourche conclusion soon!

Jarett

About that coyote

2009-05-23T22:32:00.000-07:00

You can see him/her. Bit blurry. It was standing with the cattle so I couldn't believe it was a coyote.

Pretty sure it is.

Day Two on the Belle Fourche and Cheyenne Rivers

2009-05-23T11:55:00.001-07:00

P1000298
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

After a nice big fire and a good night's sleep (it was 34 that first night) we awoke to calm conditions and plenty of miles left to make for the second day.

The river was a mix of rapids, shallow spots, and plenty of cut banks like this one. We were often hunting the channel but found we had to get out of our boats less often on day two.

We had great maps and no wind that second day, but the idea of making 90 miles total made me want to push, push, push. I had to balance mission accomplishment and troop welfare often.

There were many places to take breaks, and Brian had prepared some homemade GORP and jerky for us, so we snacked with regular frequency in our boats.

We brought 10 gallons of water along and it was about right for three days.

We heard coyotes the night before and I saw one briefly on the second day. I saw this one (hard to see him, but he's in this picutre) during our second morning.

Overall, though, we did not see much wildlife, some but not a whole lot. Those beaver that dove out of the bank walls would startle you though.

Around 5 p.m. or so we began scouting for camp. We found a nice spot, its only drawback was a ledge we had to scale to load gear. After 7 or 8 hours paddling, hauling gear was never much fun.

We kept expecting this big, dramatic confluence where we would end our Belle Fourche trip and begin our exploring on the Cheyenne, but it was anti-climatic. There was a trickling muddy spot that we later realized must be the confluence. But on we pushed.
We had lots of miles to go but we were whooped. I knew the next day we'd have to get up early and really push it to make our noon extraction time at the SD Highway 34 bridge.

West River rivers really got something

2009-05-21T19:45:00.001-07:00

P1000267
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

You can see the beauty of a self-supported multi-day trip in the video here.

That's Brian and Jim talking, and along with me, we did a three-day trip on the Belle Fourche and Cheyenne Rivers over the May 16 weekend.

Caleb Gilkerson and his first mate, Chris, served as our insert/extract team, plus pre-mission launch intel, and I send 85 percent of our success to all their hard work.

Within the first hour of our actual launch, we experienced:

Lost gear: Four PFDS, four paddle floats, gone.

A dead calf on the bank, stinking and shriveled.

Another one, stinking again, not five minutes later. They both appeared to have drowned in the recent high water.
All this in 59 degree temps with high winds.

With 90 miles to go.

The gravel loved my new trailer plate.

Oh, and I stepped in the mud. Typical East River city slicker ... can't read his clay.

We put in on the Belle Fourche around noon at Enning Road bridge north of Elm Springs.

We knew the flow rates at both this spot and further down the Cheyenne because of the excellent information the USGS site provides. Props out to technology.

Caleb, who runs an outfitter business in Pierre, knew how to read the numbers, too, and advised us of options. We considered doing a 34 to Cherry Creek run, but then we went big.

My look here might show the apprehension. We really had little choice: Came all this way and here I go off on three days sans PFD. But it was 3 hours back to Pierre for replacements. So off I went.
Felt a little naked and a bit like, f-word, what was I thinking? Note the little red bag, too.

The boys hit a shallow sieve-like stretch here.

I pulled a 180, went back up river, turned and came through a big set of rapids, got soaked, lost gear, found it, whew, we were on our way. Three days of this?

We fought wind until camp/unloading time. What do those clouds mean?

Wind. Plenty of it in certain stretches.

It was a good distance from boats to shelter/grass/trees.

I'll finish the story tomorrow ...

But obviously we made it back and it was fun. The first day was certainly something.

We only did half

2009-04-27T15:26:00.001-07:00

P4250524
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

But we had a six-pack of paddlers, a new trailer, and lots of fun.

Here's a nice viddy of what you missed if you stayed home Saturday. Oh, and lots of mud.

Jarett

On boats and early season

2009-04-15T19:14:00.001-07:00

We're lucky that two of our best friends are again joining us on the Big Sioux River for the Earth Day event April 25. Bret and Dawn are the best and coming up from Omaha, so they get points for distance traveled.

Here's the Big Sioux at the Highway 13 bridge in Flandreau, looks really nice in the sunset.

As the event approaches, I have been working hard on pairing people and boats.

Laura and I have our kayaks, Slippery 2

and Penelope,

and we have the Red Rocket

and the gray Necky Looksha IV to offer them.

Also, we have another friend, Shelly joining us that day. We have another kayak set up for her. So we're sponsoring as many as we can!

But now I'm in the process of evaluating which paddler fits best in each boat.

One thing's for sure: The sea kayaks will be a big adjustment for the rec-boat paddlers. I hope I choose wisely. I think we'll do a bit of beach work before the event, let them contribute.

I recommend arriving early - we hope to start launch at the powwow ground around 10 a.m. that Saturday - to work on things like this. Unless you've already been out, but for many, it might be the first of the season, so fired up I am ... see you out there.

I'm already thinking about it as I want to make sure we stay dry. That water will be crazy cold. Bring a dry bag.

Anyone who knows the ice out dates on Lake Alvin, Big Sioux River, etc., send them to me, please. Even if it's an estimate.

Thanks.

Jarett

Do you want to pool it up?

2009-03-20T09:56:00.001-07:00

IMG_1019
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

Not billiards - warm-water paddling to work on rescues and the like.

Let me know if you do - before Monday - and I'll set it up.

Plan is for March 29, 10 a.m. to noon, YWCA pool in Sioux Falls.

Write me here, post a comment, call me up if you need to, we'll make it happen if we get six to 10 people who are interested.

Hopefully, we'll get some interest. I'm confirming/canceling the slot before 5 p.m. on Monday, March 23, so gimme a shout.

Jarett

Save the Big Sioux banks meeting, Earth Day

2009-03-19T18:54:00.001-07:00

Hi chums, sorry we are slow in coming out of our winter doldrums, but there's news afoot, and a reminder to serve, so bear with ...

The East Dakota Water Development District will host a meeting at 7 p.m. April 1 at the Renner Township Hall in Renner.

The meeting will include remarks from Andrew Simon, a project manager with the Agricultural Research Services (ARS) of the US Department of Agriculture. The ARS recently completed an analysis of bank stability and potential reductions in sediment loading to the Big Sioux River between Baltic and Sioux Falls.

Input from the public is welcome; the meeting will highlight plans for work, costs involved, and areas affected. Call the East Dakota Water Development District/Big Sioux River Watershed Project leader Roger Strom at 605-688-6741 with questions.

