February Full Moon Paddle

Paddling by moonlight is one of my favourite ways to kayak. We’ve found that, after consultation of such apps as “Willy Weather”, that the night before the full moon gives us the best light to paddle by. The night before last month’s super-blood-blue moon was such a night. The sun set about an hour before the moon came up, we paddled out in the dusk (pictured above), suppered at the lake boat ramp, and paddled back in moonlight.

Paddling in moonlight is like flying. The shadows are deep, the moonlight and occasional street lights are their contrast. The other boat’s lights are subdued, as is the conversation. Without the obviousness of the landscape that we know so well, our attention is drawn to the soft whoosh of the paddle blades carving the inky water – shattering the moon’s reflection which, at that time of the night, is still.

It was only a small crowd this time, other paddles have included more families and those club members who are more social paddlers than racers. We typically only paddle the short 6km from the clubhouse at Lismore to the Lake, but for the full moon at the end of February it will be a paddle back to town from near Bexhill.

If you’d like to joint us for our next Full Moon Paddle, contact us via our club website and we’ll give you the lowdown about times etc. The paddle is open to anyone who is a member. If you aren’t a member we can welcome you as a triallist: a form will need to be filled in and there’ll be a small cost. For this situation you’d need to be able to paddle about 6km in 1.5hours. If you are unsure about your paddling prowess, talk to us, and if it’s too far there are lots of other opportunities to come along and explore kayaking, our river and our club.

I look forward to paddling with you at some stage.
Christine

Image: Supper at the Lismore Lake boat-ramp, approximately 3km downstream from Lismore. The moon has risen, (yes, there, above the tree); the evening is still. Later, after a supper we brought with us in the boats, or was delivered by non-paddling family members who could drive up to the boat-ramp, we were back on the river, in the almost dark, paddling back to town.