Paddling

Hilton Head Island: Kayaking and Dolphin Watching on Broad Creek

/ debgnigh / Leave a comment

Kayaking on Broad Creek Hilton Head IslandFor the past 7 years, I have been part of a longstanding custom in my husband’s family that consists of  a weeklong vacation in Hilton Head Island, SC. Over the years activities  have ranged all over from long boarding or biking down long moss-shaded sidewalks to fishing with casting nets and watching for alligators in the lagoons.  Loosely held traditions include a putt-putt game, extensive beach time and wave riding, the obligatory trips to thrift stores or other shopping outlets and an out-to-dinner date night for all the adults at a fun restaurant. My husband and I love to get in  beach runs on the wide flat expanses of sand and the days end with a rotating roster of different family members taking turns cooking a big dinner for all 18 of us.

While the whole week is a sunlit, breezy run-together wave of relaxation and fun, we have developed a tradition of our own that is now one of our favorite things to do in Hilton Head.  No trip feels complete without a kayak or SUP adventure down Broad Creek searching for dolphins. While there are many  dolphin watching cruises and even paddle tours available, we always prefer to bring our own boats and explore for ourselves. There are always tons of gorgeous waterfowls–pelicans, herons, egrets, white ibis,  even the occasional eagle and we usually catch a glimpse of at least a dolphin or two.  Several times, we have had whole pods surrounding our boats, gliding in and out of the water  close enough you could almost reach out and touch them.

dolphin dorsal fin on Broad Creek Hilton Head IslandI don’t know why the excitement of this never diminishes for me. Every time we spot a distant dorsal fin, shining gray across the water I am filled with childlike giddiness. These creatures are so beautiful and coming across them in the wild feels like being let in on a lovely secret. The tides and marshes lend the area an ever-changing allure, and whether the dolphins appear or not, we always enjoy our excursions on Broad Creek.

Kayaking Low tide on Broad Creek Hilton Head Island

Low Tide

Getting Here: There are several places you can enter Broad Creek, but recently our favorite spot has been Shelter Cove Marina. Here, you can rent boats from Outside Hilton Head or launch your own boat for a $5 fee. We like this spot because the water entry is super clean, easy, and gentle on the boats. It also happens to drop you in a part of the creek where we have most frequently come across dolphins.

If you have your own boats and want to make the Shelter Cove area a destination (roughly 2 miles), you can begin at Marshland Road Public Boat Ramp near the Old Oyster Factory. It is free to use this spot and easy enough to get to and unload. The only downside is that the entry point is composed of two extremes–rather rough pavement and very squishy marshy mud. Despite this slight inconvenience, we have successfully used this spot many times, taking a right off the ramp and heading towards Shelter Cove and beyond.  It is another great option.

Kayaking out of Shelter Cove Marina Hilton Head Island

Exiting Shelter Cove Marina

Good to Know: No matter which launch spot you choose, make sure to check the tide direction and observe wind/weather conditions. These details can potentially make or break your trip. If you rent at Outside Hilton Head they will happily give you a rundown of this info, but if you’re striking out on your own, it’s good to have thought through this. You ideally want to do your hardest work (going against the tide or wind) at the beginning of your paddle and save the easier direction for your return.  Always bring water, a PFD, an emergency whistle and some snacks. I personally prefer to have a good hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen as well.:)

Where to Eat: When you’re done with your dolphin watching and paddling, you should definitely hit up a delicious Hilton Head restaurant. We love the Lucky Rooster for a nice dinner. Their food is creative, delicious, and locally sourced. The Hilton Head Social Bakery is a new favorite that happens to be in very close proximity to the Shelter Cove put-in (same shopping center). It is a French bakery with delicious pastries, breads, and savory items such as sandwiches and quiches.

IMG_2674

Hilton Head Social Bakery: Lemon Tart, Chocolate Almond Croissant, and Peach Mango Turnover

Keep looking for adventure far and nigh!