But what about that eagle in the picture above?

Laura and I took the Flandreau route home about two weeks ago and nabbed this bad boy, right by the bridge that leads into Flandreau. The April 25 event will flow right under this spot - for those doing the Flandreau down to Egan portion/route.

What a beautiful sight!

Raptors like this will hopefully adorn our Big Sioux River cruise on 4/25, and watch for raptors to migrate through in the next month, always lots of hawks on fence posts this time of year, great sign of spring.

Who is going to get out and paddle in March? Holler if you are, we'll get a thread going.

Jarett

This was how much ice was on there two weeks ago - but it won't be long now, I reckon.

Feb. 22 at the YWCA pool

2009-02-09T19:29:00.000-08:00

Hola amigos/amigas:

Come to Sioux Falls on Sunday morning, Feb. 22, and you'll have a large, warm room and a big clean pool to try all your kayaking moves, the ones you've read about all winter.

We have rented the pool that day, and the doors open for boat-loading a little before 10 a.m.

Our last operation at the pool went well.

There is no formal "training" and everyone who comes just did what they wanted to do. We did fill the pool with our boats, but for the most part, you can be on the water for two full hours, if you so choose.

Everything is a GO, so hit the Sat. night mass if you have to and come on out, we'll be there practicing stuff we'd never want to do on Lake Alvin or the Big Sioux River.

We did a bit of boat swapping/try-outs, and we hope you'll join us on 2-22.

Jarett

Already scouting for Earth Day

2009-02-07T17:05:00.000-08:00

We had a lot of fun at the YWCA pool training, and on the way home we stopped north of Flandreau, took a few photos.

Earth Day is April 22, so we'll aim to have our cruise from the Powwow grounds to the dam on either April 18 or April 25.

We could certainly look at other segments of the BSR as well. Ideas anyone?

Jarett & Laura

Big race in September

2009-01-28T08:24:00.001-08:00

Lake Oahe Bridge SD
Originally uploaded by cjaaron

Been a while, sorry. Don't forget the pool training 10 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 1.

Steven Dahlmeier and I are organizing a long race on the Missouri River in Sept. 2009. It'll start up here by the 212 bridge.

Any and all helpers/insights/advice welcome.

Thanks!

Jarett

Let's hit the POOL

2009-01-07T19:03:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, the Why-Dub finally called me back and we can train in their pool.

The catch: Sundays, 10 a.m. to noon.

That time is church time for many, but if it works for you, write me or post here, I will start putting names on dates in Jan., Feb. and March, see if we can get 5 to 15 folks and lock-in our pool for a couple hours.

As the kids say, holler back. Thanks, now!

Jarett

Annual conference set for Jan. 24 in Sioux Falls

2009-01-04T12:07:00.001-08:00

The South Dakota Canoe Association will host its annual conference starting at noon on Jan. 24, at the Outdoor Campus in Sioux Falls.

We'll have a number of speakers - hopefully my car will start and I can bring a pair of boats down for show & tell - and we'll elect some officers for the 2009 paddling season.

It's a great time to get out and connect with fellow canoe and kayak enthusiasts and it's also a great time to start planning for 2009 paddling operations.

Among the highlights for 2009 include a Cheyenne River two to three-day op I am going to organize myself. Other members are recruiting some folks for BWCA operations, and we're hoping to set a date when members (and anyone will to drive to Pierre) can gather in our state's capital to do a bit of paddling with the hometown guys in that fair city.

Dick Davidson will amaze us with one of his arctic adventure slide shows, and non-members who want to join can do so right at the meeting. It's free and open to the public, so bring a friend and we'll see you in Sioux Falls the weekend before the Super Bowl.

Jarett

Cranberry River, Day One paddling

2008-09-11T19:32:00.000-07:00

Continuing the Lake Superior trip story, here we are back, looking at some yummy images of the Cranberry River, ice-cold as the lake, and our trip out of our bay, which looked massive upon arrival, and around a few points.

We stayed at a tiny resort in Herbster. It was old-fashioned, and plain, but you could step our your front door and toss a baseball into the water. We left our kayaks in the yard of the place, the walked down and launched from a rocky beach, down the shoreline.

We stopped up the beach, crossed a spit and up the river we went. It was spooky, as the bar owner in Herbster said, "You go up the rivers, you'll see some bears."

The river was glass, and there was no wind, so it was pretty spooky, but alas, no, we spotted no bears.

We came back to the lake, then headed out and up around the point to the south of town. The rock formations were nice, not sea caves, but easy-access. We rounded the point and the lake was glassy, nice. It really picked up waves-wise on Sunday, but the locals said the Herbster bay remained calm.

I have to admit, we'd have taken more photos, but there's a sense of power on the big lake, and all that cold water, that even in good conditions, I was not feeling too cocky. But it felt so good to be back on that massive, icy beauty.

JCB

The Slough

2008-09-03T22:11:00.001-07:00

P8310075
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

Laura and I made a trip to Herbster, Wis., over Labor Day weekend, and we were out in boats three times on three different bodies of water. On our second day, we hit the slough that sits just off Bark Bay, between the towns of Herbster and Cornucopia.

The slough was the site of our only let-down: We paddled it in hopes of moving into Lake Superior itself, but the sun was setting and we were hoping to avoid a take-out in the dark.

So we came close to paddling out of the slough, but did not make it. Only regret on the whole trip.

Even this slough was crystal clear, cold, and a bit on the intimidating side, we were expecting a bit more swamp, but hey, this is northern Wisconsin.

We did paddle over a lot of lilies and had a good time, just checking it all out. A turtle and this heron encouraged us to go forward.

We'll have more on our river trip and our lake paddles, asap.

Jarett

Back to Big Water

2008-09-02T21:19:00.001-07:00

P8300060
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

Laura and I ran off to Herbster, Wis., last weekend. We made a number of cool paddles and we'll be tossing up some pix asap.

You can visit Flickr, I'm on there as Iron Bieso and all my photos are public, so check 'em out.

We'll post narratives etc. with the pix very soon.

Cheers,

Dos Biesos

James, we thank ye

2008-08-27T14:57:00.001-07:00

P8240214
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

Laura and I joined about a dozen SDCA members, along with some other paddlers, on Aug. 24 near Mitchell for our first run on the James River ... EVER!

It was a perfect day, and a great crew, and my goodness, with no wind and 75 degrees, hell, it felt like California weather.

