Belmont Lake: Pint Size Fun

24 May 2015

Lake #33        Belmont Lake, Barkcamp State Park, Belmont County

114-acre Belmont Lake was a nice contrast to 3,550-acre Seneca Lake, which I had kayaked earlier in the day. Belmont Lake is part of Barkcamp State Park and is located approximately 7 miles west of St. Clairsville, south of the I-70 and Highway 149 intersection. 

My Hubby and Paddling Buddy Having a Relaxing Time on Belmont Lake

Although Barkcamp Park is small, it has a lot to offer: 125 camping sites, 2 cabins, hiking trails, an 18-hole mini golf course, volleyball and basketball courts, horseshoe pits, an archery range, a nature center, a pioneer village, and Belmont Lake. The lake was created in 1963 for recreational purposes. The lake has a 700-foot swimming beach on the north shore and a boat ramp located on the far west side. There is a handicap accessible pit toilet at the boat ramp parking area. Belmont Lake only allows electric motors, making for a more peaceful paddle. There are also a few fingers and nooks to explore.

The Start of Two Trails at Belmont Lake 

A Party Was in Full Swing at the Swimming Beach

The boat ramp is between two fingers, both of which have small road bridges going over them. I paddled up the north finger first. I was able to get very close to a great blue heron and watch him catch his dinner.

Boat Ramp at Belmont Lake 

Boat Ramp as Viewed From the Parking Area 

Northern Finger as Seen From the Road Bridge

Paddling Under the Road Bridge 

Peaceful Northern Finger of Belmont Lake

Then, I checked out the southern finger. There were several rowboats and small fishing boats lined up waiting for their owners to take them out. That was apparently Belmont Lake’s version of docks. 

Small Boat Marina

After exploring the two fingers, I paddled east in the direction of the swimming beach. I could hear music playing while I was paddling. There was a big party going on at the beach. I assume it had something to do with it being Memorial Day weekend. In honor of the holiday weekend and all the men and women who have served in the military service for the United States, I named Belmont Lake’s baby duck Memorial.

Looking East From Boat Ramp

Paddling East Toward Swimming Beach

Baby Duck Memorial

The dam is to the east of the swimming beach. It is not much to look at since flood control is not an issue. There is a small northern finger between the dam and the swimming beach. I was exploring that area when it started to rain. Since I wasn’t dressed for the rain and had already put in several hours of paddling that day, I decided to call it quits.

Belmont Dam 

Belmont Lake Water Outlet

Small Finger By Dam

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head

I recommend taking the time to paddle this small lake. The water is fairly clear with a visibility of 2 feet. There were few people out on the water; even though, it was a holiday weekend and several people were at the beach. It was an easy, relaxing paddle.

May all your roads end in water,

Mama Duck Mona

Senecaville Lake aka Seneca Lake: Potato, Potahto, Tomato, Tomahto

24 May 2015

Lake #32        Senecaville Lake, aka Seneca Lake, Noble and Guernsey Counties

It was a beautiful spring morning when I arrived at Senecaville Lake aka Seneca Lake. Choose your favorite name, I will use Seneca since it is shorter. The powers that be can't decide what to call it, half the signs say Senecaville and half say Seneca. "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." The name selected does not affect what the lake is so take your pick. The "lake" is located approximately 13 miles southeast of Cambridge. Seneca Lake is located southeast of the intersection of I-70 and I-77. Take Highway 313 east off I-77. The dam was built in 1937 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which still owns it. The lake is owned and operated by the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, which controls all boating, swimming, and camping. Seneca Lake is almost eight miles long if you could stretch it out and averages 10 to 20 feet deep.

Senecaville Lake aka Seneca Lake

Senecaville Dam 

Seneca Lake

There are only three boat ramps that serve this massive lake (3,550 acres). Only one is free for public use (the boat ramp near the dam, located off of State Route 574). There is a fee charged for the ramp at the campground and the Marina boat ramp is reserved for rental dock users. Since it was a holiday weekend, I assumed that the dam boat ramp would be swarmed with people. I chose to put in at the swimming beach instead. I had to pay a $5 fee to enter the swimming beach area but it was worth it since I didn't have to deal with any other boaters. It was the nicest Ohio swimming beach I have seen. It had two lifeguards and a cool water obstacle course. There were pit toilets, changing facilities, and a concession stand that I took advantage of after my paddle.