Paris Mountain State Park

/ debgnigh / 1 Comment
img_2164

Mountain Lake,  Sulphur Springs Trail

It is easy to underrate the beauty of a place you see regularly because you’re used to it or to oversell it because it’s a dear old friend and your love adds value to it that others might not perceive. This has been my dilemma in writing about Paris Mountain State Park, the spot in our own backyard where we get outside most frequently.  A wild place, no matter how small will always contain surprises and even longtime neighbors can be strangers to us. So here is an introduction (or reintroduction for many in the Upstate) to one of our favorite places.

img_6291

Sulphur Springs Trail to Fire Tower

Paris Mountain is a solitary peak or monadnock roughly 6 miles north of downtown Greenville. The 1,540 acre state park is traversed by 9 trails covering around 15 miles. When you enter the pristine moss and tree-lined drive, you are transported quickly from the bustling ever-expanding city below to a peaceful natural playground. Hiking, camping, trail running and mountain biking are probably the most popular activities available, but there are also opportunities to fish in the 4 park lakes or swim and boat during the summer.

img_2788

Sulphur Springs toward Shelter 5

I love the fact that the foliage, the upper lakes, the loudly tumbling streams and certain steep rocky places make you really feel like you’re high in the mountains, very far away from civilization. This is a park where you can bag a mountain run on technical single track trails with well over a thousand feet of elevation gain or take a short leisurely walk around the lake before starting your picnic. We have been amazed to see how different activities in the same place can completely change our perspective. There are trails on Paris Mountain that we have run countless times only to hike them and catch views we’ve never seen–glimpses of a lake far below or the trail weaving above our heads. No matter which activity you choose, you can wrap it up and be back in town within 10 or 15 minutes (plenty of time left for pizza). It’s amazing!

img_6146

North Lake Loop

We have had the opportunity to explore nearly every nook and cranny of this park, and I can’t wait to share some of our favorite trail loops and activities in future posts. While Paris Mountain may not be as expansive as the ranges of mountains further north, it offers great variety, ever-changing beauty and fantastic accessibility. Get out and enjoy it today!

fullsizerender

Lake Placid

fullsizerender-2

North Lake

Keep looking for adventure far and nigh!

 

Kauai Activities

/ debgnigh / Leave a comment
IMG_0954

Stunning cliff trail to Waipoo Falls

While the Kalalau trail was a major priority and highlight for our trip, there were many other equally amazing adventures to be had on Kauai. Here are few more of our favorites. Most of the headings have links to more information and/or the exact company we used for a specific activity.

IMG_0505

Waimea Canyon

Western Kauai

Waimea Canyon– This place is unreal. People call it the Grand Canyon of the Pacific and it is pretty mind blowing. We did a couple small runs here too and would have loved to explore more.

Na Pali Coast Overlook- Amazing views of the coast and what looked to be some pretty sweet campgrounds along the way. This was an especially magical place at sunset. When we got there, almost no one was around. There were huge wild hydrangea bushes in full bloom and locals were hiking down past the fence to reach more views. It’s probably a little more dangerous than just taking things in from the overlook, but we couldn’t resist following just a little ways to check it out.

DCIM100GOPRO

Just below the Na Pali coast overlook

The Saddle Room – Delicious burger place in Waimea. Fun atmosphere and really good food. It is pretty low key, but it’s attached to Wrangler’s, a fancier steak house.

Little Fish Coffee– This was a really fun coffee spot in Hanapepe. We had wonderful affogatos here.

Na Pali Coast Kayak Trip– The most intense kayaking trip I’ve ever done. The company we went with calls it the Mount Everest of kayaking and awards you a certificate upon completion of the excursion while National Geographic has named it one of the top 40  Best American adventures. It’s around 17 miles of guided sea kayaking. You get to see the entire Na Pali coast up close in one day as well as spinner dolphins, sea turtles, waterfalls,  awesome beaches and much more. The trip includes lunch and guides (which we were SO grateful for).

DCIM100GOPRO

Na Pali Coast paddling trip

After doing the trip, I had no desire to ever try it unassisted. The conditions felt a little crazy to me and apparently it was a very average day in regards to ocean swell, wind, etc. When you look at the ocean from a distance it looks relatively smooth, but when you are actually out on the ocean you can get on these massive swells and backwash off the cliffs that make your neighbors disappear and send you soaring.  It’s very cool, but it is no joke. We fell out once or twice, as did most of the group, and it really wasn’t a big deal since we had an easy system for getting back in, we were wearing pfds and everything we brought was in waterproof bags lashed to the boat; however, it was a bit scary initially and it definitely cemented my healthy respect for the ocean. The guides give you great safety training and directions and they are especially helpful during the beach landings where you can get pummeled if you’re not careful.  I had the misfortune of feeling seasick for about half the trip, so I would highly recommend bringing a remedy for that if you have ever had any semblance of motion sickness.  I never actually got sick, but other people did and it takes away from a really exciting and amazing experience. It is very cool to propel yourself through the ocean along one of the most beautiful places in the world–absolutely unforgettable!

