Trailblazers at Willow Springs Lake. [photo by Eva]

Eva, Norma, Ron, and Chuck at the launch ramp.

On a beautiful partly cloudy morning in mid-September four Arizona Trailblazers gather around the launch ramp on Willow Springs Lake for a day of kayaking. Billowing cumulus clouds of all sizes and shapes scuttle across a deep blue sky, with a comfortable temperature in the mid-60s, as we prepare our kayaks for launch. Afternoon temperatures in the Phoenix metro area are still in the 103-to-106-degree range, so the mid-60s feels pretty darned good for a change to these desert dwellers. Looking around the lake shore, we try to decide if the lake level has come up or gone down a little since our last kayaking trip here in May. I think the lake has actually risen at least a foot or two, while others disagree. We will find out for certain later in the day. Regardless, the normally floating dock is still siting high and dry.

Ron steadies his kayak by the launch ramp. [photo by Eva]

Next, he helps Norma carry her kayak down to the water. [photo by Eva]

Now, where the heck is everyone? [photo by Eva]

For a variety of reasons, we get a somewhat late start this morning, but by about 9:45 most of us are on the water and ready to move out. We begin paddling southeast into the shorter of the two lake arms first. And it is not long before we start getting hit by a stiff wind blowing directly in our faces. It gradually calms down for a while and then picks back up again. This will be the pattern throughout the day—stiff winds, followed by periods of calm. It is a rare day when we do not have winds blowing us around on the lake. We can only hope on these monthly kayaking trips that we do not encounter winds strong enough to capsize us and result in taking an unplanned swim, or as John S. likes to put it taking an underwater tour of the lake. We’ve had some close calls in the past, but thankfully no mass capsizings.

Norma, Ron, and Chuck paddle across the lake. [photo by Eva]

We start paddling closer to shore. [photo by Eva]

Ron steadies his camera for that perfect shot. [photo by Eva]

We paddle into this arm of the lake as far as we can go, before starting to scrape the lake bottom near the end. So, we turn around and paddle back into the main lake body. When the lake is at full capacity, we can paddle another several hundred yards further, but not today. When we reach the main lake body, we paddle around the long peninsula thrusting deep into the main lake and begin paddling southeast once again into the longer northernmost arm of the lake. Here, we finally begin seeing some bird life that we normally encounter while kayaking Willow Springs Lake. Ospreys are circling high overhead, scanning the water surface below for telltale ripples just beneath the surface that indicate the presence of fish. We also see several Great Blue Herons and numerous Mallards swimming in small groups.

Norma takes a break from paddling. [photo by Eva]

Majestic cumulus clouds fill the sky over Willow Springs Lake. [photo by Eva]

A hopeful fly fisherman tries his luck. [photo by Eva]

The cloud cover continues to build up, as some of the larger cumulus clouds grow considerably in size. But so far there’s still no real threat of thunderstorms since these clouds don’t have the ominous very dark gray or nearly black undersides of serious thunderstorm clouds. Nevertheless, we keep eyes to the sky as we continue paddling for a mile or more before the water again becomes too shallow to go any further. When this lake is full, we can paddle for another quarter-mile or more until we can clearly see Hwy. 260 and hear all the traffic noise. Today we can not see the highway at all and can only hear the muffled sounds of distant traffic. We hang around here for a short time, taking a break, before reversing course and paddling back out into the main lake body once again.

A lone, black-necked cormorant scouts the lake for a meal. [photo by Eva]

We are not sure who this kayaker is, but he sure looks familiar. [photo by Eva]

Ron and Norma check out the lake scenery. [photo by Eva]

Roughly halfway back we spot the same log that was sticking several feet out of the water when Ron took this picture in May of a lake turtle sunning itself near the top end of the log. But today only about a foot or so of this same log was protruding out of the water, indicating that the lake had risen at least two feet or more, just as I had suspected earlier. Once back out into the main lake, Ron and I paddle over for a quick look at the dam, located due north of the boat ramp, while Norma and Eva decide to find a good place to beach their kayaks and get out for a quick rest and snack break. Eventually we all make our way back to the main launch ramp area, put our kayaks and gear away, and talk for a while about todays kayak and the Lake Pleasant kayaking trip coming up on October 27. It is almost 1:00 p.m. When we all start heading for home. It’s been yet another great day of kayaking the beautiful Rim Lakes of Arizona’s spectacular Mogollon Rim.

We slowly make our way through the ghost forest. [photo by Eva]

Norma carefully threads her way through the partially submerged trees. [photo by Eva]

Lake turtles love to sun themselves on partially submerged logs. [photo by Eva]

This picture is from our May kayaking trip on Willow Springs Lake. [photo by Ron]