This blog is designed to highlight the paddling opportunities within South Dakota, mainly within a 50-mile radius of Sioux Falls. While Sioux Falls is far from the adventure of coastal regions, there is a certain satisfaction in utilizing the available waterways to observe weather, water conditions, and the landscape along the shoreline. In addition, there is a wealth of animal life on the waters of small South Dakota lakes, rivers, and creeks, including geese, ducks, pelicans, great blue heron, egrets, hawks, owls, perching birds, deer, raccoons, and beaver. Eagles, fox, and coyote are also sometimes spotted.

The sites described are places where I have kayaked over the past few years, mostly in South Dakota but sometimes including locations in Iowa and Minnesota. One of the best sources of information on the accessibility of small lakes is the South Dakota Atlas and Gazetteer, the large map book of South Dakota. Lakes with a public access are generally identified by a boat symbol marking the location of a launching site on public land.

You will notice the menu of paddling locations on the right side of the blog. Each of the postings is linked to one of the areas, and my intention is to provide a continuing review of the places where I paddle. Perhaps these narratives will help readers select waterways of interest to them. Please feel free to offer a comment regarding any of my postings; I would welcome the dialog.

I also maintain a companion blog that describes hiking opportunities within the Sioux Falls area. You can access that blog at: http://hikingsiouxfalls.blogspot.com

Monday, May 14, 2012

Ocean Rowing Expeditions Underway


For the past few years, I have followed the adventures of paddlers heading off on expeditions that most of us can only dream about.  These adventurers have developed blogs with real-time electronic route maps, day-to-day narratives, current photos, and some have satellite telephone reports to add an even more compelling quality to the story.

I am currently monitoring the following expeditions:

Sarah Outen is a young British adventurer who is doing a 2½-year expedition using human power to circle the glob.  She travels by bike, kayak, and rowing boat.  This venture began in London, continued by bike across central Asia to the Siberian coast, then by kayak and rowing boat across to Japan and on to the west coast of America.  She set out for America two days ago and is now at sea.  You can follow her at:  http://www.sarahouten.com/blog/

Charlie Martell is also on a cross pacific row, and he left from the same location in Japan 10 days ago in his specially made rowing boat.  His goal is to make a solo and unsupported row into San Francisco.  You can follow his venture at:  http://pacific2012.com

Finally, Roz Savage, a British adventurer who I have followed on her rows across the Atlantic to America, from California to Hawaii, on to Tarawa in the Gilbert Island, then to Fiji, and finally to Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, is on the move again.  She had planned to retire after her voyage of three years or so, but she has agreed to fill in on a rowing voyage with Andrew Morris across the Atlantic from Newfoundland, Canada, to the UK. They have been delayed due to icebergs in their projected route, but will be underway within a few days.  You can follow her adventure at:  http://rozsavage.com

These three blogs offer the promise of vicarious adventure to all of us who would like to be involved in such adventures but find ourselves caught up in the routines and obligations of a constrained life.  Electronics makes this fanciful adventure available to us all. 

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