For much of the year we have very lovely weather here in central North Carolina. July and August are often hot, but the rest of the year is usually beautiful, with an abundance of sun.
One of our favorite sports on cool days is kayaking. There are four kayaks in the community, and one is a tandem. It’s especially fun to take five people on outings (or people can borrow a kayak and go on their own).
River kayaking is my favorite. The choices are paddling the serene Eno River along dense woodlands, or paddling a short section of the beautifully-rocky Flat River, gliding along lovely rock formations and tall banks covered in the springtime with Wild azaleas, mountain laurel and rhododendron.
We are fortunate to have a variety of kayaking options near Elderberry. For a longish paddle in bigger waters, we can explore the coves of Mayo Lake, Kerr Lake, Falls Lake and Jordan Lake.
Recently, coming into the fall, the smaller lakes wow us with stunning color, and the sun is tempered by the cool air. Two medium-sized lakes are very close-by, Holt Lake and Lake Michie. Both are surrounded by banks of wooded, undeveloped land.
Marjorie and Mary getting ready to launch the kayaks. Holt lake actually has a convenient launching pad for kayaks!
Holt Lake is within fifteen minutes and also sports a small, low-key cafe with a deck overlooking the lake. Occasionally we’ll have lunch together after our paddle. Even though it’s simply a burgers and fries kind of place, the setting is peaceful and the local folks are friendly.
Enjoy some of the images from our recent trips!
Marjorie paddled the smaller blue kayak. All of us stayed closer to the bank to see the wildlife and hear the birds.
Mary and Judy paddled the yellow tandem Kayak. I enjoyed the colors and reflections as the three of them glided slowly along the wooded banks.
I never get tired of watching the ripples cross and intersect!
We paddled closer to the bank to see the wildlife and hear the birds.
This is one of my favorite shots of Mary and Riley. If you look carefully, you’ll recognize Riley is in the kayak too, looking up at the big rocks, but she is very well camouflaged!!
The closest I got to a selfie was this shot of my bare toes on the foot rests!
In May of this year, our county approved a new park, only a few miles from us on the Flat River. They are planning for lots of trails, and have said that kayakers will be able to paddle the Flat River from the park to Lake Michie.
I don’t think the County Commissioners have actually paddled the Flat, because unless the water level is high, it’s too rocky to paddle. When the water is high, the river is fast. But the park will be a nice addition, and maybe we will brave running the river when the water (and our adrenaline) is high — that might be our new nearby whitewater adventure!
