paddling with a camera

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Early Morning Paddling on the Horsetooth Reservoir

[30 Jul 2011 | No Comment | ]

The Horsetooth Reservoir west of Fort Collins is busy during summer, but a paddler can still find some relatively quiet time early morning.

Below are three pictures from my morning paddling with Sea Wind canoe (7/30/2011) shot with Pentax Optio W30 camera. I launched in the Sunrise Area and paddled across the lake to visit the Quarry and Orchard coves (~6 miles in 1.5 hour). The reservoir has a very high water level and all shores with tree and bushes in water look wonderful providing some unusual opportunities to explore by kayak or canoe.

I am using 5 access and lunching spots on the Horsetooth:
1. South Bay – boat ramp
2. Inlet Bay – boat ramp
3. Satanka Bay – boat ramp
4. Sunrise Area from the Centennial Road.
5. North Eltuck Cove from the Lory State Park (trail access up to 0.25 mile at a low water)

I am avoiding boat ramps during power boat season. Off season, I am often using one of the South Bay boat ramps. It’s possible to park on a beach close to water there. Access point 1-4 require Larimer County Parks pass for your car. You also need a paddling pass. These are quite expensive. I paddle on the Horsetooth only when I buy annual passes. Well, sometimes, especially of season I visit the Horsetooth from the Lory State Park.

pictures »

Summer Paddling near Fort Collins and Loveland

[15 Jul 2011 | No Comment | ]

Horsetooth Reservoir is very busy as usual in the middle of summer and boating season. Fortunately, it is possible at least to avoid using boat ramps to launch a kayak or canoe. I am using a newly reopened Sunrise Area. You can now drive down to a swimming beach and park close to water.

Numerous fishing reservoir provide opportunity for a more calm paddling. I often paddle Boedecker and Lonetree Reservoir southwest from Loveland (below Carter Lake). Pictures below were taken on two recent trips to the Lonetree Reservoir. Water level is still high. There is a lot of water vegetation in coves, but not yet too dense to stop paddling. I usually like to squeeze around trees and log jams to explore the supplying ditch all the way to the main road. The bridge has a pretty low clearance at this water level.

pictures »

Easter Paddling on the Horsetooth Reservoir

[25 Apr 2011 | No Comment | ]

Easter Day evening. 10+ miles of paddling with Sea Wind canoe on the Horsetooth Reservoir.

It was raining all the time, but I enjoyed wet and calm scenery. Looking through rain at the Arthurs Rock and Lory State Park I was sure that I preferred paddling in that weather than hiking or biking. All pictures were shot with my Pentax Optio W30.

I have also some picture with more Easter spirit. You are welcome to check my Variations on Eggs and Chives in Pixels Away blog or my stock portfolio.

gear, pictures »

Waterproof Duffels, Canoe Paddle and Hat …

[25 Mar 2011 | One Comment | ]

I am trying to shoot some paddling oriented pictures in my home studio. Here is the recent composition: two Watershed waterproof duffels with a wooden canoe paddle and a hat. I am going to take it set up outdoors and add a river.

Waterproof duffels

I bought these two Watershed Yukon duffles for the 1994 Watertribe Everglades Challenge , and used them also in the 2006 Ultimate Florida Challenge, two Missouri River 340 races and numerous overnight trips. They fit very tightly side by side in a cockpit of my Sea Wind canoe behind a seat and serve three purposes:
1. my main cargo storage with an easy access
2. extra flotation
3. a “bed” to lay down back to rest or take a nap on water or land

After years of use and abuse they are still in a good shape, waterproof and airtight.The only drawback, especially for racing: a long seal is somewhat time consuming to close. Watershed has several models in different sizes.

Hat

This is my cold season head cover. I like it especially for paddling a kayak with a wing paddle which splashes a lot of water onto paddler’s head.

Paddle

I paddle my canoes with Zaveral racing paddles. They are great for paddling, but not so great for photography. The nice wooden Bending Branches Cruiser paddle above travels with me only as a spare in the Sea Wind canoe and appears in action mostly for photography like here on the South Platte. It is much more photogenic than black carbon fiber.

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South Platte River in Eastern Colorado – Paddling near Masters

[20 Feb 2011 | No Comment | ]

I love paddling the South Platte River in eastern Colorado. The further downstream from Denver the better. Evans to Kersey to Kuner is a popular river segment which can be paddled year around. Below Kuner the river is getting more interesting to me, but it is more difficult to find enough water there due to numerous diversion dams. The South Platte is filling up some big reservoirs including Empire, Riverside, Jackson and North Sterling. Frequency of dams is not really higher than between Evans and Kersey, but they can take much more water.

Weather and water permitting I am going to extend my South Platte River paddling guide all the way to the Cooper Bridge below Fort Morgan. I have never managed to paddle further downstream. Every 10 miles or so the river is crossed by a highway or county road, so there are many access points. However, planning a paddling trip below Kuner requires checking flow data and some flexibility.

On February 14, 2011 I did a couple mile paddling upstream starting from Masters. You can launch under the bridge (right shore upstream) on county road 87. You need to go over a bridge rail, but not over a fence. This is a new bridge with a plenty of room for parking, In my old reports I was talking about old very narrow bridge and road.

1/4 mile upstream of the bridge there is a diversion dam for the Jackson Reservoir canal. I believe that there is an underwater structure (gate) across the river there which can be lifted, but I have never seen it in an upright position.