A few high clouds and temperatures in the low 70's enticed us to launch our kayaks on this northern California lake administered by the National Park Service. See a virtual reality panorama of the lake. Just a short 15 mile drive from downtown Redding finds you at the Brandy Creek Marina, one of three marinas from which to launch. There were exactly two other vehicles in the parking lot when we arrived at 11:30, and the water was incredibly flat and glassy. And clean! I don't think I've ever seen such clean, clear lake water before. Wind was nonexistent.

By 12:15 we were on the water and decided to paddle in a northwesterly direction. In spite of scant rain/snow the past two years, the lake level seemed low but not alarmingly so. Our paddle was smooth, quiet and undisturbed by any other boating traffic. We did come upon a group of 200-300 duck type of birds that we startled into flight as their little web-footed running on the lake's surface created a series of small ripples as they furiously flapped their flight feathers coaxing some lift skyward. The lake side scenery is thick with a variety of pine, manzanita and oak. Such a beautiful area and the quiet stillness was refreshing. By now the clouds of the morning had given way to mostly baby blue skies and the warmth of the day was apparent on tee shirt bared arms.

We paddled about two and half miles, looking at small coves and fingers before we turned back to a campground at Oak Bottom. The campground is accessible via California 299, the road that takes you from I-5 at Redding over to Eureka, which will be our next stop on this year's fall sojourn. Having landed at the campground, we explored it and much to Barbara's relief, found an unlocked ladies room with running water, no less! This is a tent campground and each campsite is equipped with food lockers and bear resistent trash cans. The furry foragers are not strangers in these parts.

With legs restretched we now paddled on back the way we came but on the opposite side. Directly across from our original launch site is Whiskey Creek, and another marina. The 299 bridge spans this arm of the lake and we decided to paddle under it before turning and paddling the mile across the lake to our car. By now, the wind had come up slightly and we actually got a tiny taste of small chop. With the winter sun so low on the horizon, it was directly in front of us casting a long bright sunny glare on the water making it difficult to see the marina. By 3 p.m., we were once again on land, having done approximately six miles.

What a quiet paddle it had been. The only excitement of the day was when Barb fell off the milk carton she stands on to reach her boat to unload, thus jerking it out of Richard's hands at the front thereby crashing the bow down on the pavement. We're glad we bought plastic! Happly paddling everyone.

    Richard and Barbara Tieskoetter