Trip Report: Millerton Lake

Fresh from Canoe Skills training, a maximal group departed WG in one of our largest ever convoys to head for Millerton Lake. Despite very depleted water levels and smokey air from nearby fires, it was great to “on the water” and for new and old paddlers alike.

As our first trip of the new season we didn’t go far and we also not canoe-camping. This allowed us to focus more on paddling skills than loading. After unloading and buddy assignments we headed around the headland for a about a mile where we pulled in for lunch.

Memorable moments:

  • Marion and Simi having trouble steering on the leg out, until finally realising just before lunch that they had been paddling their canoe backwards the whole way 😀
  • Maintenance of our record of at least 1 capsize on an early trip, a triple-loaded canoe of scouts (Nate, Jaden +1) took a dip. (good planning, we were close to shore and got to practice an onshore recovery)

The wind was getting up and so we headed back and used the extra time to give all the scouts a taste of a capsize!

Camping was overnight at the group site on the north of the lake. The ground was rock-hard but the food was plentiful (especially for the Old Goats!) and we had the rare opportunity of a real campfire, with skits and yells and singing.

Thanks for all the great photo contributions to the gallery below.

A full complement: full gallery here