Hutton Circle Paddle 5/31/2009

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Originally uploaded by jmharper60

Twelve Mice gathered at the Hutton Circle dock for a paddle on a beautiful, sunny Sunday. The group chose to go north, up the Eastern Branch of the Lynnhaven River. We paddled up past Wolfsnare point, exploring a few of the side creeks. We then headed south down the Pinetree Branch before returning to the dock. We had a nice 2-1/2 hours out on the water

Here, Jan, Dagmar, Wes and Sandy make their way along the route.

Cactus?

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Originally uploaded by jmharper60

An unnamed rodent on the bow of Jeff's kayak is gazing at- well if you look carefully, you can see- cactus! Growing in one of the backyards along our paddle route. One of the more interesting sights along the way!

END HUTTON CIRCLE

June Mice Paddles

Here's what's on the schedule for June:

May 31st 2:00 pm Hutton Circle (VB)

June 7th 10:00 am Lotus Garden Park (VB)

June 17th 6:00 pm Bennetts Creek Park (Suf)

June 20 10:00 am Pedal and Paddle (VB)

Check out mogulskiclub.com for more details.

See you on the water!

Jeff

2009 Paddle for the Border

NC Put In
Originally uploaded by jmharper60

The first real paddle of the new season was the Paddle for the Border, put on by the City of Chesapeake on May 2nd. 17 Mice joined about 200 other paddlers on a 7.5 mile trip up the Dismal Swamp Canal from North carolina to Virginia. This event is very well run, and a lot of fun.

This is a very straight paddle, with only one turn about 5 miles in. The canal is part of the intracoastal waterway, and when not filled with kayaks, will see everything from speedboats to tugs and barges.

The powerboat in the foreground is part of the safety patrol on the water for this event, to make sure that everyone makes it to the other end in one piece.

Guarding the Boats

Guarding the Boats
Originally uploaded by jmharper60

Chris stands guard over several mice kayaks while the drivers are riding the shuttle. The Paddle for the Border is a point to point paddle, which requires a shuttle. In this case, we took our boats down to the North Carolina welcome center on US-17, offloaded them, and left our passengers there to check in and keep an eye on things. The drivers went back up to the take-out to leave their vehicles and ride a shuttle bus back to the put-in.

Chris's boat is the green one, a "sit-on-top" kayak, stable, easy to get in and out of, and fun to paddle.

Ready to Put In

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Originally uploaded by jmharper60

Jerry and Jeff carry a boat to the put-in spot. There is a good bit of preparation that goes into a paddle. Loading and unloading the boats, collecting and setting up the gear, carrying the boats to the put-in, and more. But the effort is certainly worth it!

Smile!

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Originally uploaded by jmharper60

Jerry, George and Bev take a break from paddling (and conversation) to smile for the camera. Mice paddles are a great chance to catch up with your friends, or to make new friends.

After the Paddle

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Originally uploaded by jmharper60

After take out, and a chance to stretch those stiff legs, we were treated to a nice lunch. Chicken and barbecue, with all the trimmings! Many of the 17 Mice that paddled are in this picture. Thanks to Tom Tucker for sharing it!

If you want to get into the fun next year, you need to get signed up early. The event is usually announced in January or February, and participation is capped at around 225 people. Once the announcement is made, it will be forwarded to the River Mice by the email list.

END PADDLE FOR THE BORDER