Paddling Second Pond to Lake Flower

Today we did our traditional paddle from Second Pond to Lake Flower.  It was another beautiful day with barely any wind, and abundant sunshine.  But something was not quite right.  I realized I wasn't tempted to take any pictures.  Then I noticed that while the fall colors close by were very pretty, they didn't show up at all on the hillsides which were shrouded in smoke.  The Canadian wildfire smoke is upon us again.  It didn't bother us, except perhaps a bit of burning of the eyes, but it sure spoiled the fall colors.  So I took a picture at the end of the paddle while we were all eating our lunch at the picnic tables in the park.

 

Paddling South Creek to Weller Pond

W did a paddle with friends today from South Creek through Middle Saranac to Weller Pond.  I was supposed to go but wasn't feeling good.  But I wanted to keep a record of it, so here it is.

Paddling Rollins to Square Ponds

We did our traditional Rollins Pond loop today.  The weather was perfect and the water so still.

At the northern end of Rollins we paddled along the shore by the culvert

then landed and climbed up to what will become the rail trail.  The surface right now would be a challenge to bike.

Then we continued on our way through the narrow stream to Floodwood, which beavers had tried to block, through Floodwood, then down Fish Creek and through Square Pond.  We landed at an empty campsite then W walked back to Rollins to get the car.  We paddled about 7.5 miles.  What a gorgeous day.

Paddling Long Pond

Today's paddle was supposed to be on the northern end of Upper Saranac Lake.  But there recently was a toxic algal bloom there, and reports said that even though the algae had dispersed, the water could still be toxic.  So we decided we had better find a different place to paddle.  We didn't have much time to decide on a new destination, but in hindsight we should have taken more time than we did because the new destination we decided on, Long Pond, requires a 1/3 mile portage to get to the lake.  I thought I could do it, even though I haven't been able to do much walking due to chronic Achilles tendonitis.  The evening before the paddle I hurt my foot more and decided I couldn't do that walk.  So W and the others went and had a good time.

Hiking at the Ausable Club

We spent the weekend visiting with friends in Keene Valley who belong to the Ausable Club.  We hiked to Rainbow Falls, though I didn't go the whole way since it was quite a rock scramble.  But it was a neat place and W got a good photo of the falls.

Paddling Follensby Clear Pond

We had a great paddle today.  Some friends from our new neighborhood in PA were camping nearby so they joined us on a very nice paddle on Follensby Clear.

 

We put in at the upper parking lot.  We decided to paddle a bit farther than our friends wanted to so after they took out we paddled down to investigate the beaver dams in Spider Creek.  We went under the bridge and down the creek, where the beaver dams had been cleared,

then back up the creek and to our car.  Our total paddle was 6.5 miles.