Paddle Log #26 Lake Winnipesaukee

Since we flew across country for this vacation, we didn't have our own kayaks with us.  My eldest wanted to go kayaking with me, so we packed a picnic lunch and headed on up to Trexler's Marina to rent a tandem kayak.  I also figured this would be a good opportunity to scout out some of the islands and coves on the other side of the island that I didn't reach on my previous solo paddling excursion.

Time stamp leaving Trexler's



Trexler's rents a few different types of kayaks.  We opted for an Emotion Kayak that was essentially the same as our Ocean Kayak Malibu Two XL, but with built-in cupholders.  The staff at Trexler's were very friendly and helpful.  It was expensive though.  The price was the highest I've ever seen for kayak rentals, but I was willing to pay it for one day out on the water with my eldest and for the convenience of it being so close to our condo on the lake.

Lunch Break



From Trexler's, we paddled under the bridge going to Moultonborough Neck bridge to Long Island and on to the east following the shoreline counterclockwise into a small cove.  We stopped to have lunch there in the cove, and found ourselves surrounded by two families of loons.  There were somewhere between 6 and 8 loons, but I couldn't count them all because they kept diving underwater.

Loon off the starboard bow

As we continued our paddle along the shoreline, at one point we startled and were startled by a Great Blue Heron that was standing very close to shore.  We didn't notice him until he sprung up and started flapping his wings to take flight about 15 feet in front of us.  It was spectacular to see, but I wasn't fast enough with my camera to catch it.  

We also saw one adult trailed by 12 juvenile mergansers.  I have yet to get a good photo of the mergansers, but my son took a couple of pics for me while I was paddling.

It was a very nice afternoon on the water, and it was cool to check out some different parts of the lake we hadn't been to before.

Stats for the paddle log:

• Date: Saturday, 28 July 2012
• Time In: 11:36 a.m.
  
• Time Out: 2:14 p.m.
• Elapsed:  2 hrs 38 min
• Moving Time (GPS): 2 hours 31 min
• Stopped Time (GPS):  7 1/2 min
• Mileage (GPS): 5.14 miles
  
• Sea State: 0
• Winds: 5-8 kts E
• Air Temp:  76F climbing to 78F
• Water Temp: 77.8F
• Current:  None.
• Gauge Height:  503.63' (lake full = 504.32'  source)  The Lakes Region has had 6 inches less than average rainfall this year, so the lake level is a little low.
• Avg Speed (GPS):  2.0 mph
  
• Max Speed by (GPS):  4.0 mph
• Rapids?  None. 
• Hazards?  Not much.  Wake from an occasional passing boat.
  
• Kit: Emotion Tandemonium rented from Trexler's Marina.  Flop hat, NRS paddling gloves, short sleeve swim shirt, swim trunks, Keen Newport sandals.
• Configuration: My eldest son sat in the front seat and I sat in the back seat of this Tandemonium kayak (very similar to our Malibu Two XL at home).
• Route:  Put-in at Trexler's Marina.  Paddled east under the Moultonborough Neck bridge and  counter-clockwise along the shore.  
• Other comments (such as wildlife spotted): Many loons, 1 adult merganser with 12 juveniles in tow, many ducks, 1 great blue heron, other smaller birds I couldn't identify.  Lots of dragonflies and waterbugs, water lilies.