WEST & CANADA LAKES paddling
Aug 8, 2004 - CANADA LAKE kayaking. Had to change my plans for the day after spending 15 hrs. at the hospital with little sleep after Waygassy got a fishhook stuck in his eye - wish he would spend more time on safe activities like whitewater kayaking! Put-in at small state launch on Sawdust Creek (West Lake Rd). Started at 4:45pm, took out at 8:30pm after watching sun set over West Lake. Negro/Mud Lakes outlet, Lily Lake. Several whitetail deer. Bit too much development & motor traffic on Canada Lake proper for this paddler so searched out some quieter spots. Dagger Exodus 16.8 would be one of my last choices for beaverdam hopping but we went over several as we pushed thru the narrow Negro/Mud Lakes outlet. The Exodus tracks better & is harder to turn at higher speeds (4mph+) but at lower speeds tracking is only good but turning is much easier. Fair amount of weathercocking & I needed the rudder in the wind while heading out over the open water.
May 26, 2001 - West Lake to Stewart Landing. Bell Merlin II in lightweight Kevlar. 5 days of rainy weather (after 1.5 months of drought) & weatherpeople predicting another rainy day. Have my best rain gear available in the canoe but within an hour the sun is out. Put-in is on Sawdust Creek near Canada Lake off Rts.10/29A. After 10 min. reach West Lake which is basically western bay of Canada Lake. Some camps on north shore. Go counterclockwise near shore, nice marshy area to west. See 3 loons. Go around Dolgeville Point (few camps here) & into Canada Lake then south to the outlet which soons widens to Lily Lake. Watch out for submerged stumps & rocks. Narrows again (100' wide) & becomes Sprite Creek. South shore undeveloped but camps become more frequent on north shore the closer you get to Stewart Dam. Stopped at a campsite (none that I saw were occupied) which had daffodils (not native). Also saw pink Lady's slipper, painted & purple trillium, violets & sheep laurel (pink-flowered bush often seen on shorelines.) Just a few blackflies - only had permethrine impregnated shirt & pants, did not use DEET today. Stewart Dam is quite big & fairly new. Road comes in here & could be an alternate launch. Headwind on the return. Get views of Kane Mt. & its firetower - grey clouds approaching. Stop at campsite on Lily Lake. After 10 min. blackflies get worse & I head out. East wind on Canada Lake created waves over 1 foot; I get sprayed a couple of times. Tailwind as I head into West Lake, tho. Raindrops start just as I step out of the canoe. Not a wilderness trip but it has its merits. Saw just handful of motor boats, 3 canoes, 6 kayaks (near camps) & no jet-skis. Also heard chainsaw & lawnmower - should be a ban on noise-making on Sundays! Nice to be back in the Merlin II again, my favorite solo canoe. First time out for new cherrywood ottertail paddle by Turtle Paddle Works - took me a while to appreciate it but I think I'll be playing with it quite a bit more. An ottertail is similar to a beavertail except that on a beavertail the widest part of the blade is closer to the tip of the paddle whereas an ottertail is widest closer to the shaft. Fine paddle for pitch, Indian & Canadian strokes. 11 mi. 5 hrs. Blackfly reports from others in different parts of the Adirondacks: not too bad (has a lot to do with rain & cool weather - they're waiting for those nice sunny 70 degree days.)
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