Seneca Beach 

Kayak Put In at Beach

Water Obstacle Course at Seneca Lake 

I Had a Nice Cold Drink After My Paddle

There was a lot of fast boat activity on the lake, several jet skiers as well. Seneca Lake has a 399 horsepower limit. I headed southeast after putting in at the beach.

Looking East Across Lake From Beach 

Heading Southeast, Other Kayakers in the Distance: I Wasn't the Only One Who Thought the Beach Was a Good Put In Location

Continuing Southeast, Jet Skiers Zooming Around

Pretty Lake But Not the Best for Kayaking

A Bit of Wave Action From All the Boats 

No Fun Nooks to Explore

I had a hard time finding a good place to take my baby duck's picture. I decided to name her Juliet since I used one of her lines from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I didn't have a balcony available but I did find a branch sticking out over the water.

Baby duck Juliet says, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

After my paddle, I went to check out the campground in Seneca Lake Park on the lake's south shore (there is another campground at Marina Point across from the dam). What I saw were the scariest looking cabins in my life. They looked like jail cell blocks.

Seneca Lake Jail Cells, I Mean Cabins

I then proceeded to check out the dam. The dam is located on the western shoreline. You can see two of the lake's three islands from the dam. There were nice views but the area was crowded with people and their power boats.

Big Island Viewed From Dam

Little Island Viewed From Dam

After checking out the views, I headed to my next lake, Belmont. On the way there I stopped to have lunch at Schlepp's Family Restaurant, 66645 Belmont Morristown Road, Belmont. I had a really tasty grilled cheese and bacon sandwich made on thick slices of homemade bread and a slice of homemade coconut cream pie for dessert. Too bad I can't get delivery.  

Schlepp's Family Restaurant

This Is Making Me Hungry

See you at the next lake.

May all your roads end in water,

Mama Duck Mona

Wolf Run Lake: New Kayaks Finally Hit the Water

23 May 2015

Lake #31        Wolf Run Lake, Wolf Run State Park, Noble County

My husband and I arrived at Wolf Run Lake in southeastern Ohio eager to try out our new kayaks.

Wolf Run Lake, Junction of Its Two Arms 

We have been using two Future Beach Fusion kayaks that we purchased on sale at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $199 each back in July 2014.  The kayaks are very sturdy and have been out on the water about 50 times. I have no complaints with them and would recommend them to anyone who is just starting to kayak or anyone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money. Ok, so if I like the old kayaks so much then why did I buy new ones? Good question. There is a saying, if you want to love your kayak then never sit in anyone else’s kayak. Or, don’t go to a kayak store and make the mistake of sitting in one. You see where this is going.   

We have an independently owned kayak store not far from our house, Columbus Kayak, 4828 North High Street, Columbus 43214, and my husband and I stopped in to “just” browse. We sat in a couple kayaks and fell in love. We decided to help our children out and buy our own Mother’s Day and Father’s Day gifts. My husband liked the Jackson Ibis the most, while I preferred the Jackson Tupelo. My husband’s Sprite colored Ibis ($799) came with a Thermarest Lumbar Support pillow to go on his seat. After listening to him ooh and aah over how great it was I bought one ($39) for my kayak as well. My tye dyed color Tupelo is more expensive at $899 because it is set up for being able to fish. While I don't plan to do any fishing, I like how the seat of the Tupelo fits me better than the Ibis and the fact that it has 100% dry storage. The biggest change with the new kayaks is comfort. Having raised actual seats with the added lumbar support makes long paddles so much more enjoyable.

Sprite Ibis 

Tye Dyed Tupelo 

Our old kayaks were only 10 feet long. Our new kayaks are 12.5 feet long. The trailer we owned worked great for hauling our old kayaks, not so well for our new ones. On the way home from the kayak store we had one of the new kayaks fall off the trailer. Luckily, I was driving slowly down an alley and no one was behind us. We barely got them home. Apparently, the new kayaks were catching way too much wind extending so far up from the gate. Now, we had two new beautiful kayaks that we couldn’t use until we could figure out a way to safely transport them. After much web searching and deliberation, we decided to cut the back gate off the trailer so that we could lay the kayaks flat. As you probably have guessed, given the title of this blog post, that idea worked. We can safely carry our two new kayaks and our two old kayaks as well now that there is no gate.

