Trap Pond State Park, Delaware: The beauty of Trap Pond is it's Cypress Trees, this is the northern most limit of thier range. Paddling in the Cypress swamp trail makes you think your in Georgia not Delaware. There is a fine campground with a new mini-general store. Early to mid-November is a wonderful time to see the Cypress at peak fall color and warm afternoons. |
False Cape State Park, Virginia: In the 1800s, False Cape gained a reputation as a shipping graveyard. The area got its name because its land mass resembled Cape Henry, luring boats into shallow waters. One of the area's first communities, Wash Woods, was developed by survivors of such a shipwreck. Paddling in Back Bay NWR offers the chance to see nesting Loggerhead turtles, brown pelicans and a myriad of other waterfowl. |
Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia: Established as the first Bald Eagle Refuge in the 1970's. Paddling at Mason Neck offers birders and photographers amazing opportunites to view waterfowl and the fifty or so pairs of Bald Eagles that nest year around. When I lived in Northern Virginia, I loved the fact that this refuge was only minutes away. |
Dillion Reservoir, Colorado: A large reservior that provides stunnig views of Ten Mile Peak and surrounding mountains, however make sure you are off the water by 11am, high winds and storms brew up quickly in the summer. |
Paonia State Recreation Area, Colorado: Paddling here is nice in late spring with the snowcapped peaks of the Ragged Mountains dominating the landscape. However the reservoir is usually dried out by late summer fall. |
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Island Lake Grand Mesa, Colorado: With nearly 300 lakes atop the mesa you would think you were in Minnesota not Colorado. The water is so clear at Island Lake we could actually see the thousands of trout schooling near the surface. However, there was measurable snow in the campground and the mosquitos hatch in late May and early June. |
| Eleven Mile State Park, Colorado: Paddle the day away around the shores of the backcountry, while enjoying scenic vistas. There are a number of comfortable campsites located around the shoreline, nestled among trees in the backcountry, or tucked away in secluded canyon pockets and remote hillsides. |
| Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand: With Granite Cliffs and golden beachs Abel Tasman offers kayakers and hikers miles of pristine coastline. Unlike the cooler waters of Milford Sound. Abel Tasman's crystal clear waters offer close encounters with dolphins and NZ fur seals. |
| Milford Sound, New Zealand: Sculped by mammoth glaciers forming the U-shaped valley's and towering peaks. In Maori legend, the fiords were created not by rivers of ice, but by Tu Te Raki Whanoa, a godly figure who came wielding a magical adze and uttering incantations. Milford Sound (Piopiotahi) is without doubt his finest sculpture. Tonya and I visited New Zealand in 2005, we kayaked here and the grand scale and magnitued of Milford Sound is truly one of the places you MUST see before you die. |
