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Lake Pend Oreille
Tour de Pend: July 29th - August 4th, 2002

By Dennis Andrew

Participants: Dennis Andrew, George Lee, Tom Raspberry & Terry Ogden

My wish was to spend a week touring and exploring the southern section of Lake Pend Oreille. The area of Pend Oreille was chosen for its high hills, lack of homes and cottages and low numbers of loud powerboats. Plans were made for a six-day tour. Two days paddle from Bayview to the Clark Fork River Delta, spend a relaxing day in the delta, then two days to return to Bayview. This schedule would reserve one day for waiting out high winds or other instances of uncomfortable paddling. The group consisted of four persons, four kayaks and one 30-foot sailboat.

Monday, July 29th: The plan was to leave McDonalds Resort in Bayview and paddle a straight line past Cape Horn, then set a course to Maiden Rock for the first night's campground. First day of paddling would be a relaxed 10-11 miles. The sailboat would follow or least be available if needed. Current conditions would govern just how close the sailboat needed to be. This was a perfect day for paddling, winds almost too light for sailing with expected air temperatures in the 80's.

Tom left the dock first. George and I followed him 5 minutes later. We were all in shorts and shirtless, oiled well with sun block. I wanted to keep closer tabs on Tom, so I told George I would hustle around the docks and catch up with Tom. Terry, in the sailboat with his kayak on deck would head out shortly. Tom has a five-minute lead on me, but as I round the dock and look out into the lake, I cannot see him. I pick up the pace, hoping he has ducked into or behind one of the many docks close the Resort. Our initial direction was to be east. George points with his paddle off to the north and I find Tom. Our route has changed to allow Tom to stay closer to a shore. Terry is now out in the sailboat. With his higher perch and binoculars, he will be able to track all of us.

A couple hours later we rendezvous at Meyer's cabin. The beach below the cabin site is about 1 mile short of reaching the naval facility dock. The prospector's cabin has been burned down, but it is still worth the short walk up the metal stairs and the well-trod trail to the foundation. After lunch the winds have picked up a bit, coming out of Lakeview. Tom and George followed the shoreline; Terry finally had enough breeze to make sailing fun. I wore the spray skirt and set a paddle course parallel to the waves for a half mile to be lined up for the wind to push me directly to Maiden Rock.

Maiden Rock has a large beach that gets light use. Probably because it doesn't have a dock or mooring buoys. After camp was set we played on the beach, napped, had a short swim. Felt like I was on vacation. We had an early supper of grilled chicken then a few of us took a short paddle at dusk. We turned in early for the night, still had the whole campground to ourselves.

Two stayed on the boat that night. They didn't get any sleep because of difficulties in maintaining a solid anchor. Tom and I slept in the back campsite where the wondering sailboat did not bother us.

Tuesday morning was quite breezy and the lake had 2-foot waves on it by the time we were all up and about. We are on the western shore of this lake section and the Tuesday night's scheduled stop is the Clark Fork Delta, on the Eastern shore. Thinking that the winds may continue to increase, we broke camp and set a diagonal course back across the lake. We will stop for breakfast after an hour's paddle. George and I get to surf the waves heading for Granite point. Tom and Terry are on the sailboat. It is a three and half mile crossing then another mile and half into the calm waters of Killroy Bay. There were a couple families sitting on their decks enjoying the morning as we paddled or motored in toward what looked to be private mooring buoys. We asked if we could moor to their buoy, got permission, and tied up. Breakfast was pancakes and berries, with coffee, juice and milk.

After breakfast and dishes, George and I continued paddling toward the delta while Terry and Tom had a leisure sail. From Killroy Bay it is about 8 miles to the dock and campsite at the river delta. The winds calmed to less than 10 mph after we rounded Windy Pt. Somewhere off of Deadman's Pt, Terry started up the diesel and dropped the sails. Terry would join us in his kayak while Tom motored the boat.

With winds at our backs for 2 days, we've made excellent time paddling. Most of us are eager for short afternoon or evening trips. The camp at the mouth of the delta is on a narrow spit of pepples. It may be 10 yards wide at the widest. There are fire pits, (Kootenai and Bonner county wisely set a burn ban for this week) a picnic table, dock and a toilet. Supper Tuesday night was steak, baked potato and corn on the cob. Wednesday was spent in the delta. The day started with eggs and sausage and high winds. Using tour maps from Full Spectrum Tours of Sandpoint, we headed up into the wind protected South Fork past Johnson Creek boat launch and campground. We took every side trip into hidden alcoves looking for wildlife. Were able to see osprey catch fish and return it to the nest to feed their young. There was minimal current against us as we came up the South Fork, yet the current was quite swift where the south fork branches off of the middle fork. Our intent was to exit the south fork, cross the middle fork, and return downstream on a passageway to the left of the north fork. On the flows we had on the 31st of July, most paddlers should be able to make it through against the current.

