paddling with a camera

Tag: Arapaho Bend

  • Breaking the Ice: Winter Stand Up Paddleboarding in Colorado

    Breaking the Ice: Winter Stand Up Paddleboarding in Colorado

    Beaver Pond in Arapaho Bend Natural Area in Fort Collins is my favorite and convenient spot for some short paddling workouts. In 2023, I started to paddle there in early March as soon as the ice cover was just beginning to thaw. In my last paddling on March 13 a half of the lake was ice free, but wind was shifting the ice opening and closing channels along shores. Nevertheless, I managed to complete 5 laps along the lake on my SIC X-14 stand up paddleboard. Some passages required cutting through a soft ice which added an extra challenge to my workout.

    While Beaver Pond may not offer the same breathtaking views as Horsetooth Reservoir, it provides the convenience of a parking spot at Strauss Cabin road, allowing for easy access to the water. Horsetooth at low water levels requires a long and steep walk to reach the water’s edge When boat ramps are open situation will be different. But for now, I can park at a very shore of the Beaver Pond.

    I need about 4 minutes to upload my SUP to the roof of my 4Runner and more or less the same time to launch a paddleboard to Beaver Pond. I use LockRack racks on my 4runner to carry paddleboards, canoes and whitewater kayak, but for narrow racing kayaks I need a different setup, V-type racks from Goodboy or KayakPro.

    Although the water at Beaver Pond remains icy, I am comfortable paddling without a dry suit by staying close to the shore and bringing spare clothes. This is a welcome relief from winter paddling on Horsetooth Reservoir, where full immersion gear is a must.

    Concerning scenery, if you look carefully, you see Longs Peak from the Beaver Pond. You will need some time to get used to highway noise, but there is amazing amount of wildlife. Last time, I was paddling in a usual company of geese, ducks and blue herons, and a visiting guest – bald eagle.

    • winter stand up paddling
    • winter stand up paddling
    • winter stand up paddling
    • small waterproof action camera
    • small waterproof action camera

    During one of my ice passages I shot a few pictures from a frog perspective. Shooting with a camera at water level or partially submerged camera is perhaps my favorite way to create paddling selfies. I am using Sony RX0 II camera mounted on a small desktop tripod. That camera and how it compares to a popular GoPro camera deserves a special post. And, I am still using waterproof Olympus TG5 camera for paddling. I believe that the current version TG6 is not much different.

  • Opening Lake Paddling Season in Northern Colorado

    Second paddling this week on ice free Beaver Pond in Arapaho Bend Natural Area in Fort Collins. Camera: Canon EOS 40D mounted with my sticky pod (3 suction cup mount) on a bow of Sea Wind canoe.



  • Thunderbolt-X Kayak Portrait

    My WSBS Thunderbolt-X kayak shot after sunset at Beaver Pond in Arapaho Bend Natural Area in Fort Collins. Camera: Canon EOS 40D on a tripod. I was trying to shoot in a style similar to my Surfrigger canoe pictures.

    Beaver Pond is still open, but I noticed some floating ice during yesterday paddling.

    The picture of Thunderbolt is available for purchase from Featurepics.




  • 3 Bow Shots from November Sunset Paddling

    I really enjoy November paddling in northern Colorado. Evenings can be calm with a glossy water and beautiful sunsets. No mosquitoes! It could be cold with ice on a kayak deck, but this year November is very warm.

    I selected these 3 pictures from my paddling tonight on Beaver Pond in Arapaho Bend Natural Area near Fort Collins. Basically, the same “classical” snapshot showing the bow of my Thunderbolt-X kayak. However, I hold the camera, Pentax Optio W30, at different height from eye level to almost fully extended arms over my head. It gave quite different perspective. Of course, the light was changing.

    Unfortunately, it was too dark for shooting when some geese, actually, a few hundred of them, tried to land on my head …

    Fort Collins kayaking

    sunset paddling in Colorado

    Thunderbolt-x kayak after sunset


  • Spencer Xtreme and Thunderbolt in November Paddling Workout

    November 8, 2008. Beaver Pond in Arapaho Bend Natural Area near Fort Collins. All leaves were gone, but it was a nice afternoon for paddling.

    Rob was paddling laps in his Spencer Xtreme Canoe. I took my Thunderbolt-X kayak for easy paddling and testing a Flip Ultra camcorder as a bow camera. I attached the Flip grip from Wet Stuff to a suction cup mount from Sticky Pod. The mount worked OK, but batteries died and I didn’t manage to shoot video much of video on water. Recently, I more used to paddle with gadgets with rechargeable batteries. I don’t leave home without fully charged battery in my Pentax Optio or Garmin GPS.

    All pictures were shot with Pentax Optio W30. I am using mostly my DSLR camera, Canon EOS D40, recently. So, I couldn’t not notice a shutter delay in Pentax camera when trying to shoot fast paddling Rob. Well, each shot included catching him first in my Thunderbolt.