The River Mild
by Hi Liner - November 18, 2008
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Just because we use an inflatable kayak that is only rated for class I rapids does not mean we will only go through class I rapids.
Two Noobs, One Dog, Two Paddles, One Kayak
In an effort to be more outdoorsy, my wife talked me into buying an inflatable kayak. Not just a pool toy for leisurely floats, but a serious “man’s” inflatable kayak. We spent just over $1,000 and at that price the guilt of not using it would eclipse my fear of drowning in the raging rivers we were sure to tackle.
We settled on the Innova Sunny based on stellar reviews from my sister-in-law and a lot of Internet research. My biggest selling point was the sister-in-law’s promise that it was almost impossible to tip.
We planned a trip with said sister-in-law down the Middle Fork of the Klamath in Northern CA. Before our trial by river on the Klamath we took three local runs to break the new boat in. So far every trip with the Sunny has been more than worth the price.
Del Valle Reservoir - Livermore - Excursion #2
Del Valle is a great place to get a lot of paddling in. Rowers share the lake with motorboats, but all the lazy boaters (those without paddles) are “required” to go 10mph or less. Although we did have a few close calls. One family (who I am assuming had never been in a boat in their life) kept driving within three feet of the kayak. Another boat came speeding straight at us, but they were luckily pulled over by the rangers who patrol the lake. So be ready for a lot of paddling, boat dodging and ice-cream when you’re through.
The Final Excursion - The Klamath Middle Fork
After all our preparation the moment was here.
We drove five hours north to the Oregon/California border. We got up early on Saturday morning after our night at the Tree of Heaven Campground. We ditched our car, blew up the kayaks, pushed off and settled in for an all day float.
My wife did endless research on the river to make sure we wouldn’t hit any rapids. She seemed much less concerned than me. I was sure that around every turn was a Class III or Class IV waiting to tip our nose and tip us out. We never met the Class III or Class IV, but we did push our way through a couple Class IIs. Even though the Sunny is only rated for Class I rapids, the little boat pulled through at every stop. With water splashing our faces, the dog cuddled in the middle cubby, and every piece of equipment clipped into the raft we made it through 11 miles of river unscathed.
We put in just below Iron Gate Dam and took out at the I5 bridge. Everything was easy to find and it was a great way to step up the kayaking level without going as extreme as I feared.
Kayakers can also keep going past I5 and pull out at the Tree of Heaven, but after 11 miles we were ready for dinner.
Keep an eye out for the gold dredgers, although you’ll probably hear them before you see them.
Boat People the
San Jose, CA 95101
We bought our Innova Sunny Kayak from The Boat People. They moved from San Jose and are now run out of a garage in Danville. Don’t let the garage fool you though, these guys are great. We were given a full lesson in the setup of our new toy and the price was much more reasonable than any big box outdoor store.
We bought our Innova Sunny Kayak from The Boat People. They moved from San Jose and are now run out of a garage in Danville. Don’t let the garage fool you though, these guys are great. We were given a full lesson in the setup of our new toy and the price was much more reasonable than any big box outdoor store.
Shadow Cliffs - Pleasanton - Excursion #1
This small watering hole is busy on the weekends, but with a couple paddles and a kayak you can get away from the swimmers. We thought we’d do a quick trial run before braving the Klamath. First thing first, we have to start off on the wrong foot. I put the foot pump into the Sunny and proceeded to stomp away. After much stomping and miniscule inflation, my wife figured out that the pump was in the wrong blower hole. So now the blower is fixed, the Sunny is inflated and we are ready to head out. Our excitement was huge, our paddles were flying, and we were across the reservoir in five minutes flat. Shadow Cliffs is perfect for an easy, leisurely float, but don’t expect any all day adventures here. We spent an hour on the water and pulled a Magellan by circumnavigating the entire thing.
Shadow Cliff Waterslide
2500 Stanley Blvd, Pleasanton, CA 94566
Nevermind the waterslide, just focus on that sweet reservoir for all your beginning kayak needs.
Nevermind the waterslide, just focus on that sweet reservoir for all your beginning kayak needs.
Gualala River - Gualala - Excursion #3
Our third and final trip before braving the Klamath was to the tidal river in the town of Gualala. Getting there is a great drive up Hwy 1. On the way up we counted all the places we could stop and kayak.
The Gualala River is a tidal river which means it can run high to low in the same day. We knew it was tidal river heading in, but what we didn’t know was that we missed the season for the tides to reach the river. So our day consisted of 10% paddling and 90% portaging (carrying the 25lb kayak, all our gear, plus the dog) over the low running water. We plan on going back when the tides are running, but until then it was just a great drive up the coast, a beautiful weekend in a great hotel, and a lot of boat carrying.
After this excursion we were obviously ready for the Klamath.
Sea Ranch Lodge
60 Sea Walk Drive The Sea Ranch, CA 95497
This was our lodging while in Gualala. Our stay here was worth the drive. Every room is on the ocean. Every breakfast is included. Every dinner was amazing. Plus, the Sea Ranch owns miles of coastal trails that provide for amazing morning running.
Champagne of Beers - Keeping it Classy
For the Klamath we brought along the best river beer possible. Just remember to bring cans and a garbage bag. Haul everything you bring on the river back off the river with you.
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Wow, sweet guide highlighting your sweet ride…. bruhahahaha, ok, give me some credit, it is early… Being from Colorado, I am enjoying your wild ride of a guide here… I totally digg those inflatable kayaks, and can’t believe how expensive they are! Sounds like a successful trip, to say the least… Was the best part seeing your dog in a life jacket? How caaauuuute! Next trip, Colorado!?
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After reading your guide, I feel like I, too, could forge the river mild (or not so mild). Um, but could I borrow your sweet kayak? Nice Kevin Bacon pic . . .
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