Do you urban night paddle?

We have an area called False Creek in the Vancouver downtown area that is a very good urban night paddling destination. In fact, I’m just heading out in an hour or so to paddle there tonight.



I’m curious as to how many here paddle in urban areas at night?



Dan



http://www.westcoastpaddler.com


Brentwood Bay
once about a month ago. Not a urban setting but with the full moon that night made for a nice paddle.

I think…
I’d be afraid of getting mugged.



But I would like to try night paddling sometime. In warm weather, in case I dump!

not urban, but on the Illinois River, OK
I love night paddling.



I paddled on the Illinois River in Oklahoma last weekend with the Dallas DownRiver Club, and a few of us went back out after dark and did an additional 4-1/2 miles in the moonlight.



Last year I paddled with a friend during the full lunar eclipse on White Rock Lake in Dallas, and I’ve done a couple of solo full moon paddles. Our club also has regular moonlight paddles on the Brazos River.



Jill

Semi-urban
The Columbia River at Richland WA is very pleasant at night. You can expect some pleasure boat traffic in summer. It is a bit weird when a boat comes floating downstream stern first so all you see is the white light. But they think suddenly appearing headlamps are odd, too.



False creek looks like a nice paddle. Was it you who rescued the “damsel in distress”?

Sort of also urban but not really?
I paddle around our cove on the Lake of the Ozarks at nite quite often. Usually it is a quiet trip around the cove, looking at the moon and stars and listening to the wildlife, you know, barking dogs!

However, Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor day weekends it is as urban as you can get without the tall buildings. Lots of people! Lots of action and occasional mayhem till late at nite. Ya might just see anything!

I would say 2 of 3 trips
I would say every 2 out of 3 trips for me is at night, although in summer with the daylight savings time it takes a little more effort to stay out until dark, after 9pm. Fall and winter every paddle afterwork is in the dark.



Urban Fort Lauderdale waterways and atlantic ocean. I love it, peaceful, cooler, no sunburn, less sweat, darkness covers alot of ugly and enhances everything.



Brian

Soflo

early morning just before sunrise
gives the same conditions. For my metabolism, (and many other mammals) night is for sleep, morning is for activity.

The rescue of Scary Mary

– Last Updated: May-27-05 9:49 AM EST –

Yes, I was involved in the rescue of "Scary Mary" -- that was quite a night to say the least. Next to the Broken Group album, that story is the most viewed album on our website (see 'Paddling Oddities and Other Strange Occurances' in our Paddling Gallery).

We still chuckle about Scary Mary every time we paddle in the Creek.

Dan

http://www.westcoastpaddler.com
*****

Me too
I too paddled during the full lunar eclipse last year. It was great! I was away from home at the time on a business trip. Fortunately, a friend that lives in the area I visited was thoughtful enough to loan me a boat and get me out of the hotel and on a lake that evening.



Chuck

occasionally/sort-of-urban
I use a local reservoir that turns pretty suburban on busy days. It’s too small to sail any distance so the “yachts” tie together into a flotilla, anchor, and party. The fishermen troll by the dam, and I, with my little LED running lights paddle around under the moon watching it all. People watching fascinates me, they’re such an interesting species.

Taj

Canada Day
I plan on paddling Victoria Inner Harbour that night to watch the fireworks.

Victoria harbour is great!
I’ve paddled in Victoria harbour a couple of times now, once last Boxing Day, and again 2 weeks ago – we paddled from the Gorge to the cruise ship docks and back. You’re all so lucky to have such an awesome spot for paddling – the inner harbour is a terrific night paddling spot – there’s so much to see and lots of stuff to paddle under and around. If I lived in Victoria, I’d be night paddling all the time in the harbour.



Dan

http://www.westcoastpaddler.com


W.C.P
You should come out that weekend,it would be a nice addition to your web site.

all the time
night paddling in the Columbia river (and Willamette) in Portland is EZ and if done right, relatively safe.



lots of opportunity for fun, especially in the winter when the days are so short.



steve

paddling with the seaplanes
An incomperable experience in Victoria Harbor was paddling along in the small craft lane and having the seaplaned taxiing right alongside.

Indeed it would!
I’m not sure yet where we’ll be on the Canada Day weekend but paddling in Vic harbour for the fireworks would be way cool.



Just never know – I’ll contact you if I get over to the Island on that weekend.



Thanks.



Dan



http://www.westcoastpaddler.com


Gee, I wonder who that was?
LOL.



Come back down here and we’ll go paddlin’ again!



The advantage of night paddling on urban lakes is that they look so much nicer since the darkness filters out the development, parking lots, trash cans, and litter.



Jill

NYC after work, night paddling
is my choice in the summertime. The water flattens out as the ferry traffic diminishes, very few pleasure craft on the water, and great dining destinations in either direction, and riverside seats for a series of concerts on the water.



I haven’t done a night-time circumnavigation yet, though others have, but we’re planning one in August to coincide with the full moon.



Manhattan at night is simply amazing from the water.



Lyn

Night Paddle
How do you light your boat to stay visible and legal in the False Creek area?