April Paddle at Big Creek

POLK CITY, IOWA - I was fortunate to attend a couple of events put on during the past several weeks by the good folks at Canoe Sport Outfitters in Indianola - Paddlefest and Demofest. These two events provided a great way to learn more about the different styles of kayaks that exist and better yet offered the opportunity to actually test various models in the water to dial in what best fits a given paddler's skills and intended use.  After attending these events, and trying different models out, I had determined that a recreational type kayak that had elements of a "transitional" class of kayak was probably the best fit for me.  This past Saturday was the first opportunity I had to get out on the water with the Kestrel 120 and chose to visit Big Creek State Park near Polk City.
     Conditions were partly sunny and in the lower 50's with very light winds when I arrived at the beach area of Big Creek.  There is currently a lot of construction going on at the beach were it looks like several new shelters, a boat house, and other structures are being built.  Not knowing if the boat ramp was accessible, I elected to embark on my journey by launching from the beach area that was still open outside of the construction area.
     Once situated in the boat, with my PFD in place, I pushed off and was quickly enjoying the beauty of Big Creek from offshore.  The kayak was very stable and it didn't take long to get comfortable as I moved further from shore.  I paddled along the east edge of the lake, and enjoyed observing several species of waterfowl along the lake.  There was a handful of folks fishing around the east perimeter of the lake along with a few fishing boats and one other paddler on the water.  Outside of that, it felt like I had the lake to myself.
     I have typically done most of my kayaking on the local rivers in the area, so it was a bit of a different experience paddling around the lake.  I certainly didn't have the advantage of a current pushing me downstream, so I was reliant on my own "engine" to keep me moving.  It didn't take long to get warmed up and I probably could have gotten by without wearing the jacket I had on under my PFD..
     After paddling for about three miles, it was time to return to shore and head home.  It will be fun to check out some more of the various Iowa water trails this coming summer!