220-acre Wolf Run Lake is surrounded by 800 acres of woodlands and rugged hills that make up Wolf Run State Park. Wolf Run is the only state park to have an airfield with a fly-in camping area (20 primitive sites are located on the north side of the lake, within walking distance to the Noble County Airport runway). The park also has camping on the south side of the lake: 71 electric sites, 67 non-electric, and 1 camper cabin. The lake has a 200-foot public swimming beach and a 3.5 mile section of the Buckeye Trail runs along the west side of the lake. Due in part to its location in a remote area of the state, Wolf Run Lake is one of the clearest lakes in the state with visibility of over 6 feet. It is a very pretty, quiet lake with a 10 horsepower limit.

Peaceful Wolf Run Lake

Wolf Run Lake is north of Caldwell, on the east side of I-77, at the junction with Highway 821. The sole boat ramp is located on the south side of the lake, accessible from State Route 215. There are picnic tables and clean pit toilets at the boat launch area, as well as plenty of parking and room for trailers.

Wolf Run Lake Boat Ramp

Pretty Setting for a Picnic Before or After Your Paddle

There Were Some Picnic Tables With Grills

Wolf Run Lake is shaped like a V on a base that has been tilted to the right. The boat ramp is located on the south shore of the right arm of the V. Once I put in, I paddled east past the swimming beach to the end of the right arm.

Heading East Toward Swimming Beach

I usually wear my PFD. I always have it in the kayak with me. If I have any doubts about the weather, if the lake is large, if the lake is unlimited horsepower, then I wear my PFD. On this day, it was a beautiful sunny day with no wind on a small lake with a 10 horsepower limit so I allowed myself the freedom of not wearing my life jacket. There have been lakes that I start out without my PFD on and then put it on while I am out on the water. If I have any concern at all, I wear it.

Warm Day, Calm Water, New Kayak, What Could Be Better? 

Hubby and My Number One Enjoying His New Kayak

Since the new kayaks are "Mother's Day and Father's Day" presents, I decided to name today's baby duck Anna Jarvis. The American incarnation of Mother's Day was created by Anna in 1908 and became an official U.S. holiday in 1914. Anna Jarvis denounced the holiday later in her life for its commercialization and tried to get its celebration stopped. Needless to say, I don't think she would approve of my kayak purchases in the name of her holiday. I was going to buy them regardless, using the holidays as an excuse just made me feel a little less guilty for spending the money.

Baby Duck Anna Jarvis

It didn't take long to reach the end of the right arm. After turning around, I paddled about half way west on the arm when I came across a swimming beaver. I wasn't fast enough to snap his picture but I followed him home. After waiting unsuccessfully for the beaver to reappear, I headed north on a finger that runs up to the Noble County Airport. I saw another beaver here and his work successfully prevented me from paddling further.

Far East of Lake

Heading West Away From Boat Ramp

Stalking a Beaver

Heading North Up Finger Toward Airport

Heading North Up Finger 

Beaver Action Brings Me to a Stop

After exiting the northern finger, I headed to the finger on the south side located by the camping area. Then, I paddled southwest to the dam.

South Side Finger By Camp Ground

Heading Southwest Toward Dam 

Paddling West

Wolf Run Lake Dam

It was dinner time and time to start paddling back to the put in so I didn't paddle the western arm of the lake. I plan to come back in the future and check it out.

Heading Northeast Away From Dam

Intersection of the Two Arms of the Lake

Heading East to Put In

I really enjoyed this lake. It was clean, quiet, and clear. During my time on the lake, there were two other kayakers out and two fishermen. There were two groups of people at the beach. The lake and park do not appear to be used much, which makes me like them even more. I will definitely be coming back.

I Could Have Hung Out Here All Day, My Moment of Zen

May all your roads end in water,

Mama Duck Mona