Winter Paddling on Lake Austin

There's nothing like paddling a long boat on Lake Austin in December. The rowdies have docked their motorboats, and the birds have come to enjoy the quiet. You won't find too many other kayakers or canoeists on the lake, either.

Lake Austin is a relatively calm and narrow lake that is one of six reservoirs in the Highland Lakes chain. At the west end of the lake, you'll find Mansfield Dam, scenic views, and wildlife. At the east end of the lake, you'll find luxurious homes, on-the-water restaurants, and Tom Miller Dam. In between, you'll pass underneath the 360 bridge.

The lake is home to several species of fish, including sterile carp, hydrilla, and numerous birds. (Speaking of birds, check out a website by local sea kayaker, Steve Baranoff - http://www.baranoff.org - to view some of the birds that you can spot on the lake.)

During the summer, as you approach City Park from the west and continue further east, you'll encounter a great deal of motor boat traffic, wakes, and waves. But in December, it's paradise. The air is crisp and cool, the water is cold, and the scenery is beautiful. You'll see some of the same colors that you do on Town Lake.

If you have the skills, you can paddle the approximately 20-mile distance from Mansfield Dam to Tom Miller Dam in one day. But why rush it? Break your trip up into three segments: Mansfield to Mary Quinlan (about 3 miles, easy start), Mary Quinlan to City Park (Emma Long) (about 6-7 miles, now you're getting into it), and City Park to Tom Miller (about 10 or so, the long haul).

On the Mary Quinlan to City Park run, you can stop by Commons Ford Metropolitan Park and have lunch and pick pecans. If you have a chance on the City Park to Tom Miller run, paddle up Bull Creek from where it enters the lake just east of 360. You'll go through some nice quiet water all the way to 2222 by the County Line restaurant. Further down the lake, across from Hula Hut by Tom Miller, is Bee Creek, which goes back all the way to Westlake Drive. There's a cove off of Bee Creek that's absolutely beautiful -- you'll feel like you're paddling in the Amazon.

Here's where you can put in and take out:

* Low Water Crossing Road (right by the bottom of Mansfield Dam off 620)
* Mary Quinlan Park (by Steiner Ranch off 620)
* Commons Ford Metropolitan Park (on the other side of the lake, off Bee Cave Road)
* City Park (also known as Emma Long Park, off 620)
* N. Capital of Texas Highway (underneath Loop 360 bridge)
* Walsh Boat Landing (off Enfield and Lake Austin Blvd.)

See you on the lake! (I'll be wearing my santa's hat.)

Paddling on Town Lake

Have you been on Town Lake lately? Like many places in Austin, the lake is alive with the colors of the fall -- bright yellows, flaming reds, and lush greens. Leaves gently fall from the sky, twirl, and land in the clear, blue waters, creating small ripples. The trees reflect off the water, like the sun off a mirror.

Town Lake is a calm and placid lake that divides the northern and southern parts of the city of Austin. At the west end of the lake is Red Bud Isle and Tom Miller Dam. At the east end of the lake is "Bird Island" and Longhorn Dam. Between the two dams lies an approximately 10-mile stretch of the Colorado River. The lake is home to several species of fish, as well as numerous birds.

Town Lake is one of the premier places to paddle flatwater in the city. The lake is perfect for canoeing and kayaking. You can leisurely paddle your canoe or kayak, race your sprint boat, play kayak polo underneath the Mopac bridge, fish from your boat, or practice your freestyle canoe maneuvers. The temperature of the water around this time of year is about 70 degrees or so. Located in the heart of downtown, it's easily accessible from several put-in spots:

• Festival Beach boat ramp (East)
• IH-35 boat ramp (East)
• Austin High boat ramp (West)
• Red Bud Isle (West)

I like to teach at the IH-35 boat ramp, but paddle for fun around Red Bud Isle. Each spot has its own unique features. At the IH-35 boat ramp, you're in the heart of the city, surrounded by buildings and bridges. (And you're near a great outfitter, Salamander Adventures (www.salamanderadventures.com).) At Red Bud, you're in the wilderness of the city, surrounded by tall cliffs and lush vegetation.

Want to figure out where you are on the lake? Here's a good map that shows the lake and the hike and bike trail that winds around the lake: http://www.alienscooters.com/pdfs/maps/townlake.pdf. You can find out about lake conditions by visiting the Lower Colorado River Authority site (http://www.lcra.org/water/river_report.html).

Happy paddling this fall!

Figuring out what type of boat to get

So many times I am asked, "What type of boat should I buy?" The easy answer is, "One that fits you well and that you'll enjoy paddling." But really, how do you know if the boat fits well and you'll enjoy it?

I've been thinking about creating a program of some sorts to provide a good answer to folks. This program would ask a series of questions, churn a bit, and then spit out an answer. (Kinda like the quiz you take to determine what kind of dog that you are -- http://www.gone2thedogs.com/ -- click the WHAT DOG ARE YOU? link to see. I'm a SCHNAUZER (GIANT).) Anyway, here are some of the questions I'll ask:

• What type of water do you want to paddle? (for example, small lakes or ponds, large lakes, bays, coastlines, easy rivers, difficult rivers)
• What type of paddling do you want to do? (for example, fun and enjoyment, fitness, fishing)
• Do you want to travel down a body of water or do you want to stay in one place?
• Do you want to go on overnight or multi-day trips?
• Do you want to paddle year 'round (even in cold weather)?
• Is the weight or the size of the boat an issue?
• How tall are you and how much do you weigh?
• How much money do you want to spend?
• Do you want a brand-spankin' new boat without any scratches or a boat that has some stories to tell?
• What... is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?

