On July 27, 2011 OWLS provided 35 different homeschooled kids and parents the opportunity to try their hand at canoeing on the Bull Sluice Lake section of the Chattahoochee River. The weather was hot but a nice sandy beach on an island just up from the launch site provided a good target for everyone's upstream effort and a great spot to take a break and go swimming. We had quite a few small kids in the group which gave us another chance to put to use the wonderful new Youth PFD's we received from MTI last month. Although almost everyone said this was their first time paddling a canoe, they apparently paid good attention to my brief instructions, as we only had one pair of paddlers actually turn over all day (and they might have done it just to cool off). Everyone said they wanted to do this again sometime and many told me they felt up to going on one of our longer paddling adventures for a weekend or longer.
Here, following, are a few photos from this most enjoyable day:
The Roswell Fire Department even brought their new 6-person hovercraft which they proudly explained "allows them to travel through the shoals." Maybe they should have been learning to paddle and read the water with us.
Good thing little sister wasn't paddling too hard; at least not in this position.
The epitome of "Another Happy Paddler."
And they are off! It's a race to the island.
Three's a crowd? No! Three is just more fun.
Lots of new friends to be found this day.
There's a big grin hidden there somewhere.
Paddling was "wonderful" for this first time canoeist.
Stern concentration as the geese look on.
Another 3 HP canoe!