DCIM100GOPRO

DCIM100GOPRO

Polihale Beach, the gorgeous finale of the trip

North Shore Kauai

Kealia Farm Market- This small market was our favorite by far! We got INCREDIBLE fresh sashimi grade tuna for a really reasonable price, as well as some beautiful vegetables. The guy who sold the fish also served a couple of cooked dinner items ($7-10). They were amazing as well. 3-7pm Mondays and Fridays, bring Cash

IMG_0436

Kealia Farm Dinner- grilled pesto fish with local greens

 

Ke’e Beach– The “end of the road” northernmost beach at the base of the Kalalau trail. This spot was beautiful–cliffs plunging into the Pacific Ocean–and we had our best snorkeling here.

DCIM100GOPRO

Ke’e Beach from the water

Kamokila Hawaiian Village–  This was a really neat spot near Kapaa. We toured the village, rented kayaks for a very reasonable price and did a short paddle on Wailua River + a hike to a waterfall. Great shaved ice in a food truck on site!

“Tourist” Lumahai Beach – Gorgeous beach, local favorite, not great for swimming depending on the season. It was calm while we were there (in early June) and lots of people were jumping off the lava shelf into the ocean, but apparently it can be very treacherous at times.

image

Tourist Lumahai

South/East Kaui

Wailua Shave Ice– This was probably my favorite shaved ice spot. It was the last one we went to and it was really great. They make all their ices with local fruit–so delcious–and they had a yelp coupon the day we went!

The Greenery– Amazing restaurant in Lihue featuring local, organic soul food fare. This is where we landed, jet-lagged and starving after leaving the airport. It was incredible. They were about to close for the day, but with true Hawaiian hospitality they served us some absolutely delicious food.

IMG_0471

The stunning local fruit

Huli Chicken– This is an easy-to-miss roadside stand in Anahola. They slowly grill whole chickens over hot coals and it is outrageously moist and flavorful. They have limited hours and do sell out so get there early if you can. We also got mountain apples at their farm stand.

 

image

Keep looking for adventure far and nigh!

 

 

Kauai

/ debgnigh / 2 Comments
IMG_0434

Shaka on the Kalalau trail

So typically I post about places within easy striking distance of Greenville, SC, but today I wanted to share about an amazing place we had the opportunity to visit that is basically the opposite of easy striking distance. This past June, my husband and I got to go to Kauai, Hawaii. We were planning to do something fun for our five year anniversary and when airfare to Hawaii dropped hundreds of dollars lower than I had ever seen it, our choice became easy. Apparently last year and even 2016 are proving to be better years for travel due to lower fuel prices, so if you’re considering the trip, now might be a good time to jump on it.

I would recommend that anyone considering Kauai for a vacation take the opportunity. Hawaii is every bit as beautiful and unique as people claim. I’ve been to multiple Caribbean islands (St. John, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel- all incredible places!), but Hawaii, particularly Kauai, still felt special and worth the lengthy flight and subsequent jet lag.  In many places, the air is infused with exotic bird songs and literally smells like flowers and fruit . The water is dramatically blue and speckled with spinner dolphins, giant sea turtles and neon fish that hardly seemed real. You get the contrasting beauty of dramatic volcanic mountains and multi-hued beaches. Then, there are the sunsets–soft golden light making a haze over the jagged  hills with fiery orange and pink finishes or the flourish of a rainbow. It really is magical.

IMG_0635

Sunset hike below the Nepali Overlook, West Kauai

Each island has its charms, but for us, Kauai was a great fit. We love to do outdoorsy things and prefer a less touristy more natural environment. Some blogs and travel forums talked about it lacking some of the restaurants and tourist options that other islands have, but we did not find this to be a problem. There was only one night we had trouble finding a place to eat because it got a little late on a weeknight and everything seemed to be shutting down. Even then, the problem wasn’t a complete lack of options. We were just being picky and looking for something amazing, relatively cheap, and also casual. Our take away was that you need to plan, but if you do, there are plenty of great places to get food. As far as activities go, we had a full week in Kauai and did not even come close to getting bored.

