Feeling the Impact of the Drought

Even though we've had closer to normal rainfall than much of the state - the impact of the drought is still being felt.

Mostly by the pond.

It's dried-up.  There isn't enough water in it to float a kayak. 

This time of year it is ordinarily a way point for migrating waterfowl to stop for a layover.  Not this year.  Without some massive rains it's not going to fill until winter arrives and is followed by the spring melt.  

The good news is I'll be able to get in there and spray the invasive plants after the natives go dormant for the season.

Kayaks on the March!

When I was in Canada last week my pals Lawyer and Lawyer's Bro said that they saw a kayak in the water.  Since I didn't see it for myself I suspect they were pulling my leg.

Plausible deniability you know.

Everyone knows that kayaks belong on vehicles and are most for show.

like this interesting set-up on a VW motorhome...

click on image to enlarge

Kayak Nation

So far this year I haven't seen any kayaks on the water - and I've spent plenty of time on the water.

That's probably because the kayaks and the kayakers are so busy taking them for rides up and down Wisconsin's roads.  Or wagging them to the grocery.  Or trundling them around to show them off.


Yesterday I spied a Toyota Prius with two giant kayaks strapped to the roof rack.  They were longer than the darn hybrid.

Then there was this.

I figured it was just a matter of time.

The Mother Lode....

click on image to enlarge

Kayaks

True to form I have spent countless hours on the water. 

Walleye fishing on Green Bay.

Walleye and other fishing on the Eagle River Chain.

A business conference in that fever swamp they call Hollywood Florida.

Boats in the water everywhere and not a kayak to be seen.

Except on the top of a car.

click on image to enlarge

Extreme Kayaking

This guy goes over the falls in his kayak and lives to tell the tale.

It's a good thing most of the kyaks I see are safely attached to the roof of a vehicle.

That way nobody can possibly get hurt...

Kayak Season

As predictable as the blooming of spring daffodils, lilacs and apple blossoms is the appearance of kayaks on the roof of a vehicle running down the highway.

I haven't seen a single kayak on the water yet but there seem to be plenty of them racking-up the highway miles...

Kayaker Slain by Swan

With the ice out, and warming conditions the kayaks are out.  Been seeing them traveling on the top of Subarus running up and down the highway lately.

Haven't seen any in the water - but that's another matter altogether.

Since the kayak season is now upon us please be safe and avoid dangerous, mute swans.

Here is a tragic story of a man in a kayak drowning after being attacked by a swan.

Ironically, he was employing dangerous, invasive swans to chase way nuisance geese.

In prior years the DNR has been proactive about controlling populations if non-native mute swans only to draw the wrath of the shoreland gentry.

That's too bad. 

Maybe if a few more kayakers are killed by the swans the gentry will come to their senses?

Kayak Season

I won't be long before the lakes and bay freezes and the kayak season ends.

Of course - these kayaks might only be window-dressing.

You know.

For show...

Kayak Nation

A week ago I was returning to the big city and spotted a vehicle pulled-over on the left hand shoulder and a man in the road.

The next thing I see are a pair of kayaks scattered in the road.

Hitting the brakes I checked my 20 for traffic behind me and carefully maneuver around the man and his (now scratched and possibly dented) kayaks.

I did not have time to grab the smart phone and take a picture.  All I could think of is how dangerous it is to pull-off onto the left shoulder on a busy four lane highway.  Nuts.

This is the second incident of loose kayaks on the roadway that I have been witness to.  Both just outside of Brussels, WI.  You never hear or see of loose bicycles on the road.  Or errant car top carriers.  Canoes. Or Christmas trees.  Are kayak owners careless or prone to cutting corners?

This fella clear has done a better job of securing his vessels to the roof rack.  Nylon straps with locking ratchets.  No simple rubber bungee cords.

Grand Theft Kayak

Seems you cannot even make a trip to the grocery to fetch a gallon of milk with out taking your kayak along for the ride.

If you can believe it - someone actually swiped one of these.

I fella from Oshkosh had one blow off of a trailer right outside of town.  By the time he turned around and went back to fetch it someone had picked it up.

Read more about this incident here.

The World's Largest Kayak Trailer

Oh sure.

I bet you think that this is just an ordinary military low loader.  Something the Army would use to transport a bulldozer or an armored vehicle.

Not so.

I would bet this is going to fetch a load of kayaks.

A kayak transport of this size could haul amored kayaks.  Tons of them.

They're taking over the world after-all.

Kayak Nation

Sometimes I think that kayaks are either taking over the world or have become a status symbol.

It used to be you had to sport a Rolex or Movado watch to be stylish.

Now you have too haul a kayak around everywhere you go. 

Kayak Nation

As a kid growing-up only Eskimos had kayaks.  You never saw a kayak either in the water and certainly not on the road.  You only saw Eskimo people in kayaks hunting seals or walrus. And then only in pictures.

Nowadays, the proper term is Inuit.  (The People -  a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada).

And kayaks are ubiquitous.

Kayak Nation

Lest you think I have some sort of weird obsession with kayaks - I ask that you consider this.

According to Chicago-based National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) - between 90,000 and 105,000 canoes and 350,000 kayaks are sold annually.

The kayak has supplanted the canoe as the quiet, personal watercraft of choice.

Baby Boomers want their kayak!

Learn more about it here.

More Kayaks on the March

Isn't this a beauty?

A beautiful wooden kayak.

I'd be afraid to drag that anywhere near the coast of the peninsula what with all the dangerous rocks around.  This guy apparently has some confidence.

The Frau and I are hopeful to take some kayaking lessons this summer.

The Kayaks Are On The March

My regular readers know that I have taken notice of kayaks from time-to-time.

Anecdotally, I've observed more kayaks on the road than on the water.

Lately I've been seeing more kayaks on the road.  Technically - on the rooftop of a vehicle.  Although I saw a woman in a kayak while fishing a week ago.

Of the two kayaks in this picture the one on the right was make of wood.

Very nice.

More Kayaks

I'm telling you there are kayaks everywhere.

Are there this many people kayaking nowadays or are people sporting these on their vehicle as some sort of status symbol?

Kayak Invasion

I've pointed out on more than one occasion how it seems that the roads nowadays are crowded with vehicles hauling kayaks from here to there.

I'm telling you - kayaks are everywhere.

As evidence of the fact that kayaks are taking over the land there is this new State Park Admission Sticker...

Hat Tip - Sinissippigal