KAYAKING EL VADO LAKE

The sun was hot but the breeze refreshing. I hoped it wouldn't get any stronger or today's paddling would be more work than fun. It would be great if the wind slackened at bit while still providing some cooling and repelling the mosquitoes.

I strapped on my life jacket, checked my equipment and at last was ready to push my kayak out into the water. As I settled into the molded seat the boat wobbled, then quickly steadied once my weight found the proper position. I was ready to paddle the southern part of New Mexico's magnificent El Vado Lake.

Leaving the campground and the boat ramp I turned towards the dam at the south end of the lake. Steady strokes propelled my sleek craft at a respectable four miles per hour. That's a little faster than I usually go but the wind was behind me and it helped a lot. I'd pay the price when returning with the wind in my face.

Soon I came upon a fisherman in his aluminum boat and surprised him a little with my silent approach. He waved and answered my query saying "Nope, not a bite so far. Been here since noon and it's really slow." I paddled on by and wished him luck.

Two dogs barked as I glided along the shore past some houses short of the dam. Several boats were tied to a rickety wooden dock. The dogs charged out along the docks to threaten me with their noisy barking. I paid little heed, confident that they did not want to get wet simply protecting their turf. In a minute or two they were left behind and quieted down.

The water wasn't flowing over the spillway at the dam. This late in the season the lake is down a few feet. In early summer it's high after snow melt, icy water rushing to fill El Vado each May. Stroke after steady stroke, I pass the dam at the end of the bay and stay about twenty yards from the shore.

Two black coots scramble from near the shore and pass in front of me, running atop the water and not flying. They didn't know that I was no danger to them. They scooted faster than I could ever paddle and even the two of them wouldn't make a meal for a hungry man.

Now I was headed around into the wind. It seemed stronger than it did when it was a following breeze, but not fresh enough to raise whitecaps yet. My strokes became less efficient as the headwind slowed my progress. I continued along the now rockier shore with steep cliffs looming up ahead. There would be no place to pull out here.

After another half mile of paddling into a stiffening breeze, I began to look for a place to put ashore. I wanted to stretch my legs and retrieve my picnic lunch stowed forward under the hatch. A cool cola drink up there was calling me and I smacked my lips. Up ahead a little further was a likely spot, a small rocky beach looked promising.

As I eased my kayak towards the shore, I kept a sharp eye out for jagged rocks that might scratch the fiberglass hull, but the muddy water didn't reveal any threats which might lurk beneath. Slowly I approached a likely spot and then stopped parallel to the beach. Fortunately the rocks here were rounded and not sharp. I could safely drag the boat ashore without damage.

I wiggled up and out of the snug cockpit. It was good to stand and stretch after an hour's paddling. The sun's heat made me think quickly of that cool drink in the forward cargo compartment. I loosened the tiedown straps and retrieved the lunch bag.

A flat rock about the size of a footlocker made a nice bench for my lunchtime break. Ahhh, that drink refreshed with the first sip. I looked around. My shoreline picnic area was really the mouth of a small stream now dried up, the gravel bar providing my landing site.

It was a delightful day to be on the water. The mountains in the east still crested with snow glistened in the brilliant sunlight and added a picture perfect extra to El Vado's scenery. Paddling my kayak in such a magnificent place is just one more bonus of living in the Land of Enchantment.