Once I know the answers to these questions, I can point you in the right direction. Be thinking about your answers. In the meantime, check out the latest issue of Canoe and Kayak Magazine (http://canoekayak.com/features/current-issue/decembertoc/). It's their annual buyer's guide, and it's choc full of good information.

What to do when you can't paddle

So, here I am, hobbling around on crutches for the last few weeks. And will be hobbling around for another week or so. Beautiful weather, a new boat in the garage, changing leaves, slalom races, and a strong desire to get back out on the water. But my foot's in an air cast, and the incision hasn't healed from my moderate bunion surgery (see a cool animation at http://www.drmoy.com/faq.htm -- click on the procedure animation link). What to do?

Well, I've managed to stockpile about a year's worth of canoeing and kayaking magazines -- Sea Kayaker, Paddler, and Canoe and Kayak. (If you're not familiar with any of these magazines, check them out at your local outfitter.) For one reason or another (mostly related to triathlon training), I've not taken the time to read the magazines when they arrived. Since I've had a little extra time to read now, I've been slowly catching up on the news of the paddling world.

I've also started a wish list of the new kayaking videos. As an instructor, I like to buy and view kayaking videos. I always learn a teaching trick or two from the pros. Here's a list of the ones I'd like to get:

• All About Kayaking (Kent Ford, www.performancevideo.com) - Kent Ford is one of the best sources of instructional kayaking videos and books. This video covers different types of paddling, including kayak fishing.
• Whitewater Kayaking Basics for Women (Anna Levesque, www.watergirlsatplay.com) - This is Anna's second video in her "Girls at Play" series. The first video, "Girls at Play," covered an intro to the sport of whitewater kayaking. It's different from other kayaking videos in that it dives into the minds of women boaters and explores our fears and triumphs.
• EJ's River Running: Basics and Advanced (Eric Jackson, www.jacksonkayak.com) - EJ's a freestyle kayaking world champion and superb paddler. These two videos cover the basics, reading water, and running difficult rapids.

If you like videos and you want to start a collection (or add to an existing collection), here's what I recommend:

• Kayaking for Everyone - This video should be sold with every new boat that is sold. It's geared twoards the recreational kayaker and covers all the basics to get started.
• Kayak 101 - Joe Holt classic that's good at illustrating basic strokes and river-running techniques.
• Essential Boat Control - A classic video on river running by one of the best, Tom DeCuir.
• The Kayaker's Edge, Breakthru!, and The River Runner's Edge - A collection of whitewater videos by Kent Ford.
• Whitewater Self Defense - Recommended for anyone who runs rivers.
• The Kayak Roll - Superb video for learning and teaching the "Sweep-to-C" roll.
• Learning the Kayak Roll - Tom DeCuir's classic for learning the "C-to-C" roll.
• Performance Sea Kayaking - Covers the basics, as well as surf techniques. Another Kent Ford video.

So, while I can't be out on the water right now, at least I can dream about it... by catching up on magazines and videos!

October... best time to paddle

Ah... It's finally October. The best time of year to paddle on the area lakes and rivers. The skies are turning to a deeper blue, the winds have picked up, and the temperature is at a reasonable 70 degrees. The water seems to be crystal clear, and there's a spring in my step as I load the boat onto the truck.

I think that I always look forward to paddling in October because it was late September/early October when I first started paddling in 1995. I started with a nice little boat that I could "piddlefart" around in -- a Wilderness Systems Rascal. I took that little boat everywhere. I spent most of my time in it on Town Lake and on the San Marcos River. For a wide, stable boat, it could make the turns it needed to as the river curved.

The Rascal took me to places I'd never been before to see things that I'd never seen or felt before. I explored around Red Bud Island and discovered turtles, ducks, and other wildlife. I sat in a cool spring that I found nestled in the rocks on the south shore. I saw my first nutria, and was chased by swans. I found my river guide -- the great blue heron -- on almost every journey down the river. The majestic bird would flap its wings, and show me the way.

Paddling introduced me to so many new people, so many close friends. I love being able to paddle quietly with someone, each of us in our own world, yet together. I learned to trust and depend on others, and to have them trust and depend on me. I found spirituality in being one with the water and a part of creation.

What a world paddling has opened for me.

Origins of Konyag Kayaking

What is "Konyag" you ask? And how does it relate to kayaking?

Konyag (pronounced kan ya'g, with a hard "g") is an early reference to the area now known as Kodiak, on Kodiak Island, Alaska, where I was born. Kodiak Island is located south and west of Anchorage, in the Gulf of Alaska. The island is over 3,500 square miles, and is home to the king crab, Kodiak bear, and salmon. Early inhabitants of the island hunted whales, sea otters, seals, and birds from baidarkas. (Baidarkas were what the Russians called a skin-covered, decked kayak.) They also traveled the rivers, bays, and seas in the boats.

So, you might say, that Konyag and kayaking go together.

New put-in

There seem to be so many blogs out there... but are any of them focused on kayaking and canoeing? Do any of them talk about places to paddle, sights to see, paddling equipment, and tips for folks just starting out in a boat? Well, this one is and will.

Welcome to the Konyag Kayaking blog. I'm an American Canoe Association (ACA) certified kayak instructor who lives in Austin, Texas. I set up this blog to accompany my website, www.konyagkayaking.com. I've wanted to talk about the great places to paddle in and around Austin, the state, and the country. I've also wanted to share teaching tips and talk about boats. So, what better opportunity than to set up a blog.

Hope you'll enjoy it!