Jay Heath, Larry Braaten, and Laura all had fun, and we had a great crew, including Steven and his wife, Sarah, Ryan S. from Sioux Falls, a couple from Vermillion, another from Pierre, John Adler from Pierre, Pat Wellner, naturally, one of the most gung-ho paddlers in the state, and a number of other cool cats and enthusiastic paddle mavens.

The route we took was about 12 miles of river, and from the Highway 38 bridge, there's a sweet take-out four miles east and four miles south (all paved) so no one who wants the James should complain about the arduous nature of figuring out where to start or stop.

There wasn't much for wildlife, lots of frogs if you paddled near the shore, and a great blue heron was constantly landing, then leaving, then landing again. He was probably getting tired of us following him. Laura and I heard one "barking" as it flew away, pry grumbling that we were harshing his or her mellow morning.

Jay Heath gave mad credit to me on his blog for the organization of the event, but in reality, it wasn't me, I just put it on the calendar. John Adler and Pat Wellner had GPS info for us and kept us on course, and Adler had scouted it out so we had little if any headache in terms of getting on the water and enjoying a beautiful August outdoors event.

Jay has plenty of photos on his blog, and Steven D. posted some on the SDCA site. Speaking of the club, we kicked around the idea of a September cruise, perhaps Yankton to the starting point of the May cruise on the Missouri River. All we need is some possible dates and a little bit of enthusiasm and we'll get it done, ya'll.

Peace,
Bies

Lein Park to Big Sioux Rec Area

2008-08-27T14:42:00.001-07:00

P8170362
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

With back-to-back Sundays of paddling fun, I have fallen behind a bit. But on Aug. 17, I joined my buddy Brian in Sioux Falls and we hit the slow-and-slim Big Sioux River for a late-summer trip. It was a good time, but we took our time, and in all, really enjoyed the day on the water.

We started at Lien Park in Sioux Falls, located just down the hill from the "North Cliff" area of Sioux Falls. Yes, we were just south of the waste water basins, and yes, just across the street from Johnny M's, but for some reason, no stink!

Brian paddled my QCC fiberglass boat, and I took our semi-new Current Designs Sirocco, so we were pushing 34 feet of kayak down this narrow river.

We got underway near mid-morning, and the wind was mild but the temperature was a bit on the hot side, not true Sodak hot, but not pleasant, either. We enjoyed a few breaks along the way and had no trouble finding spots to get out and stretch.

The river was low, but we did not have any issues with finding the channel. There were plenty of birds to see, a few fishermen, but nothing too crazy. We did see a family of deer, but then they saw us, and poof, they were gone before our digital lens could catch them.

This stretch of river is about 12 to 13 miles long, riverwise, and we did see a few other paddlers toward the end of our journey. There were a few "slalom" areas where we were avoiding debris, and a few quicker (shallower) spots where the water seemed to be moving, but in all it was a lazy day on the water.

Safe to say both of us needed those breaks, mostly to keep our legs from getting numb. Brian was new to my boat, and the Sirocco is still new to me, so we were not racing nor attempting any sort of speed record on this stretch.

As the photo shows, the Big Sioux River gives a paddler a nice view of eastern South Dakota farmland, actually a unique view, since most of the time, people see the fields and farms from the road, not from the river.

Seeing the bridge at the Big Sioux Recreation Area was a relief, we had enough paddling for the day, and for folks who want a good long trip, try the Lien Park to BSRA trip, it's worthy of attention. The least cool thing about the trip is the long hike from the park's lot to the water, it's a good 250 meters, with a climb over the berm, so bring your portage wheels, and some good shoes, before you get your paddle on, ya'll.

A freshy-fresh post on the James River op Laura and I did on Aug. 24 is coming up soon, so keep checking back!

Jarett

Take a Friend to Benton Day

2008-08-11T07:15:00.001-07:00

P8090308
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

A friend I've known since high school came up to visit Saturday, and we headed over to Lake Benton, Minn., for a nice trip on the water.

The conditions were nearly perfect, albeit a bit hot, but no wind, few boats, just an ideal time for a first-paddling experience.

Kent tried Laura's 15-footer on our way out, then we swapped boats for the trip back. He seemed to enjoy it.

We saw a lot of pelicans and some shore birds. We put this video into the mixture as well.

Lake Benton is a dandy trip, about 80-90 minutes north and east of Sioux Falls. Not a good place to swim, though, the lake is choked with algae, so don't bring the kids to the beach unless you plan to hose 'em off afterwards.

Peace,
Bies

Big water, Kingsbury County

2008-08-04T16:25:00.001-07:00

P8030507
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

Greetings, friends!

Laura and I loaded up Sunday morning and drove the 52-mile route along U.S. Highway 14, then south down to Lake Thompson, the largest natural lake in the state.

We explored the northern end of the lake and had a good time doing so, this is one of those lakes that would have nearly endless places to discover for a paddler or two. The lake was pretty much ours, but like I said, we were only exploring the northeastern corner.

From Highway 14, we went west through Brookings, Volga, Arlington, and Lake Preston, then drove south down to the lake. The road we were on will take you to either Lake Whitewood (to the east) or Thompson.

The winds were northeasterly, and we had little trouble navigating our way along the shoreline. We did find a channel that runs into some ponds to the north of the bigger body of water. There was enough wind that we didn't want to head too far south (into the main lake) and end up struggling to get back to the car.

These photos may have a bit of a "haze" to them, that's my new toy, I bought an Aquapac waterproof case, it's basically a fancy silicone bag for P&S digital cameras, it works well, and it'll give you "underwater" pix if you want, but alas, it does produce a bit of haziness. Probably best used in heavy seas.

As mentioned, we did go north into a pond, but it was so full of carp (they startled us over and over again) and so shallow, we were not afraid of drowning, but we the fetid stench of the mud made us dread the idea of tipping in such a place. We didn't make much of a dent in the pond system 'round the north of this lake.

After the cruise, we returned to the car, cleaned the boats free of sand, and loaded up. Had we more energy, or a bit of sunshine, we might have explored Lake Whitewood by boat, as it was we just drove by it. This big prairie lake was utterly abandoned, save for a few pelicans.

On our way home we noted a number of sloughs and other smaller bodies of water that'd be worthy of a paddle, of course many were completely inaccessible, save for a wade/waddle through the muck. No thanks.

Lake Thompson is gigantic, and it does have some remoteness to it, so there's some wildlife. Next visit we make will be to explore the southern end. Of course a paddler or paddling duo could put in where we did (14 to 441 south to 212 west) and make for the southern end, but you'd need all damn day to circumnavigate that bad boy, it's huge!

