In the early days of April, mornings are still cool (-2 to +2) and winds start late morning so the best time to paddle is mid-morning.     It was all quiet at the Valleyview Boat Launch, but the river was very low, so the 18 foot kayak had to be hefted down to the rocky shoreline.

A light breeze from the west meant bundling up.   A full dry suit and a spray skirt make the paddling comfortable.

There were lots of birds on and around the river – an eagle, swans, geese, ducks, crows, magpies, and seagulls were active below the noisy city.    It was a paddle upriver-and-back day, building fitness for the season ahead.    The next paddle should be on one of the larger lakes in the valley bottom, but with cool days it will have to be a day with little wind.