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Anne, Roger, Christine, Rick, Greg, Marilyn, Kim, Tish and Gene, Annie and Jerry, Aneta and Robert, and Bob showed up for the Delta Lake Sunday paddle. The park authorities were nice enough to issue us boat launch passes without charging admission. It was windy and mostly sunny.

We started off a little past noon. The main part of the lake was very choppy and the wind pushed the kayaks towards the shore the second you stopped paddling, so it was work to stay put. Once we went around the bent, it was a little easier with the wind from behind that enabled wave surfing. After 3.5 miles we took a break on a wooded shore. Everybody ate lunch. In addition, a variety of goodies initially meant for the after-paddle picnic were passed around: carrots with dip, cupcakes, cheese curds, Cajun mix, chips, chocolate chip cookies, and apples. We decided to skip the picnic and devour as much as possible right then. Yum! No sooner did we stop eating, Greg asked where we were going for dinner. Luckily nobody’s boat sunk after the ballast was shifted from the bulkheads to the tummies. Nap wasn’t allowed.

We continued towards the inlet through a stretch of smooth water. In the inlet, we came upon two black cows. As Greg approached them to take a picture, one started towards him. It would be interesting to see whether Greg could outpaddle a cow, but unfortunately he retreated before we could find out. The water was getting more and more shallow, and it was a challenge to get through. Just as we reached the bridge, the creek became too shallow to proceed, so we turned back.

When we came out of the quiet bay, the struggle began again. The wind was coming ferociously from the front, and so were the waves. It took hard work to keep moving forward. After taking the final bent, the waves were coming in sideways. Bob, Greg, Rick, and Christine paddled past the launch site to admire the cliffs. In the end, we completed a 10 mile paddle in somewhat challenging conditions.