Jarett

More photos from the night paddle

2008-07-22T09:58:00.001-07:00

P7190334
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

As you can see, it's darn hard to shoot with a P&S camera in darkness, but this is about the best one of the "moon shots" we took.

More coming.

J

Here are some additional photos from our night paddle. The lake was glass, and once we got clear of the Norwegian Creek Campground that's located on the northwest side of Lake Benton, we were out into real dark, it was great.

We found the "night portrait" setting on our Olympus worked pretty well for the photos, but one does have to hold it steady for a considerable time to make the images proper.

This one was just a flash shot but it shows how calm the water was on our trip.
Laura really liked the trip, and it was a good way to just get out and paddle without worrying about wind and all that daytime nonsense.
Plus summer will end some day, and we don't want that day to come without putting a few night miles on our boats.

We didn't spend too much time on the water, and the nice light by the dock (and all the noise from the campground) guaranteed our safe return to the car. This photo's a bit blurry, but it showed the nice sandy beach from where we launched.

If you haven't night paddled this summer, do it before it's too late, and always do so on a lake. Sweepers, debris, and other challenges on a river would be way-dangerous in the darkness.

Peace and love,

Jarett and Laura

Night boat to Lake Benton

2008-07-20T14:16:00.001-07:00

P7190326
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

Cue sax music, but only if you know the Madness song on which I copied our post headline this time out.

Saturday, July 19, we night paddled Lake Benton. It was a great night to be on the water, with lots of moon and mirrored glass. In all, it was a hoot. More photos to follow, these certainly show us in the dark, it was a great jaunt.

Jarett

Lake Shaokatan, Minnesota

2008-07-14T07:36:00.001-07:00

P7130350
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

Laura and I got up pretty early on Sunday (for us) and headed east and north to Lake Shaokatan, a small lake about 10 miles north of Lake Benton, about five miles from the state line.

The lake is a bit hard to find, but if you were coming from the interstate, take the Brookings exit, head east on Highway 14, keep going into Minnesota until you reach County Road 1, go north about nine miles, then east on County Road 15, that'll put you at the southwest corner of the lake.

We accessed it on the north side, at this dock in the photo.

The access point is nice, featuring an outhouse style restroom and plenty of parking. We had the place to ourselves as we prepared to go.

We hugged the northern shore, passing cabins on our way to the far eastern end of the lake.

What happened when we cleared the shoreline wind break? Well, weathercocking took Laura out into the lake, and we were suddenly facing a crossing or other unpleasant choices in the windswept waves of this once-seemily harmless little lake.

Paddling the Current Designs Sirocco, I found myself longing for my QCC, the Sirocco is fast, sure, and stable enough, but it's still so new to me that I was not feeling much confidence.

This is about the only "out there" shot we took, as we were struggling to get straight on the waves and wind. We decided (in part because of a dumping we took on Lake Benton a while back) to reverse course and go down the shoreline again, to see how our luck would hold on the other end of the lake.

We made it there, and we could hear the wind screaming through the trees, but between the milfoil and the biting flies, plus all the wind and waves, we decided to make it a shorter trip than we had planned.

We did see a few ducks, but for the most part, the section of lake we explored was cabins and quiet. It felt good to get back on the water, and we're going to be full-on exploring for the rest of July and August.

Jarett and Laura Bies

Yes, once a month is lame

2008-07-10T20:34:00.001-07:00

P6280450
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

For a kayaking couple's blog. What I mean is the last post was ... a month old. Sorry.

With our only rack-equipped car in the shop, the holiday weekend, and sundry things, it's been weak, our postings and outings. But we get the car back soon, have a second set of racks - we'll be blogging about the "make a ladder rack a kayak rack on a pickup topper" soon - coming for the truck, and we're jonesing laketime.

Here's a photo from the quartet paddle on the BSR that I did June 26. It was admittedly a semi-lame route, i.e., we had done this area before, and the weather was shite that day.

We did go down past the bridge, and the area is wide, but in high winds and this sky, we said, "let's just take it in to the end."

Mad props to Pat Wellner and his pal, Arnie, who both drove beaucoup to take part in the trip.

I'm gunning to hit Lake Shakotan in MN Sunday, if not sooner. We will be dialing in some lakes 'round Brookings County asap.

Don't forget Saturday's deal @ Grass Lake (www.sdcka.blogspot.com) and the July 26 "Down to Klondike" trip as well.

Peace,
Jarett

Oak Lake on June 7

2008-06-07T20:04:00.001-07:00

P6070271
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

I traveled north to Oak Lake today, it's about 20 minutes from my home in Elkton.

Conditions for paddling were near-perfect, with mid 70 temperatures and light west wind.

Oak Lake's put-in was a muddy swamp, but it did not seem to slow folks down. There were seven or more trailer/truck rigs parked near the primitive launch and on the road close by.

But for a paddler, the launch is a perfect shallow beach of gravel, with no large rocks or branches. I put in there, then headed down the near shore.

Oak Lake has a few cabins and farms upon it, but it is mostly a haven for fishing enthusiasts. I counted 10 or more boats, and even two personal water craft took the lake in the wonderful summer sun.

I saw a few pelicans, and scant turtles, but for the most part, Oak Lake is nothing "wow" inducing. It had clean water and decent scenery and on a less-busy day it might have more bird life.

It took about two hours of paddling, slow paddling, esp. at the beginning, before I got to the far end of the lake and back again. I did travel up this channel, but it was a dead-end. I paddled the CD Sirocco and it was a good late afternoon on water, I must say.

Bies for peace

P.S. - Check out the pocket kitty!

New cruise announced

2008-06-07T10:26:00.001-07:00

P4190035
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

Laura and I, vis-a-vis the club, are hosting a cruise on the Big Sioux River June 28.

We'll start at the Pow Wow grounds put-in, one mile north of Flandreau on Highway 13, at 11 a.m.

We'll paddle down to the low-head dam (not over it, natch) in Flandreau, should take about three hours, give or take.

The route runs through the fat "braided" part of the Big Sioux River near the finish, so it should be fun, with room to explore some channels and backwater.

No need to register, just show up, but if you have questions, write me an e-mail or post a comment.

Jarett

Test drives start Sunday at 1 p.m.

2008-05-27T20:13:00.001-07:00

IMG_0908
Originally uploaded by jayalbionheath

Oi! Don't miss out on the fun Sunday as the SDCA takes Lake Alvin paddling. Come to try a boat out or talk paddling or ask a few questions. Lots of kayaks and canoes, a few people with some experience, and a lot of fun.

If you know anyone who paddles or who is a member of the SDCA and is not a regular visitor to this site, call them and remind them or invite them, please.

