Inflatable Kayak Blog

On our recent trip to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, we took a side trip to visit my sister-in-law in Ontonagon, about an hour away from Hubbell where we were staying. She fixed us a lunch and we had a nice visit. Her son has a cabin on the Firesteel River and he had invited us to stop by and put the kayak in while we were in the area. He had told us that it was a great place to kayak and that he thought we would enjoy the quiet and scenic area.

We drove to the cabin, got out and inflated our Sea Eagle 330, launching from a little area where some hard shell kayaks rested on the bank. It really was a great place to kayak! The river was fairly wide with pretty twists and turns and wilderness all around. We only came across a few houses all the while we were paddling. We kept waiting for a deer and fawn to be standing along the bank drinking water, but that never did happen, though I’m sure there were plenty of deer in the area, the timing wasn’t right. We paddled up river to begin our trip and went for quite some time before we headed back. When we got back to the cabin we decided to go down stream a bit, seeing it was so pretty. It was windy and being on the river in the wind was different than on a lake. Wind also affects inflatable kayaks more than folding or hard shell kayaks. At one place the wind was behind us, but as we turned a bend, the direction of the wind changed and we would be heading into the wind. Unfortunately, we didn’t feel comfortable enough yet with our new sail to take it along with us on a small river, but it might have come in handy on that part of the trip.

We did see some ducks and a few turtles sunning themselves on a log along the way. I got out the camera and took some shots as best I could in the windy conditions. We didn’t make it all the way where the river empties into Lake Superior on this trip.  Maybe if we get down that way again we can do that. When we did turn around it was difficult paddling in some areas because the wind was really blowing against us. That and the fact that we had stayed out longer than we normally do and I think we were more tired than we normally are, made the trip back to the dock seem even longer.

We usually paddle in lakes and more open water. Although we’ve been on rivers before, this was our first time on a really nice river and it makes me think we should try to search out and paddle some rivers more often.

We went on an extended weekend to Gatlinburg, TN this past weekend. We were able to get in a paddle at Douglas Lake, but one of our other plans was to go for a hike in Smokey Mountain National Park. We asked at the visitor’s center for suggestions of somewhere not too strenuous, preferably something along one of the pretty mountain streams. We chose to go to the Elkmont area. There was a wide, well-groomed trail along the rocky mountain stream. Most of the trail was in the shade of the tall spring green trees with the sun peeking through the trees here and there. I loved walking along listening to the sound of the rushing water while butterflies were flitting everywhere. There were old abandoned cabins scattered in the woods just off the path that added to the charm of the area. As I was taking pictures of the stream, we noticed a young man in something like an inner tube floating calmly down towards us in the shallow areas and then slipping over the rocks as he went over a little waterfall. We had never before seen anyone do that in a mountain stream, so we stayed and watched him float by. We couldn’t help making the comparison to a float tube for fishing. Though this wasn’t exactly the same, he was definitely in a tube that was floating. It looked like fun and a great way to spend a little bit of time in the Smokey’s, but I think I will stay with kayaking.

The system of “water ratings” or “whitewater ratings” was designed so boaters and more appropriately, paddlers would know the difficulty of certain lakes, rivers and rapids. Here are some detailed descriptions of the whitewater rating system. Matching the ratings with the manufacturers recommendations for your hard shell, inflatable or folding kayak will ensure enjoyable paddling adventures.

Class A – Waters are calm and still, which is the case for most lakes and rivers.

Class I – These rapids are small and have slightly fast moving water. There are hardly any dangerous spots and those that are dangerous are easily spotted and avoidable. The risk to swimmers is small and can be corrected by self-rescue. In other words there is nothing to worry about in a Class I rapid.

Class II – With some basic training the obstacles in this class are easily maneuvered around or avoided. The swifter currents of water, channels, and rapids are easily noticed with some forward scouting. Swimmers will probably not get hurt in these rapids. It rarely occurs that someone may need outside assistance for rescue.

Class III – Accomplished whitewater skills and/or training are needed for these rapids. Constant changing rapids, harsh currents, large obstacle, and tight channels are prevalent. Larger rapids and currents can be seen but avoided. Risk to swimmers is still minimal and can be rescued by group or individually.

Class IV – These large and predictable currents require very strong boating skills. Some large waves, holes, and currents may be unavoidable. Quick thinking and fast skills are a must. Depending on water conditions the risk to swimmers can be high.

Class V – Expert only. These rapids put the boater into extreme danger. Large holes, rocks, waves, and currents are violent and all have an added danger. Rapids are longer and much more intense. Swimming is dangerous and not recommended.

Class VI – These rapids are unpredictable and may never have been run before. The only paddling here should be attempted by professionals under perfect conditions.

Fall is a great time to do some paddling. The changing colors make for some beautiful scenery and the cooler temperatures keep the sweating level down. We’re headed up to Michigan for a few days and we’re looking forward to a few paddling adventures, enjoying the fall weather and color in our Sea Eagle 330 Inflatable Kayak. It’s a little different than our previous trips to Florida and Tennessee in warmer weather. We’re going to have to wear our clothing in layers, since the temperature can vary with the amount of paddling activity, time of day, and if a piece of clothing gets wet (as if that’s ever happened!). If anyone has any additional ‘tips’ for fall paddling, drop us a note.

We’ll post a few blogs along the way. There’s lots of water in Michigan and we plan to enjoy some of it.

I had been out in the country with a friend, checking out a new house they were having built and we passed the Blue River. I noticed that it was up and looked like it might be fun to check it out in the kayak. This would have been a new place to kayak and we tentatively planned on going out on Sunday.

As it turned out, it was a good thing that we didn’t make it to the river. Although it wasn’t forecasted to be nearly as strong as it was, the remnants of hurricane Ike slammed in to our area with winds gusting 70 to 80 miles per hour. Trees and power lines were down everywhere and most of the area will be without power for days to come. Just thinking of being out on the river in that kind of weather is unimaginable. This will serve as a reminder to be sure to check weather conditions before leaving on a kayaking trip. It is better to change plans and be safe rather than get caught out in dangerous conditions.