Last week, the day after the two day heat wave broke, friends and I headed north to Saratoga to spend a few hours on the water. Unlike in years past when we launched from the Kayak Shack on the Fish Creek, we set off from Lake Lonely Waterspots, an unassuming marina with access to both Lake Lonely and Saratoga Lake.
Upon arrival, we began inflating our paddleboards* and organizing ourselves to ensure that we had everything we might need on the water. Sunscreen, water bottles and phones were stashed in dry bags, launch fees ($10 per person) paid and bathing suits donned in anticipation of departure.
We made our way to the sandy shore and pushed off going left and under the bridge which would lead us to the open water of Lake Lonely. The body of water which we were initially on is essentially a connector, I believe, between Lake Lonely and Saratoga Lake. It began as fairly narrow and didn’t seem to be particularly deep. One shore featured a few properties, while the other was marsh and woods with lots of birds making noise.
It was lovely.
As I regained my rusty paddling skills and balance, I transitioned from kneeling to standing and my pace picked up. After a few curves, and more than a couple of turtles enjoying their afternoon sun baths, we found ourselves entering open water in a smallish lake. Here there were homes and camps and beaches, but few people observed. We encountered no watercraft other than two kayaks, which had hit the water minutes before us from the same spot we had launched.
As we paddled, staying fairly close to the shore to our right, we noticed the sky darkening a bit and the wind picking up. Our boards were traveling at a good clip aided by the wind, a situation that we recognized would become a challenge on the return trip. We went ashore at a private beach momentarily to assess our situation and decide which route to take back, ultimately choosing to go across the lake to the other side in the hope that we would be somewhat protected by the land.
Getting across the lake was no joke. The wind and current were against us and any pause in paddling resulted in immediate lost ground. We were very much fighting against the tide, so to speak, and I could feel my efforts in my shoulders and quads as I dug in and did my best to make progress. At one point, I became distracted by the views of marsh grasses and wildlife and lost my balance, tumbling into the water in what was a rejuvenating dunking.
The water was surprisingly comfortable for so early in the season and felt great.
I climbed back on my board and continued the journey, digging my paddle in deep to make progress. At this point, the sky began to look less threatening, but the wind continued and the occasional white cap continued to appear on the water’s surface. It was hard work. Even a moment’s rest resulted in lost ground and doubling down on effort. Because of the wind, standing up wasn’t always possible. My body was a literal drag and slowed me down despite the advantage of having the ability to take deep strokes. Kneeling proved to be more efficient.
Once we made it back to the more narrow channel, things became easier and we moved between the open water of the lake to the marina fairly easily. We beached our boards, spread out a blanket and enjoyed a recovery snack before hitting the road.
It was a wonderful day and I’m looking forward to more paddle boarding this summer. In fact, I think I’m finally ready to pull the trigger and buy an inflatable board of my very own. Recommendations, friends? Looking for something not too heavy to haul, stable and less than $500, ideally.
DelSo 