Weather reports are positive, and this year, you could be the person in the cockpit, come out!

Annual SDCA Paddling Fair
1-3 p.m. Sunday June 1
Lake Alvin, west end (free) dock
Directions at www.sdcka.blogspot.com
or e-mail me.

Jarett Bies

Pool pounded

2008-05-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

Laura and I had a good time during the two hours at the pool Saturday, and I ended up going for it a bit too much, as I have a number of bruises and scrapes.

Laura had fun in a more playful fashion, but I tried to self-rescue with my QCC boat and failed to do so. I think a number of people executed assisted rescues together, I know Rick and several others took time to roll practice.

I wanted to thank Pete Larsen for making it a good lesson for many of us, and thank everyone who went for keeping out of the swimming lane. The Y staffer said he would be glad to have us back.

This was the first time I had ever dabbled in rolling, and it is hardest to set the mind, thinking upside down is tricky for me.

More photos later,

Jarett

Hard to explain; paddle review

2008-05-14T18:35:00.001-07:00

P5100063
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

The photo shows the paddle I used Saturday, Rick Johns brought an extra and let me use it, don't let the narrow blade width fool you, it worked like a charm and felt featherlight, yet at the same time, hefty. It did take a little getting used to, but props out to Rick for bringing it and letting me use it. If one of his boats is a leap, his paddles are a nice first step.

My friend Jim and I paddled with aplomb on Saturday, but at one point he caught a tree trunk or something, caught it amidships and was a bit panicky, but he settled down nicely and didn't tip or anything.

But those things were everywhere on the river. It was really quite neat, a bit of wildness to the slow meander downstream. There were times, when I looked closely at these massive logs and the water ripping past them, where I thought, man, I would not want to run into that when I was busy gawking at an eagle or something.

Shallows played some games with us, too, but every once in a while there would be some big, bobbing hunk of something in the water, and it felt primal a bit, like my boat was a trifle compared to this waterway, as I went cruising by the thing.

Much like night kayaking, I think being on the Missouri River alone would be a bit scary. There is so much water, so much sand, so much tree debris. Being on the river at night would be doubly scary, but full moon paddles are fun.

Rick should organize one of those, or we'll just do this stretch again. But needless to say, even with the high gas prices, I can't wait to see you again, Missouri River.

Jarett

Looks pretty, no?

2008-05-11T12:30:00.001-07:00

Rick Johns led eight of us down the Missouri Saturday, and it was amazingly picturesque, if you like pictures in the rain.

It was a steady downpour all day, really never let up. Winds doubled just as we were shuttling and loading boats. We were glad we weren't on the water at that point.

We left at 12:01 p.m. and the lead paddlers in our group made the take-out around 3:15 p.m.

More photos and such here and on www.sdcka.blogspot.com, pronto.

Jarett

Vermillion, Saturday: Pack a rain jacket

2008-05-08T18:11:00.001-07:00

Hey crew, hope you are coming out to the event on Saturday in Vermillion. Visit www.sdcka.blogspot.com for more information. Should be raining, but still fun, we hope.

Cheers,

Jarett

Raining!
Originally uploaded by munki.me

Lake Benton, May 4

2008-05-06T09:22:00.001-07:00

P5040063
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

May 4, Sunday afternoon, and we finally got back to our paddling adventures. The wind was somewhat mild and the temperature was almost 70 degrees. My sweetie and I though we should finally get out and paddle Lake Benton, since it is only 10 miles away from our house.

On our way over the ridge we saw lots of pelicans on the water, so were excited to get out there. We only saw one motorboat on the lake, and the lake is big enough that we only saw it once.
We drove right up to the boat ramp and unloaded our boats. We brought our new boats and figured we would try them out since it was such a mild day. Jarett paddled the gray kayak, a Necky Looksha IV, and I paddled the red one, a Current Designs Sirocco.
The red boat is a lot more slender than Penelope, my 15-foot Perception, so it felt more “tippy” to me.

Since we were new to the boats, we decided to hug the shoreline around the lake. We saw some pelicans off in the distance and we decided to see how close we could get to them. We got about 20 feet away before the birds got up and flew away.
We also saw some blue herons, egrets, some least terns and several jumping fish.
After the birds flew away we decided to turn around and head for the starting spot. We thought we might head south and explore that side of the lake a bit once we got back to our put-in.

On the trip back, I started feeling more comfortable in the new boat and started drifting away from the shoreline. I was really impressed by how much faster the boat seemed. With less effort than I use with, Penelope, I was able to go faster.

I guess that is when I got a little over-confident. I went to take a big scoop in the water to move my boat faster and leaned over a little further than I should have leaned. I tried to lean the other way to get balanced again, but it was too late, I knew I was going into the water, and there wasn’t anything I could do about it!
I’ve never been able to roll my kayak, let alone this brand new (to me) one, so I had to do a wet exit. Plus we were not wearing skirts, so boom, I was in the water.

It was so cold I felt all the air rush out of my lungs. When my head came above water it was hard to breathe, the ice-cold water tightened my whole body. It felt like a million needles and pins stinging me. I’m very thankful that Jarett and I are fanatics about always wearing life vests. I remembered to stay calm, and I did not let go of my boat or my paddle. So everything would be fine, except I was a good 60 yards from shore in 40-degree water.

Jarett quickly came to my rescue but unfortunately at that point, there wasn’t much he could do.

He offered to help me with an assisted rescue but since I had never done that in this new boat, I didn’t know if I could or if it would just be a waste of energy. I didn’t think I would be able to do it because my body hurt so bad from the cold water. I started swimming back to shore and the swimming was kind of slow as I was trying to push my overturned boat and drag my paddle. Jarett had me put my arms on his boat while he tried to paddle all of us back but that was pretty slow moving too and I just wanted OUT of that water! I felt like a sopping wet kitty, I was not happy, but I was OK!

Somehow Jarett was able to take my paddle and tow my boat back to shore without falling out of his. I really appreciated this as it made a much faster swim to shore. I don’t know what I would have done without him.

When we got to shore, unfortunately we were on the opposite side of the campground from our car, so I got to do a wet walk of shame through the campground.
I learned the lesson (the hard way) that this new red boat is a lot different then my lovely yellow Penelope. In her, I got used to putting my whole body into my stroke to make it go fast. In the red boat, that was defiantly a mistake.

Oh well, we made it home safely and the little swim definitely made the trip memorable. It’s a good reminder: ALWAYS PACK DRY BAGS WITH CLOTHES. And remember to go slow and close-to-shore as you develop familiarity with a new watercraft.