There are so many things I could recommend in Kauai, from tiny honor-system fruit stands and stunning snorkeling with giant sea turtles to the famous farmer’s markets and paddle boarding in Hanalei Bay. However, I will try to limit this list to a few highlights (more to come in the next post):

To Stay:

If you’re looking for the lush, green tropical feel, I would definitely recommend the North Eastern side of Kaui as a home base for your trip. We picked two spots in that part of the island and as much as we loved the whole island, that area continued to feel the prettiest. At the end of the day, you can’t go wrong staying anywhere, but we loved these spots.

Princeville– We stayed at  Hale ‘O Imi Loa , a VRBO rental that we were very happy with. It was very comfortable, clean, and pretty. The location worked really well as it was close to Hanalei, not far from the Kalalau trail, and a reasonable distance from everything else we wanted to check out

Kilauea– We had an amazing experience at the  Kauai Retreat Center with our Airbnb host, Hilary. This place was lovely and the breakfast was so fun! Delicious fresh fruit and flowers were out everyday and the whole place was super clean. It is very airy and bright. You can hear people out in the common areas because all the windows stay open to keep the temperature comfortable; however, the beauty and cleanliness of the spot outweighed that little inconvenience.

                                                                                         Eat and Explore:

image

Queen’s Bath

The Queen’s Bath- A hotly debated spot, I found. Many people shared horror stories about the dangers of this place and others described a beautiful, peaceful must-do excursion.  For us, it was a cool hike to a gorgeous turquoise pool; however, we could totally see where the potential danger comes in. The waves really crash in and if it’s a particularly wild day, you can get swept out of the pool or off the rock wall that creates it. If you go, definitely be careful and don’t underestimate the ocean. We heard that locals will watch any swimming spot for at least a little while before getting in, just to get a feel for how the water seems to be acting on a given day.

Hanalei Bay– Gorgeous bay, perfect for SUPs and catching sunsets. We rented paddle boards from the place that hosts Napali Kayak tours and Kauai’s North Shore Surfing School. This location is in Hanalei and the price was reasonable. They even helped us strap them on the rental car.

image

Paddle boarding on Hanalei Bay

Hanalei Farmer’s Market-  Top notch market with a great view.

Lei Petite Bakery and Coffee– Great little Princeville breakfast spot. We loved the Acai bowls and the eggs Benedict dish was good too.

IMG_0408

Acai bowl at Lei Petite

Pink’s Creamery– smoothies, ice cream and Hawaiian grilled cheese

The Dolphin – Great market for fresh local fish! Not the crazy deals of the farm markets, but reliably delicious.

Trucking Delicious– gourmet grilled cheese food truck

Puka Dog– Funny name, but these are actually tasty Hawaiian hot dogs.

 

 

 

 

 

Lake Robinson

/ debgnigh / 1 Comment

IMG_2282

When we need a quick escape on the water, there is nothing like a sunset paddle on Lake Robinson. It’s only 25 minutes away from our house, the view is lovely, and it usually boasts very smooth calm waters.  If you visit on a clear day, there are gently sloping foothills and sharper angled mountains piling up at the base of the lake, but on any day you are treated to a heavily tree lined, very clean body of water that is quite pleasant and quiet. Motors over 10 HP are forbidden, so there is not much wake or high speed traffic to worry about, and with the exception of the odd fishing boat or pontoon, we have often found the whole 800 acre lake essentially unoccupied. Though Robinson is bordered by homes, they are well-spaced and Greer Commission of Public Works maintains strict guidelines about cutting down trees and building within the 50 foot margin they control along the shore. I’m sure this gets trying for the home owners at times, but it has kept the lake looking very peaceful and natural.

