The Hot Lake

Today I loaded up the truck and headed for Shawnee State Park. One of my usual stomping grounds. There are two lakes in the park that I kayak; Turkey Creek Lake and Roosevelt Lake. Four out of five times I will go to Roosevelt Lake, the smaller one.

I arrived at Roosevelt Lake and started to debate my choice to go paddling today. The water was muddy, visibility was low and the sun was out in full force. I walked over to the lake and had a look around, the water was as brown as tea with milk added to it (try it sometime you may like it, it will give an old fav tea of yours a new twist) and I was roasting just standing their. Of course I decided to go out, the last time I was out in the yak was in the BANKS!!! Due to the season of rain that we Ohioans have been delt this year.

I am starting to like the entrance into this lake, it use to give me pause. However, this time I just went for it and boy was it fun...PUSH...SLIDE...DROP...SPLASH and I was in the lake headed right toward another bank. I had to quickly back paddle and make my way out into the open water; all 3/4 mile that this vast lake occupies. Once I made it to the open water I had to do an about face; turn around, so that I would be going forwards in the open water and no longer paddling backwards.

I started to get my paddle on right out of the gate and just as quick as I had taken off I changed my mind on that idea. I was going way to fast given the condition of visibility. I had to make myself slow down and take it easy. The water was still, it made you want to go fast, it was begging you to bust threw like a TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLE attacking pizza!!!

Once I was back to a safe and limiting speed I continued on to the very end of the lake. I sat for a minute or two took a look around, saw a few people fishing in one area of the lake, another group was floating on rafts and kicking about in the water having a good ol'e time and a man was drying his dog off after its busy day of swimming. I believe the dog was a Dalmatian.

After taking a quick inventory of the lake I decided it was time to head back to the truck it was way to hot to be out on the water today in a kayak like this with no shade or cover of any sort. I took a few drinks of water and got my paddle on. The trip back to the truck was uneventful, once their I got out and loaded up all the gear and headed back home. I may not have been on the water long but it was nice to get back out there and just paddle. Have a great day paddlers and remember to PADDLE ON!!!