Laura

But hey, the pelicans sure were pretty!

Sneak preview experiment

2008-05-05T18:39:00.001-07:00

P5040080
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso

We're finally back! Blame to the snows and winter for the gap in entries.

We hit Lake Benton Sunday for a sweet afternoon on the water. Laura's cooking up the entry on that, we lots of sweet pix.

For now, here's a bitta vidya for you all.

Jarett

Swears by them

2008-04-29T18:03:00.000-07:00

Last summer I had a gift cert for sporting goods, so I used a bit on these paddle grips for Laura.

They work like a charm. Before we got them, she had blisters a few times, especially on our longer trips on the Big Sioux River. We tried some cheap gloves off the rack at Ace, thought they would work, but they didn't.

Then we got these bad boys.

They're basically padded neoprene sleeves that slip over the paddle shaft. I think these are Yakgrips, they were about $15. They stay in place even when they get wet, and they are nice insulators on both hot and cold paddles. Plus, most importantly, she no longer blisters between her thumb and forefinger.

I don't use them, but sure would have that first year I was paddling and getting blisters. For anyone who fights that battle and is tired of it, we'd recommend this piece of gear.
Last summer, we gave Laura's paddle to a friend who was getting tired, and she liked them, too. Bies's out.

Sweet - more paddlers!

2008-04-22T19:27:00.001-07:00

One blog leads to another, so they say, and after looking over Pat Wellner's Pierre-based blog that Jay Heath mentioned, http://www.piratesofthemissouri.com - I contacted the Black Hills Paddlers site, http://blackhillspaddlers.org/, it has paddling guides with directions to both flat and white water in the Black Hills area.

The SDCA blog also will have a link. Check it out.

Yak review: first time in a Current Designs

2008-04-20T19:39:00.000-07:00

Quite a few paddlers said "Where's the white boat?" when they saw me Saturday on the Big Sioux River. The white one was home in the garage, grumbling about being left out. I was test-driving a Current Designs Sirocco, and I have to say I loved it.

I was nervous beforehand as the owner said it feels tippy, and since the trip on the river offered right-away rapids, I was hoping it wasn't there that I found the feel of the boat incorrectly.

It felt about as fast, perhaps a bit faster at times, as my QCC fiberglass boat. And it's plastic. But it is a lot more narrow, and the conditions were pretty much ideal Saturday.

On the cons side of things, it was not as roomy, but it had a lot of nice features, including the rigid seat, and the firm thigh pads.

It was a bit tippy, i.e., it has a definite "spot" where you want to lean to, and on the way to the spot, it can seem unstable, but it never spooked me once I got in and got going. Turned well, and the in-and-out wasn't really as tough as I thought it was going to be, being used to a larger cockpit.

I realized the back pad of the seat was probably not as tight as it should have been when I was cleaning the boat today. I noticed myself wanting to lean back into the cockpit wall of my glass boat on Saturday, but this one has nothing there. In a way, it was good, reminding me to sit up and paddle, not slouch or get lazy.

If you're ever E-baying it and see a Current Designs Sirocco, or find one elsewhere online or in person, I would recommend it. It's a sharp boat. Plus that super-pointy snout she's got, it's just cool, menacing a bit, and seems to scream "sea kayak" to me.

Jarett

What an awesome cruise!

2008-04-20T11:07:00.001-07:00

Blessed with the first super-nice day of spring, the April 19 cruise on the Big Sioux River was a hoot, and we do feel sorry for all who missed it.

Things started smoothly with a orderly set-up at the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribal powwow grounds north of Flandreau. We send huge thanks to David from the tribal office who authorized our use of the spot. We're pretty certain we left it as we found it. It was a pretty perfect place to launch. (A few paddlers asked me, and I do believe they would be OK with people launching from there in the future, but call the tribe's office in Flandreau before you do so, to be certain. 605-997-3891.)

KDLT news was out at the event and mentioned the cruise on their 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts. Their Web site also has information (text) on the event. Thanks, KDLT, for the coverage. About 70+ paddlers were in the mix, with everything from one-man canoes to inflatable kayaks taking on the river's cold but mild current. (FYI, our club name is the South Dakota Canoe Association, and kayaking does not have a C in it.)

I was quite proud of Laura, who was the first woman to put-in. The rapids were a bit intimidating for everyone setting up and looking the site over, but she was hot to hit 'em, and while she got snagged near some brush in the mouth of the fast water, she put her experience to use and got her self free. She was up front taking these nice snaps during the cruise.

The tribe's bison herd was visible and these cool horses were "performing" along one stretch of the river. They were beautiful. Other wildlife sightings included beaver and muskrat, plenty of birds, including a possible baldie!

Our friends Bret and Dawn came up from Omaha, and they had a blast. Dawn sailed through the rapids like a professional, and while Bret got wet last summer on the BSR, he stayed dry this time around. It was really awesome having them with us on this trip. Dawn beat all of to the take-out spot.

The conditions were just-right for the day: the wind was only noticeable on a few stretches, and I'm guess several people (like me) didn't notice how sunny it was and are looking at pink cheeks today. Or pink forearms.

As I paddled the route, I chatted with a number of folks who were enjoying the trip. I know one chap mentioned it was a bit short as people were finishing and loading in the Flandreau City Park. It was done and over in about two hours, but for early season, it felt right for a lot of folks. If we revisit this route, we could continue on to a take-out near the lowhead dam in Flandreau proper, it'd pry add an hour, plus it'd give paddlers a chance to explore the fat part of the river on the north edge of town.

With no injuries or wet folks at the end, I call the event a success. My thanks go out to all the paddlers who came to take part, special thanks to my wife, for all her support and encouragement, and huge thanks to Steven Dahlmeier for putting in a TON of help with getting out the word. Jay Heath, the leadership of the SDCA, and the Sierra Club, all deserve my thank-yous as well.

Laura and I are hoping to get out and test drive a pair of boats we want to buy, but probably not today. We're hoping to post on Lake Benton this week.

Don't forget the May 10 Missouri River paddle in Vermillion. We'll be posting about that soon, too, both here and on the official SDCA web log, www.sdcka.blogspot.com.

Jarett

That would suck

2008-03-30T08:31:00.000-07:00

Hola amigos! We drove down to eat at Mad Mary's in Flandreau and grabbed some shots of the river for the upcoming Earth Day extravaganza. Water levels are looking good, but we were thinking how much it would suck to be paddling in the wind and cold we experienced March 29, just scouting.

Here you can see the spot proposed as the put-in, looking back at the oval-shaped parking area on the north side of the river.