IMG_2505

For some amount of time, I had very little interest in Lake Robinson because of what felt like so many rules and regulations. I am not a rule breaker. I don’t like getting in trouble. Maybe it’s because I’m a firstborn, maybe it’s just being a people pleaser in general (something I’m trying to work on); whatever the case may be, it made me feel nervous to have so many do’s and don’ts, like it would be easy to mess up by accident and get scolded. Paddle boards are off limits ( a posted sign now states this specifically) and online there is a whole list of motorized and non-motorized water sports that are likewise forbidden. Swimming is also off limits in these enticing, pristine waters, and for awhile, I felt like half the fun of kayaking was being able to jump in if you wanted to! All together, I had the impression of Lake Robinson being a stuffy, somewhat stifling place, but I really hadn’t given it much of a chance.

IMG_9855

No rules against selfie sticks!

When I actually began to visit the lake and go paddling there more regularly, I found a lot to like. We had some very friendly interactions with the wardens (no scolding :)), and I decided that touring kayaks are not super conducive to getting in and out for a quick dip in the middle of a lake anyway. It’s doable, but not super tempting to me.  I also learned to appreciate Lake Robinson for what it is instead of being disappointed and intimidated by what it is not. If you want a spot where you can swim, roll your kayak, try out your new paddle boards, go camping or beach your boats for a picnic in a hidden cove–this is not it. (See instead, Lake Jocassee) However, if you live in or around Greenville and want to crank out up to 9ish miles of paddling in a lovely, peaceful setting before breakfast or after work, this is a very convenient spot. You can get to it quickly and the access area is very convenient, well kept and inexpensive (only $3/kayak * Update: The day pass price went up to $20 this year (2015), while the year pass remains $30. I think it’s safe to say they are encouraging the yearly pass. We found this change super frustrating, but the lake is still an amazing spot. ). There are many nice spots to just sit and soak in the beauty or eat a lunch. Nice bathrooms are available and supposedly there is some decent fishing to boot.

IMG_9680

After realizing this and getting more excited about paddling as an adventure-workout that is possible during all of our relatively mild seasons, I came to appreciate Lake Robinson much more. We have visited numerous times over the last few months and the convenience combined with its natural beauty have me fully sold on this spot. If you haven’t been, you should go, even if it’s just for a picnic.*

IMG_7292

Photo Credit: David Nigh

Keep looking for adventure far and nigh!

*Note: Kayaks can be rented at Half Moon Outfitters in Greenville, Rock’s Country Store across from the park entrance, and Sunrift Adventures in Travelers Rest. If you do kayak, make sure to bring a life vest and a whistle. Free whistles can be obtained from the warden, but you could be warned/or fined without these items. Passes are obtained from the warden’s office.

Santee Surf and Turf Triathlon & Biathlon

/ debgnigh / Leave a comment
photo-7

Rounding the bend at the turn around point

April 26, 2014

Trail Run + Kayak + Mtn Bike + BBQ= AWESOMENESS. This is the tagline that drew us into a race comprised of 3 miles trail running, 3 miles flat-water kayaking or 1.5 miles SUP, and 8 miles of mountain biking for the triathlon option. Who wouldn’t be intrigued by the sound of that adventure party? Three fun sports followed by BBQ, is difficult to pass up. Evidently, Adventure Geek Productions has been putting on some form of this race for the last 4 years, but we have never heard anything about it until we stumbled upon it via the internet one evening about 3 weeks before it was due to take place. We were super excited because the distances for this race are not crazy long and it is a unique combination of disciplines for a tri or biathlon.

Once we discovered this event, we immediately tried to talk several different friends and family members into doing it with us, but with only a few weeks notice, there were no takers. Despite our initial excitement, we went back and forth about it for quite a while, halfway training and allowing the signup deadline to creep closer and closer. Finally, with only hours to spare we signed up. David picked the triathlon, because he is a beast in possession of a sweet new-to-him mountain bike, while I opted for the easier biathlon which took out the biking. With some trepidation, we loaded up our gear and headed south, joined by a couple of great friends who agreed to hang out and kindly helped with water, gear etc.

The lakefront course and the beach (photo credit: Garrison Morris)

The lakefront course and the beach (photo credit: Garrison Morris)

We arrived about an hour and a half before the race started, checked in and got instructions about where to station our kayaks on the beach. It is a first come, first serve situation for getting your paddling position so we were glad to be there in enough time to have a couple options left. My husband and one of our friends carried the boats down and strategically picked a spot by some very cool racing kayaks. While we were getting situated we met a super nice couple who had done the race multiple times before. They provided some great insider tips about where the run dumped out and the distances between the run finish line and the kayak start. This definitely helped to ease our nerves, but everyone around us looked so hardcore and intense, we still felt like we might get destroyed in each of our respective races.

