Quick water safety pop-up quiz. You’re on a rock island in the middle of a creek so wide, it’s like a lake. You are the tallest item on that island. You arrived via your newly purchased Pelican Magna 100 Kayak.
You realize that thunderstorms are passing to the north and south of you. Your area seems fine but then the trees on the shoreline start bending like one of those wild flailing balloon men.
Do you (A) wait it out on a piece of rock surrounded by water with no available shelter? Or, do you (B) get in that kayak and paddle like hell across that open water and seek refuge on the nearest shoreline?
Find out what I did below…
Nogies Creek Early Morning Photo Gallery
These photos were taken just before the trees started to bend and the threat of a storm became reality. It wasn’t quite the sunrise I was looking for but the images came out okay.
High resolution versions of these images and other photos from the same day are available at Dreamstime. Want to earn cash from your own photos? Why not sign up for free with Dreamstime and start submitting now: Become a paid photographer!
Morning Kayaking On Nogies Creek
I chose (B). I hopped back in that kayak and made a bee-line toward some better shelter. Fortunately, the thunder and lightning that had passed by in the distance never settled in at my location. The rain came quite heavy but it was straight down and I was already wet.
I sought shelter under a thick mass of trees along the shoreline for a bit before heading back to where my car was parked. I was a bit spooked but I believe I was never in any real danger.
In fact, the scrapes that are still healing on my right knee, hand and elbow came from my landing on that rock island. The danger came from underestimated how slippery the shoreline rocks would be.
I started out, gracefully removing myself from the kayak but ended up mostly under water. My injuries came mostly from my panicked scramble to keep the boat from floating away while struggling with the life jacket that was meant to save me from injury.
It seemed like an eternal struggle. However, as GoPro footage would prove, it lasted just a few seconds. The GoPro was filming forward from it’s mount at the nose of the kayak. So, my battle is not shown but the rocking of the boat sure is. That video can be seen below.
Even before that, the adventure was definitely underway. The first spot I pulled up to and was going to get out at came with a confrontation with nature. As you can see in the video below, a snapping turtle scrambled past the front of the boat, nearly hitting it, before diving into the water beside me. Definitely a sight when you’re trapped in a seat just inches above the waterline.
Pelican Magna 100 Kayak
Back in the early 1990’s, I took (and even graduated from) a Parks and Forest Recreation program at Sir Sanford Fleming College in Lindsay, Ontario. Part of the course was a bit of kayaking near Algonquin Park in the autumn.
The similar Pelican Maxim 100X is available at Amazon – check it out here for pricing and details: Pelican Kayak.
I fell in love with it, right on the spot. The independence of paddling alone. The ability to travel into areas not accessible by any other boat, even canoes. I vowed to purchase one for myself as soon as I could.
Nearly 30 years passed. We have a canoe, but its not the same. You must almost always drag someone else along with a canoe. It’s heavier and harder to quickly load on the roof of a minivan.
Then, good old Canadian Tire advertised this Pelican Magna 100 for a very decent price. It’s not top of the line by any means but is a step or two up from the bottom and the reviews are excellent. I scrounged up the cash and was finally the owner of a kayak.
My first three day stint using this boat leaves me feeling pretty good about the purchase. This is not a white water kayak and not a sea kayak. For my needs, capturing nature photography in and around Ontario, Canada, this boat is perfect.
The thing with Pelican kayaks (search ‘Pelican Kayak Mods’ in YouTube) is that the price is low which makes buyers comfortable with making a few modifications. In the U.S. where even cheaper models are available, these boats don’t even reach the water before being cut open, drilled into and even having motors attached.
The only mod I’m thinking of is opening up the storage compartment behind the seat. As it is, there is a very small, not watertight, compartment. However, there is a relatively huge open space behind the seat that could be converted. If I do it, I’ll report about it here at the site…
Aqua Quest Activa Large Waterproof Dry Bag
Camera equipment and a one person boat. Recipe for disaster? Quite possibly. By the third day of using this kayak, I was comfortable with bringing my camera bag and not stuffing the dry bag. However, on longer trips and rougher waters, it is still a very good idea. As it was, if camera gear wasn’t in the dry bag, my ID and other important items were.
Need more info and pricing? Check out this great outdoors product here at Amazon: Aqua Quest Activa Waterproof Dry Bag.
But, aren’t these expensive? They have to be, right, if they’re truly waterproof? Well, a lot are. But, on Amazon, the Aqua Quest brand is very affordable. I purchased the 30L Aqua Quest Activa Large Waterproof Dry Bag for around $25 Canadian. Shipping was free using my wife’s Prime account.
I tested this bag quite well and there was never a drop of water inside the bag. I would absolutely recommend this for anyone who ventures out of the water with valuables. I would even consider stuffing sensitive items in this bag inside my luggage when travelling for extra protection.
Nogies Creek Early Morning Video
This video shows the short journey from the Nogies Creek canoe and kayak launch area, around some of the picturesque rock islands and to the location where the above photos were taken. There is much more kayaking footage from that first few days and it will be posted in the near future.
By the way, Nogies Creek is located in the Kawartha Lakes / Trent Lakes region of Ontario, Canada. The ‘creek’ is slow and meandering, sometimes more resembling a lake than a river. The creek empties into Pigeon Lake between Bobcaygeon and Buckhorn.
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