Here's a few more, first two are at the top (we can access on both sides of the river) and the last couple are at the bottom. Should be a rocking paddling trip on the BSR, ya'll!

Remember, if you want to see a full-sized version of any image (they sorta stacked up on me here!) just click on it and you'll be rewarded!)

Bieso

A Cabin in the Wild

2008-03-21T09:02:00.001-07:00

Jarett and I discovered this cabin when we paddled across Gunflint Lake from our campsite on the Minnesota side.

We found out that the cabin had belonged to a man by the name of Charlie Cook. He was the last survivor of an Indian tribe that lived across the lake. Charlie was a medicine man. It looks like he lived without any plumbing or electricity. Very thrifty man!

When we first stopped to look at the cabin, we found lots of poison ivy and leeches in the water. There also was a big lock on the front door of the cabin. Eventually I took a peek in the house.

It appears from outside as if this man's life had been left behind, we could see old bank statements and Christmas cards on the floor and an old calender on the wall that probably had not been turned since Charlie passed away.

It was cool to see a piece of history like this. It wouldn't have been possible without the kayak as I would not have swam across the lake filled with leeches. This was an amazing adventure for me.

Peace Out!
Laura

Lake Superior

2008-03-21T06:51:00.000-07:00

While this is a South Dakota kayaking blog, I wanted to share thoughts on my favorite kayaking trip I took with my husband. It was one of the most challenging for me. This is a photo of Meyers Beach on Lake Superior which is near Bayfield, Wis.

We set off from this little sandy beach – you can see Eagle Island behind us in the distance, and the caves are where the mainland crops out in the top right of this photo - and went to the mainland sea caves. Unfortunately on this trip we did not do a crossing from the Wisconsin shore to an island, but that's on the top of the list for next time we go.

So anyways we left from Meyers Beach with our spray skirts and the wet suits we rented from the University of Minnesota. The sea caves were about a mile up the coast from the beach. There were lots of other kayakers making this trip.

I wish I could describe the sound of the water slapping the insides of the sea caves – it was a very unusual sound. By listening you could tell the some of the caves went in pretty deep. At the time I pictured one of the waves sucking me into the cave and smashing me on the roof of the cave, but we were very careful and the lake was pretty calm that day.

The only think I didn't like about the sea caves trip was that I got a little sick on the way back. Normally I like the big waves and I find it thrilling. This got to me after awhile because I had the waves coming in from sea and also the reflective waves bouncing off the caves. Despite me getting a little sea sick I still kept on paddling.

I also wanted to include this picture as it was me paddling out in the big inland sea that is Lake Superior. It was the first time I have ever looked over the side of my boat to see the bottom of the lake 50 feet (or more!) below. I could see huge boulders under the water just like the ones sticking out of the water in this photo.

The last couple of items I wanted to include on our Lake Superior trip were from the conclusion our trip. We went up the Gunflint Trail near the Boundary Waters that separate the U.S. and Canada. One of the highlights paddling on this lake (there are hundreds up there, we were on Gunflint Lake) was the first time I've ever seen a loon.
Now I really do understand where loony comes from :-) There's a loon in the picture behind me.

Last thing to share was this shot of me reaching out to touch Canada. The folks at the lodge seemed surprised that the Border Patrol didn't get after us for crossing into the Great White North. But were were pretty much out in the middle of nowhere and it's not like I would abandon my boat out in the woods to make a new life in Ontario.

Lake Superior and northeastern Minnesota were a blast. There's a lot more things I wanted to do while we were there but we went full speed for the week we spent and got a lot done. But we saved a few things for the next trip. I can't thank my wonderful husband enough for being my guide on this awesome adventure. Love you Babe!!

Laura

Missouri River trip upcoming

2008-03-20T21:02:00.000-07:00

When we paddled High Lines to Clay County last summer, it seemed to fly by, in part because the river is massive.

But at times it was puny.

We got hung up on sandbars in a few spots where it was ankle deep.

There's a lot more spots where current was strong, and the water deep.

The route planned for the May 10 cruise is a great one. With the water levels up a bit and plenty of people, we should be able to steer clear of the shallow spots and just float on down.

There are lots of islands and there should be plenty of birds. The first part does go through some cabin/dock areas, but there are plenty of wilder spots as well.

Regardless of the water level, the route does go through areas where scientists have been attempting to reintroduce osprey, so here's to hoping we'll see one, and some eagles to boot.

For paddlers new to the Missouri, this cruise is about as good a place to try it as any, plus it's free. So e-mail us if you have questions.

If you're wondering, Laura didn't dump it in the picture above, she's too good.

This photo's been posted before, but it's worth one more upload. You have to try it, as it is an amazing feeling, being on water that big, it's a hoot!

Jarett

Scoop on Earth Day cruise

2008-03-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

Bienvenidos, amigas, amigos:

A bit of news, and I'm posting it here first so if I have mistakes I can fix 'em in the SDCA blog. I'll try to avoid cross-posting in the future as well.

After much planning and route reconnaissance, the first-ever South Dakota Canoe Association Earth Day cruise is cooking with gas.

We invite all paddlers to join us at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 19, 2008, at the parking area on Highway 13, along the Big Sioux River, one mile north of Flandreau, for the 2008 Earth Day event.

For the last three years, the East River Sierra Club has hosted this event. Now the SDCA is hosting it, in collaboration with Sierra Club and the Outdoor Women of South Dakota.

This cruise should rock.

Here's a close up of the put-in spot:

Highway 13 is that dominant vertical line, it runs north and south. You can see that after it crosses the river, there's a race-track looking parking lot on the west (left) side of the road. That will be the staging grounds for the event. Obviously, the put-in is the southern most point in the lot.

The Sierra Club will have a San-O-Let there, plus the Sierra Club will have a bus to shuttle people from the bottom back to their cars. Those services are locked solidly into place. The cost for the paddle is $10 to cover these service costs.

The SDCA never charges for events. So, members will shuttle vehicles to the Flandreau City Park, which is where the cruise ends. Between the bus and the shuttles, everyone should enjoy a nice, easy paddle down to their car.

But no one has to pay to paddle this trip. But if you want to use the bus, you should pay $10.

The aforementioned park looks like this:

If you look at the top of the image, you can see the river running along the top of the park and all those white lines on the water are spots to take out. If the water levels are high (we'll know soon) and the cruise seems too short, there's another take-out down river before a dam. But this is the official take-out spot. (More intel on the other spot coming.)

