Kings River branch March 31, 2020

Another coronavirus paddle...... It's our way of getting out, and we do not get near anyone; even taking separate vehicles and staying minimum 6 feet apart. Doug S. and I did our Lake Kaweah paddles in the past 2 weeks, but alas, too many people also used the area for hiking, get-togethers, fishing, etc.; prompting the shut down of all camp grounds, boat ramps and hiking access.
With nowhere to go, we talked about paddling in the Kings River branch that flows under Hwy. 198 west of Lemoore. As we later learned, this stretch of 15 or so miles of river does not actually flow at this time, but there is water because it is such a low spot and is fed by ground water. (Thanks to the fisherman who knew the area well!) The river area is approx. 200-300 yards wide. Above the banks on both sides, there nothing but farmland for miles. It was an interesting paddle as the river meanders and the banks are filled with Tule reeds. Lining the top of the banks were many oaks and even a few palms. We noticed a heron, a cormorant, several types of ducks, many sparrows and half a dozen overflights by serious Navy jets flying out of Lemoore NAS.
We put in at Jackson Avenue and paddled into the wind, and what we thought was up current. Turns out, no current. We paddled north for approximately 2 1/2 to 3 miles, took out at the railroad bridge for a stretch and a snack, and headed back. (The map below covers the area we paddled)
We plan to return and go the other direction, or maybe start at Stratford and go north from there. Perhaps, when we can safely share space in a vehicle, we'll do a drop at one end and paddle the length. Thanks again to Doug for always wanting to try something new, and travel the blue highways.

Lake Kaweah March 2020

Well, it's coronavirus time and we have been staying away from people and stores for 2 weeks now. As both a diversion and an outdoor activity, buddy Doug S and I loaded our smallest kayaks into separate vehicles and made our way to Lake Kaweah. We put in at the Slick Rock area, taking the road all the way to the end, where carried our boats a short distance to a small beach at a point where it was still river heading toward the lake. We paddled upstream as far as the first falls/rapids, which was only about 100 yards or so. Knowing that we could go no further in that direction, we headed downriver and paddled out into the lake, staying in the areas where the trees were still not entirely submerged. It's always cool knowing that those areas are ones that are 60 or more feet underwater when the lake is full, and that each year the trees will still be there. It was a splendid paddle, during which time we saw only two other humans, fishermen who were fishing the river bank.
We planned to return again in the coming week, but found out this morning that all access to the lake was closed due to the high number of people who had used the area on the previous weekend. Many families had chosen the area to spend quarantine time away from home, but apparently it became too many....
Sure was great while it lasted.