Tom will now concede that there is a current under that bridge. He made it across the current boundary on the second attempt, and we all crossed the middle fork and entered into the calmer waters of the protected waterway on the north side.

The delta area seemed unnaturally barren of wildlife. Though there were osprey and heron, there was little sign of abundant wildlife that I would have expected from such a lush area. It makes me wonder what chased all the animals away.

Supper Wednesday night was hamburgers and salad.

Thursday started with coffee, juice, and cereal and milk and light winds from the east. We were planning to head back west so of course the winds would come out of the east. That's what proper planning is all about. Destination today is Garfield Bay with a stop at Green bay for some playtime. Straight line crossing from our dock at the river delta to Mineral Pt. is six and half miles with another mile to beach at Green Bay. George and I started the paddled, and Terry joined us soon after getting the sailboat set up as a motor craft. It took an hour and fifty minutes for the three of us to make the 7 mile jaunt to Green Bay beach and park. This beach is accessible by road and has a couple of short hiking paths that take off from the parking lot. After lunch, three of us took a two mile walk to stretch the legs a bit.

The winds calmed and this large lake got silky smooth. Instead of going into Garfield Bay, it was decided to head to Whiskey Rock, a campground on the east side of the lake, 9 mile south of us. Paddling this leg was George, Terry and I. Tom motored the sailboat. Whiskey Rock is accessible by road and has excellent dock and mooring buoys. Meaning it is well used. Not crowded, but not a wilderness experience, either.

Supper this evening was pork chops on rice. We sure eat well. Lunch everyday was ham and cheese sandwiches with Romaine lettuce, granola bars and fruit.

The trip is about done. Only 8 miles from Whiskey Rock to McDonalds Resort back in Bayview. During breakfast of oatmeal and berries, from inside the protected bay it looked like another beautiful paddling day. We talked about making it a full day's paddle by touring past Lakeview and under the "goat cliffs", but the consensus was for a straight line to Cape Horn then to the resort. Our campsite was on a small rise above the lake, a good vantage point for watching conditions change. In the time it took to drop the tent, the lake water went from calm to 2 foot waves. In the forty minutes it takes us to pack everything up and be prepared to shove off, the squall past and the waves reduced to about one foot, but there was still a good breeze out of the south. Paddling would be George, Terry and I. Tom would again be our chauffer. We headed out of our protected bay with spray skirts in place. As we get out away from shore, we knew this was going to be tough going. George is strong and is able to move his wide, stable boat many miles each day. The winds have picked up again since we first started, and after an hour and a half, we've made almost 2 miles. George can no longer maintain his position; he is losing ground against the wind. George waves for the sailboat to come pick him up. Conditions were a bit rougher than what he had been practicing in all week; however George successfully made the transfer from kayak to sailboat without getting wet. I do believe a temper was lost though. Terry and I continue on, altering course to the right in the hopes that the high range of hills we are paddling toward will offer some respite from the wind. It takes another hour to get close to the shoreline. As we get near the shore, the sailboat makes a pass offering lunch. It is what I need. I'm out of fuel. With lunch in my lap, I head for some shoreline that I hope will allow a landing. Terry takes an alternate course to a rock outcropping that he knows will offer protection from wind and waves. Terry's choice worked for him and my spot worked for me. Terry found his calm waters and I was able to get out of the kayak and pull it onto the rocks. We paddled hard for three hours and made four miles.

After a recharging lunch break, we headed around Cape Horn and followed the shoreline toward Bayview. I know that within a mile or mile and a half from Cape Horn, there is a Kootenai County boat launch along this shore. In "real conditions", we can take-out there and wait out the wind; and finish the final leg after the wind dies down with the sun. What happens on this fantasy trip is: Both kayaks pull out. Terry climbs aboard his sailboat. After the boat is docked, someone or two will drive back to get the two kayaks and me. The winds stayed up until about 7:00 that evening. Terry, George and Tom had headed toward home at about 4:00. I took a hot shower. Had stew and biscuits for supper, and then paddled out to the county dock and back. That made me feel better about how the trip ended. Saturday, after pancakes, I took a loop around the shoreline; by Cape Horn, crossed over to Cedar Creek for a lunch stop on the beach, by Lakeview, to the elevators for a short walk, then under the "goat cliffs" and back to McDonald's Resort for another hot shower and ice cream.

Spent one more night aboard the sailboat, and then headed for home mid morning on Sunday.