Overall, the route is about eight miles. It should take most paddlers two to three hours to complete. It will be April 19, so it could be quite cool and windy, and the water temperature will be low, so everyone should be careful, pack spare clothes, and take it easy. Have fun, appreciate nature, but don't get cocky or you'll end up soaked and shaking as we call the ambulance. Speaking of which, the Sierra Club wants waivers for all paying participants.

The park offers bathrooms and plenty of space. With sun and mild temps, it might be a nice place for an impromptu barbecue. In the past, the Sierra Club has encouraged folks to bring their own brats and such and cook out after the day on the river. We'll pry have the place to ourselves, so stick around if you're so inclined.

The Sierra Club does request registration for paddlers, esp. if they are planning on using the bus service. To register, e-mail Deb McIntyre at peaceandjustice@svtv.com or e-mail me and I will fwd your info to her. Since the bus and San-O-let are the only cost factors, she sure hopes people will sign up in advance so we can get that wrangled.

This is a new route for the Earth Day operation - in the past, the Big Sioux has been kind to paddlers traveling from Trent to Dell Rapids, the first two years, and then again from Egan back to Trent, which was last year's route. This year might put some paddlers in touch with river otters, which are in the BSR, but good luck as they are not gonna paddle up and open a shell next to your cockpit.

Having a cruise in April gets many of us out for the first time of the season, and that makes it a good thing, so we're hoping to shatter past attendance records. The nice thing about this route is we're really never far from Flandreau, so if someone does tip over and end up soaked, we'll have plenty of back-up.

OK, mates, Target No. 1 is identified. Come back here when you can because as the weather allows, real-deal scouting will follow. Here's an "overview" image of the route. Mapquest "Flandreau, S.D." and you can switch to aerial view and zoom in and out to your heart's content, fyi.

Peace,
Bies, J.C.

Plan now, thank self later

2008-03-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

Howdy-howdy, we're back - sorry, to our few visitors, we do apologize for the scant blogging lately - but it is March after all and NE Sodak is ice, but soon. And we're back with some chat about planning operations, on why now is a good time to get cracking.

The main reason to start planning now is that the rivers of South Dakota only rock for a short time in the spring. Not all, naturally, but the ones out west are typically no fun if you go too late, or between rains.

That's why I have to recommend immediate recon operations on the Net about the Cheyenne River. I wrote a news story about it a while back, and everything I wrote made me want to go. I'm still obsessed with it, 'cause I haven't gone out there yet, but I had these photos to share, they were were taken on the Cheyenne.

Main reason I haven't gone is because I think of it in February and then get side-tracked and end up thinking about again around the Fourth and the hit-miss water levels that late in the summer are dicey for a drive that far.

Caleb Gilkerson took most of the photos. He's a friend of mine, he owns Steamboat, Inc., in Pierre. They do guided day tours, dam runs, multi-day tours - the whole schmear. If the idea of driving with a boat all the way out to NW South Dakota to find a good put-in on your own sounds like a chunk of time too big to bite down on, Google his business. They have all their information on the W.

When I interviewed Caleb, he said more people summit Everest than paddle the Cheyenne River in any given year. I thought that was a pretty cool quote. Some could say "Well, yes, but ... " but if they did I would just say look at the pictures. When I do, I just go, wow, this isn't my Sodak. I could plunge into this time warp world without leaving the state? Sign me up.

Sure, in some ways, you are just out in the middle of Western Sodak, in cattle country, not like some enchanted prairie, but it's an away. A trip like that seems so tempting. Plus loud coyotes at night, rattlesnake population, star gazing galore in true darkness ... an away to dream about or wish for.

Population density so low. Wilderness. Out in an ocean of ranch.

My original point was this: Today is 13 March, and with the snow melt on the way, the Cheyenne should be dandy until at least June. So we should all start planning trips there, and elsewhere, before we end up booked with nonsense until late summer water levels make it a lot less fun than it could be. Of course, USGS.gov helps.

Maybe not all at the same time, same place, but here's to hoping everyone who reads this gets to paddle West River this summer - one new lake, one big river, or one fun trip worthy of writing a story about.

(For our West River readers, love, you are welcome to come east, because in sections, the Big Sioux River is darling and lush.)

Peace!

Bies

If anyone goes west, please post and share, or if you know the Cheyenne River let us know!

Cheers,

Jarett and Laura

Want to paddle!!

2008-03-04T11:50:00.000-08:00

I'm ready for winter to be over and to start paddling now! As we start the countdown to spring (16 days from today) We are maping out a list of water we would like to paddle. There are so many lakes close to our house that have yet to be explored. One of the places I'm most excited to see is Big Stone Lake... For more info on that see the website: http://www.sdgfp.info/Parks/Regions/GlacialLakes/BigStone.htm

Let me know if you have paddled that lake or if you have recommendations around the Brookings area.

Tell then... ta-ta!
Laura

So what do you paddle?

2008-03-04T11:18:00.000-08:00

We added a photo to the blog today that shows (most) of our boats and we thought it would be a good topic to blog on about.

My boat is a QCC fiberglass kayak. It's about 17 feet long and weighs about 60 pounds empty. It's a "freighter" of a sea kayak, with lots of room for storage and for a paddler who weighs more than 200 pounds. I named it Slippery 2 as my cat, who is also white with black trim, her name is Slippery.
I bought the boat through the QCC folks on the phone. They do not sell retail, only factory direct. Fiberglass is the "bottom end" as they do a lot of those super-spendy kevlar and carbon fiber boats.
I have a rudder on my boat, but I try to avoid using it so I can master hip steering.

Laura's kayak is a Perception roto-molded sea kayak. It's a 15-footer and weighs a little less than mine. We wanted to avoid getting her a boat so short we'd have trouble sticking together on longer trips. Having paddled them both, Penelope, as Laura calls hers, has no trouble with speed. Plus she's sturdy, not tippy at all, and takes a spray skirt with aplomb. It has a skeg, but we're considering adjusting it as it doesn't seem to descend much when deployed. We're still trying to decide if that skeg helps much. And our soft-side cooler fits nicely in the back hatch!

What do you paddle? We found Laura's boat at a Sioux Falls, S.D., retailer, and the price was right, but here in Flatland USA, we're curious as to who paddles what boats and where they got 'em.

Holler!

Jarett

We're live in Elkton!

2008-03-03T19:45:00.000-08:00

But the photo is from Duluth! Wha?

Hi Friends!

We're two crazy kids with kayaks. Our mission is simple: paddle and share the stories. We'll be back with more crazy paddling stories and photos. Feel free to share ideas, lakes, rivers, etc. We'll take them.

Look for more posts soon!

Jarett & Laura