Due to unexpected circumstances we had to do this trip itinerary in reverse. Camping was first. Paddle-packing was second. A rough and challenging trip (for non-trip related reasons), but we came back all smiles as usual!
Day 0
Greg says he thinks he's coming down with something.
Day 1: Drive 500 something miles (SoCal to Redding)
Greg is sick and sleeps for most of the drive.
Day 2: Waterfalls and a Lava tube
I'm catching whatever is ailing Greg but Greg is feeling less sick. Thankfully we have this to make us feel better:
Day 3: Lassen Volcanic National Park
Day 4: Can we paddle yet?
Day 5: Escape from Ahjumawi
As we hiked back to camp to pack up the glassy calm lake had already morphed into a windy, wavy challenge. To make matters worse I found that Greg's kayak had a busted chamber! We had pulled them up for the night and flipped them over on the dock to keep the large pelicans from crapping in them. From the appearance of the large unpatchable gash it looked as if the heat of the sun had caused the chamber to blow up:
As I was wondering if one of us would have to swim 2.5 miles back to the car (I'm the better swimmer...), Greg heroically volunteered to take the sketchy kayak. Our inflatable 'yaks are extremely well designed with multiple chambers. One busted chamber does not sink the ship but it does reduce the buoyancy and carrying capacity. Greg would take only a few of the lightest items. I would take the rest. Oh yeah, and the water now looked like this:
Please look at that pic from Day 4 for reference. Gone are silky smooth waters and mirror like reflections. A storm was coming in (which is why we only stayed one night) and we were faced with 20mph wind gusts, white caps, turbulent waves and churned up brown water for our departure. [insert ominous foreboding music here]
Greg on a sketchy low-floating 'yak. Me on a good boat loaded to the MAX with almost 100lbs of gear. Yikes. YIKES!!!
We both wore swim attire put on the life jackets and totally prepared for the worse case scenario. Capsizing...loosing all of our gear...loosing one of our kayaks...having to swim in those churned up waters...watching the other person get sucked under and never seeing them again...okay, not that last one. Life jackets, remember?
And....
I am proud to say we both survived the toughest paddle of our lives. We both got spun around in the wind and even got separated but we both completed the journey without any major problems. Greg took on a lot of water and my arms were rendered limp and useless, but we made it!!
Greg on a sketchy low-floating 'yak. Me on a good boat loaded to the MAX with almost 100lbs of gear. Yikes. YIKES!!!
We both wore swim attire put on the life jackets and totally prepared for the worse case scenario. Capsizing...loosing all of our gear...loosing one of our kayaks...having to swim in those churned up waters...watching the other person get sucked under and never seeing them again...okay, not that last one. Life jackets, remember?
And....
I am proud to say we both survived the toughest paddle of our lives. We both got spun around in the wind and even got separated but we both completed the journey without any major problems. Greg took on a lot of water and my arms were rendered limp and useless, but we made it!!
Day 6: Hours of driving
The entire northern half of California was covered in storm clouds and rain. We high tailed it outta there for the sunny south and home.
The End.
The End.