Prairie Paddler: Spring 2008

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Lake Profile: Grass Lake

Grass Lake is a beautiful body of water in close proximity to Sioux Falls. At just 15 miles away, it is great for an after work paddle.

SDCA board member Jay Heath introduced me to this vast lake last year (via his website), and I have visited four times since.

Pelicans, geese, turtles and many other creatures call this lake home.

The lack of a loading ramp makes this the lake perfect location for paddlers who do not want to be disrupted by an outboard motor.

I encourage you to visit - enjoy!

LINKS

Grass Lake Aerial View

From Sioux Falls

Map

Lake Access

The waterways need us, too

The conservation chair for the SDCKA board, Mary Finck, has collected information for paddlers - see, we're valuable - and this time the rivers and lakes need us.

Volunteers are needed to collect sample data on waterways in East River, S.D.

As Mary reports, Dakota Water Watch is looking for volunteers to monitor lakes and rivers for bacteria, transparency, and temperature. Volunteers would collect samples once a month from April to October, plus after storms.

Mary said the volunteers get to choose the waterways they monitor, so someone like Rick in Vermillion would not have to drive up to Dells to take a sample. In many ways, the program is a two-birds/one stone idea: you're already planning to paddle, why not collect some important info while you're at it?

There's a two-hour training session for volunteers, and Mary said Jeanne Fromm, the project manager from East Dakota Water Development District, is happy to meet with folks to get them ready to collect samples.

Of course, the SDCKA might seek to have a meeting with Fromm so a larger group can come out for one session and get their knowledge. But for those who want to get cracking on this, Fromm's available via e-mail at Edwdd3@brookings.net, or you can call her at 605-688-6611.

Bieso, SDCKA

They seek our assistance

Howdy friends,

The Outdoor Campus in Sioux Falls will host a series of beginners' paddling classes. Each is "free-standing" meaning there will be new paddlers at each one.

The staff there has asked for SDCKA members to assist at these events, covering safety, paddling strokes, canoe/kayak differences, turning, and the like.

The dates and times include

• Family paddling, 10 a.m.-noon June 21 (Saturday)
• Paddling basics, 1-3 p.m. June 21
• Family paddling, 1-3 p.m. July 12, (Saturday)
• Family paddling, 6-8 p.m. July 17, (Thursday)
• Family paddling, 6-8 p.m. Aug. 5, (Tuesday)

All the classes will be held at the Outdoor Campus pond, and the ODC is at 4500 S. Oxbow Ave., Sioux Falls.

Their pond is small so they won't need all that many folks at each class. But it might be a good way to help the public get into paddling, do a bit of cross-promo perhaps. They are seeking class sizes of about 20-25 per class, the family ones will have kids as young as 7 years old.

Let me know if you want to help on a certain date. I will coordinate things with the chap who is hosting these classes. If nothing else, it'll be a nice excuse to get a boat out on a weeknight this summer!

Also, look for a post on the Old Courthouse Museum's planned BSR trip later today, and one on the water sampling program, too.

Bieso, SDCKA

Asked for, now on the Blog!

At the SDCKA board meeting, people asked about a forum for short-notice cruises. Our blog has the aforementioned forum now. It will store "tags" of people seeking joiners for trips. All you need is an e-mail address. It works and hopefully it will help get people out on the water.

Bieso

Our new connection in Pierre

As mentioned in the last post, the crew in Pierre, who paddle Lake Oahe (shown in picture in full winter whitecap mode above the dam) and other waters, are happy to show a greenhorn around the Missouri River in Sodak's capital. Since I had a picture of Oahe, thought I would mention again this new connection.

Visit their site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pierrekayakclub/.

In addition to the big waters of Oahe, which stretch from Pierre back into Nodak, this group is a hop and a skip from the Cheyenne and White rivers. Here's to hoping we'll connect SDCKA members with the Pierre Kayak Club this year.

John mentioned the Earth Day paddle as an event he comes to the Big Sioux for - sorry, still no word from the Sierra Club on their plans. Soon as I get some word, we'll make those April plans, friends.

We are finalizing the route and dates for the SDCKA's "North of Flandreau" April cruise, too.

Bieso

Talking pelicans and Pierre

March is here, and so are new plans and discoveries, thanks to the blog.

John from Pierre wrote, mentioning a group of paddlers in Pierre. They're lucky, as they are already/still paddling on the Missouri River.

John mentioned his group is online at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pierrekayakclub/.

They are always looking to host paddlers less familiar with the waters around the capital city.

Myself, I'm dialing in information on lakes nearby my home in Elkton. I found this Marsh Lake, about two hours from here, so about three hours from Sioux Falls:

http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/mnbasin/vtour/vt_4.html.

The cool thing is an organized group could go there, see the Minnesota River headwaters, then drive to the southeastern-most part of Marsh Lake. From there, the river goes through miles of marsh and birdlife and continues down for ... hours, days, weeks, it looks like.

I'm adding it to my personal list, but if anyone has information on that area, do share.

Jarett