August 26th - oyama (#63)

I managed a couple of short paddles/rows while we stopped in Oyama on the way back from Calgary and Idaho (for the eclipse!). In the morning I took the sit on top for a short daybreak paddle. Beautiful light and calm quiet water - nothing but me and a few grebes!
In the afternoon I inflated the Baylee2 and took it for a row over to the bench. It handled a 5 km row quite nicely. It was a bit slower than the kayak, but rowed well. Lots of boats on the lake on a Saturday afternoon!

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8 km, YTD 551 km

July 7 - Oyama (#s 62, 63, 64)

While in Oyama on our way to Alberta, I managed to squeeze in three paddles. A solo morning paddle and an afternoon paddle with Monica and a solo SUP outing. Conditions were nice and sunny and calm.

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17 km combined, YTD 534 km

June 21st - Oyama (#57)

I managed to sneak in an early morning paddle while out in Oyama for the weekend. It was nice to do a quick tour of the "south bays", check out old haunts and to stretch out a bit. Okanagan mornings are lovely!

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7 km, YTD 510 km

August 9-11 - Oyama (#s70-75)

I had three more great days of paddling in Oyama, enjoying the fresh warm water. I managed to accumulate a few more kms and lots of rolling practice. After watching Dubside's video again and rereading Chris Crowhurst's Kayak Rolls site (as well as a couple of face book messages with Chris!) I was happy to have  managed to get my storm roll figured out - pretty well on my left side and OK on my right.
I also noticed that it was pretty easy to maintain nearly 4 knots in the Tahe on a flatwater paddle...

August 9th

August 10th

August 11th

22 km, 12 NM, YTD 743 km

August 4-8 Oyama (#s61-69)

I've been in Oyama now for a few days and have managed to get out paddling once or twice a day. The water is nice and warm, about 24 C, and it is nice to paddle in freshwater without cold water immersion gear! I have mostly been paddling the Tahe Greenland, though I have also taken out the Feathercraft Wisper and the OK Trident 13. The Trident 13 is definitely slower than the other sea kayaks, but is not too bad. I was able to cruise it at 5 or 6 kph and it also sailed quite nicely with the large Spirit sail. I hope to take it fishing in Oyama lake soon...

I have been practicing plenty of rolls in the Tahe including:
static brace
body brace
butterfly roll
standard Greenland roll
norsaq roll
hand roll
shotgun roll
crook of arm roll
chest scull
back scull
reverse sweep roll (forward finishing)
All of these seem to work well on both sides - I would like to figure out the storm roll but don't yet have the movements figured out...
I went for a longer paddle in the wisper and it was fun to feel the waves on the hull. It also moves along well.
On Sunday evening I took the Trident 13 to go fishing in Oyama Lake. It was a beautiful evening and though I hooked a couple of good ones, I only brought a shaker to the boat. It was a very enjoyable first fishing outing in the SOT. It is not as ideal a fishing vessel as the watermaster raft, but it is a kayak! I need to play around a bit with rod holders and leashes etc but the set up seemed to work well.
While paddling this week, I have seen a good collection of birds: osprey, bald eagle, great blue heron, kildeer, an unidentified sandpiper, red-winged blackbird, common loon, common merganser, a couple of grebes, mallard, cowbird, gray jay.

To date 50 km, 23NM, YTD 721 km

track images:

 Oyama lake - Aug 8th

Kalamalka and Wood lakes August 7

Kalamalka lake August 4, 5 and 6

July 26 - Oyama last paddle (#76)

I decided to take the Tahe Greenland out for a last spin in Oyama, do a few rolls and paddle into Wood Lake. Claire tried rolling again and did well doing a butterfly and a standard Greenland roll.

3 km, 2 NM, YTD 797 km

July 26th - Oyama (#75)

I managed to wake up early to a beautiful calm morning and decided to go for a pre breakfast paddle – it was nice to get out before the boats had started and the lake was glassy calm. Unfortunately it is our last day in Oyama and much of the rest of the day will be spent packing and tidying…

9km, 5 NM, YTD 794 km

July 21 - Oyama (#71)

Jenny and I went for a relaxed paddle around the south end of the lake. Jnny tried the GP for a while as well as Darth Kayak.

5 km, 3 NM, YTD: 756 km

July 20th - Oyama evening (#70)

Monica and I went for a relaxed evening paddle over into Wood Lake in a pair of Wispers. The evening light was nice and we saw an osprey and a loon.

4 km, 2 NM, YTD: 751

July 20 - Oyama (#69)

I took the blue Wisper out for a morning paddle towards Vernon, taking advantage of the shade on the way out – what a diffrence in temperature on the two sides! The Wisper seems to paddle nicely at a decent speed. You can see lots of smoke and haze to the south from the fires near Kelowna.

13 km, 7 NM, YTD 747 km

July 19 - Oyama again (#68)

I went out for another paddle in the F1 and took the windpaddle as where was a nice breeze. Did a quick paddle up wind and then went back down wind. After that went for a paddle over to Kaloya park and then poked my nose into wood lake. The wind was still good so I did a fianl upwind paddle leg and downwind sail be fore coming in for lunch!

6 km, 3 NM, YTD 734 km

July 19 - Oyama (#67)

I went for another before breakfast paddle. The lake is so nice before the wind comes up and the boaters get going. I found a nice black fender and saw 3 deer. I also saw a merganser with several chicks, some of whom were “on board”. I am also enjoying my telus internet stick! it allows me to post from the comfort of a chair in the shade!

9 km, 4.5 NM, YTD 728 km

July 18 - Oyama (#66)

I took the Tahe greenland out for a spin around the south end of Kal lake. It is definitely noticeably faster than my other kayaks. It was nice to get out for an early morning paddle before breakfast. Yesterday I did some rolling and then was able to teach Claire, Laura and Celina how to do a butterfly roll. It took less than 15 minutes to get each of them to do their first successful roll! Nitice how Kal lake is mislabelled in Google Maps... You can really see the shallows in this image.

8 km, 4 NM, YTD: 719 km