Tuesday, April 5, 2011

when a lake feels like an ocean

recently my hours at work were reduced to half leaving me with lots more free time (crossing fingers here things return to normal soon, so it won't turn into worry time!)  monday morning, i went with my husband to work, to glimmering cachuma lake, set amidst acres of wilderness flanked by the picturesque santa ynez and san rafael mountains.

his assignment, was to map distances and length of time, on the lake, in a kayak. this information is needed because effective friday april 15th, kayaking and canoeing will now be allowed at cachuma lake since the bradbury dam was built in 1953.

we paddled for four hours, stopping to bird watch, and to take photos. i understand why entire articles have been written on how to do this from a kayak. it's definitely a technique that takes practice. i am lucky to still have my camera and lenses.

paddling back, the wind picked up and i learned exactly how a lake can feel like an ocean. here are some photos of our day, and of the lake still behaving like a lake...


 




























we were the first people to kayak on this lake! well, actually the first and third, chuck had been out once before with another person. so i was the third. i don't think i've ever been first at something (or first three anyway). if your planning on going, the new kayaking rules and regulations are here.





afterwards, we looked all around for the acorn woodpecker. finding not only one, but many. it was a woodpecker party at the lake. hee hee. and another successful day at the office.

for more on cachuma lake go here and to see what we're planning on booking soon go here (so excited!)

xoxo lori

23 comments:

  1. oh my gosh and god lori, what can i possibly say about this day and your photos and the world we live in, which you manage to capture with magic and mystery and my most admiration and affection? (i'm on a roll...).

    seriously, OMG.i know what four hours feels like against the tide. are your arms very sore?

    i can't believe i saw the world with you not even two weeks ago. it makes me so happy to think of you and chuck spending a day like this together, seeing what you see and somehow holding your camera to share such splendor.

    my favorite is how you treat the water and ripples. you know what i'm about to say: reverence.

    love
    kj

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  2. Wow!!!
    seeing these photos makes me feel like I am there... I hear the water and smell the surrounding landscape.

    Those birds are magnificent!
    love thoses photos.

    So glad I dropped by.

    xx Robyn

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  3. PS... have they made all those holes?

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  4. Oh, these kayaks look so shaky! I am sure they are the best and quietest way to pass a lake without disturbing the landscape, and for taking photos (I hate speed boats!), but as you say, it is not easy to keep your eqipment safe when the wind freshes up! Or you!
    Third person on this lake? Wow! You are a pioneer! No matter what THEY call this lake, I`ll call it Chuckandlorilake!
    I love woodpeckers! Thanks for those photos, and the whole scenery! I still have them on my inner eye. Beautiful and quiet. Love from Geli

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  5. Beooootiful pics as ever! You must be knackered! One day I'll visit you there, I just know it! xxx

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  6. What I love about this is that you went to work with Chuck and got to paddle for 4 hours. Yes, I know it's work, but wow - that's good work! I always struggle with photo's in the kayak - the darn thing keeps drifting and the focus get's off and on and on. I just shoot and hope something come out!

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  7. Lori, can I repeat myself? You are awesome. :)) I love that you and Chuck can have these adventures together. Love love love. :) I still am working on walking every day - hahahaha!! Baby steps, right? xoxo Pam

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  8. Lori, I think you nailed the photographing from a kayak thing ... stunning shots. i could smell the freshness of the lake and the breeze and the warm sensation of being out on the water in the sunshine. How cool to be a kayak pioneer on the lake! Lovely my friend. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. Lori~
    These are wonderful!
    You always have such a gifted way to share your experiences through photos and words. I always look forward to new postings wondering where you will take us or teach us today.

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  10. oh what beautiful peace you found out at the lake and how cool that you can kayak on cachuma now. ezra looked at these photos with me and really enjoyed the birds. he said, "wait - go back to that guy". the first two birds he asked what letter they made and then said they live in a deep pond. the woodpeckers were a curious wonder for him too. i can't wait for him to experience more wildlife when we return to the big land of north america! you're lucky you get to go to work with chuck now. : ) too bad he can't hire you as an assistant.

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  11. gasp...many times!!
    Wonderful shots. I love the personal glimpses. Part of an arm/oar.
    Just ripples.
    A loving bird couple swimming off to the right.
    That black, bent branch over the water.
    And the flash of red on Chuck's paddle as he goes under the arbor.

    A magical day! I can't wait to see shots from Lupine Yurt :)

    Yurts have come a long way baby!♥

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  12. Jeff and I have ALWAYS wanted to go out on Lake Cachuma, so maybe our day will come, but we have a canoe and no kayaks. I think we need to buy a couple of kayaks and learn how to use them.

    This was exquisite. I loved the photos, which made me feel like I was in the kayak with you. WHAT A GREAT JOB! Loved seeing the grebes, coot-mud hen, and the acorn woodpecker. Wonderful shots.

    Lori dear, you comment about me at the table in my apron made me laugh. I am such a non-fashionista and felt dowdy when I saw the shot, but that is me, so I have to go with it. Good friends accept us the way we are.

    Sending love and wish I could've visited with kj too. I spoke at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden this week for the GCA Santa Barbara chapter. How wonderful to be in the library where my first plant propagtion classes were taken.

    Sending love and thanks,

    Sharon Lovejoy Writes fro Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

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  13. Woops, plant propagation, not propagtion.

    Love,

    S

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  14. lori, can we meet sharon for breakfast?

    :^)

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  15. Lovely, amazing photos, Lori! I love canoeing but I'm a little hesitant about learning to kayak (something about the Eskimo Rolls and me STILL BEING SEALED IN THE KAYAK WHILE UNDERWATER!) so I'll have to wait until I gather a bit more courage before kayaking.

    It looks like you had so much fun, though!!

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  16. kj, thank you thank you. i was sore, the second and third day are always when you feel it the most. but it's always worth it.

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    robyn, thank you, and yes! the woodpecker is busy and noisy!

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    haha, thanks geli, chuckandlorilake! i agree with you, the quiet is the best thing about a kayak. and they really are pretty stable!

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    sammi, thank you dear

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    miranda, it's definitely a good tired. when you come here (yippee!!) we will take you there. but you don't have to paddle for four hours, unless you want. :) (and i'll watch lara while you do!)

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    mim, we are extremely grateful, and love what we get to do. the paddling and photographing is just like you say, difficult. chuck showed me how to put your legs out on either side of the boat to stabilize it, especially while changing lenses.

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    pam, dear member of MAS (mutual awesome society, everyones in it!), thank you!

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  17. lyn, thank you for your always kind words. it would be great to get every shot you want, but to be able to see it is the thing.

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    janis, you are so kind, thank you!

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    anushka, thanks for telling me about ezra, it is going to be a whole new world for him here. cachuma has a nature boat that he would probably love to go out on!

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    thank you so much lo, you have a very beautiful way of seeing and hearing. i love all those things too.

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    sharon, thank you for your comment! first, your canoes are allowed! i think you would love it, and i can imagine how lovely they would look out on the lake.
    i knew you were there and would have given anything to attend, a prior commitment kept me from going. next time! (it's a shame it wasn't the weekend kj was here).
    and yay! for the apron.

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    tracy, these are sit on's so there is no need to fear. if you spill, which in a lake there's probably little chance, you would just end up in the water! thank you for the kind words dear.

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  18. First what a job your husband has! Second I'm glad you went with him. Third don't worry about your job. It looks like it was a beautiful day, although it must have been tricky handling the kayak and camera you are very clever!

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  19. Whoa! I am flippin' impressed! You must have really toned arms. The photos exude serenity. I can imagine the silence, except for the sound of your paddles.

    By the way, I heard that stretching after heavy exercise and drinking chocolate milk help reduce sore muscle aches. :)

    How exciting! A yurt! We stayed in a yurt at Big Sur and loved it!

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  20. Such gorgeous photos, Lori and how amazing that you got to kayak this lake as one of the first people!! I know just what you mean - we recently crossed the Savannah River in kayaks - it was windy and the tide was going out - I thought I might never make it to the other side... The next day, every muscle hurt! Much love, Silke

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  21. What a great day at the office ;) Apart from the wonderful feathered ones I love that photo of the ripples, (from the paddles I'm guessing)? on the surface of the water. That Yurt looks fabulous*!*

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  22. Hey where have I been?!!!! So many posts I have missed! I remembered I have looked at these pictures before but I guess I didn't had time to comment then..... :(
    My what a place of tranquility! And those woodpeckers you found were just the cherries on the cake!

    Alway good to see your pictures which shows you were having a great time!

    ♥♥♥
    >M<

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xoxo lori