To begin the event, they gathered everyone at the start/finish line and directed us into the woods where we followed red arrows for the run and passed blue arrows that directed mountain bikers during the third leg of the race. The race started almost at a diagonal left, across an open grassy area, past the bike staging zone as well as some picnic spots. That was the only slightly confusing part of the race. We had never run at Santee before, so we didn’t know where the trail was going to begin and as previously stated it wasn’t really a straight shot out of the start line. After we got into the woods, turns were clearly marked, and the course was pretty flat and easy, covered in packed dirt and pine needles. As soon as we hit the finish line our kayak time began. We ran a little more than a quarter of a mile to the boat launch, threw on our pfds, and got launched by the volunteers. The kayak course was two 1.5 mile loops that paralleled the shoreline. If you used an SUP (we did not), you only had to do one loop. Once we finished that, we hopped out of our kayaks as quickly as possible and ran back to the start/finish line. For me, that was the end of the race. David changed shoes, strapped on his helmet and hit the trails again for the 8 mile bike ride. The biking definitely added a significant level of challenge to this event. It wasn’t steep or super technical, according to David, but doing three events over two is definitely more exhausting. Still, we both had very solid finishes. David was 11th overall in the triathlon and I won the much smaller biathlon.

IMG_6319

Final pump to the finish

All together, I would heartily recommend this event. It’s a unique challenge to do multiple activities back to back, and we appreciated the fact that this tri/biathlon was off-road and did not involve swimming, a sport we are definitely not in shape for right now. You can rent kayaks through several different outdoor vendors connected to the race which is helpful if you don’t own a boat, and the field of participants is not huge which we found less intimidating. The post-race party atmosphere was great too, with food, plenty of Heed and water, and great camaraderie. If we do it again next year, I would definitely work on my biking and try to do the triathlon, but the biathlon is a great option if you don’t bike. The race can also be run as a team, so grab some friends and start planning for next year’s Santee Surf and Turf Triathlon & Biathlon.

IMG_0092

Please note the ample BBQ and the Start/Finish line behind us 🙂

Keep looking for adventure far and nigh!

For more details about this race and other fun events sponsored by Adventure Geek Productions check out this website: http://www.adventuregeekproductions.com/santee-surf-and-turf.html

Paddle on Lake Oolenoy

/ debgnigh / Leave a comment
IMG_8575

View of Pinnacle Mountain and Bald Rock

We paddled Lake Oolenoy on Christmas Eve. It was a spontaneous plan that unfolded when Lake Robinson, a lovely 800 acre lake near our home, was closed. We had already loaded our boats up and driven 20 whole minutes when we realized this, and it felt too disappointing and lame to just turn back after making such an effort on Christmas Eve. Instead of admitting defeat, we opted to tack on 30 minutes and push our way up to Lake Oolenoy.

I have to admit, I was a little critical of poor Lake Oolenoy before I actually went there. It has the misfortune of being on our route to Lake Joccassee, one of the most gorgeous, epic places in South Carolina. No matter how pleasant Lake Oolenoy might be, I could not imagine it being as grand and stunning as Lake Joccassee.  This means that if we plan out a paddling adventure of any consequence, we are almost always willing to drive the extra 30-45 minutes required to bypass Lake Oolenoy and arrive at our beloved Jocassee. However,  this Christmas Eve our time frame required as little extra driving time as possible and a relatively short paddle when we got to our destination. Lake Oolenoy ended up being a perfect solution. At less than an hour from Greenville, it is easy to get to and with only 67 acres to its name it is perfect for a short exploration. The lake is very pretty, undeveloped, and clean with remarkable views of Table Rock and Pinnacle Mountain.  It’s a great little spot to explore and there are nice picnic areas and bathrooms available by the boat ramp access point. We would definitely come back, and perhaps try taking out a SUP.

IMG_8561

Paddle this Lake: If you’re coming from Greenville, you will pass the main entrance to Table Rock State Park on your right before crossing the bridge over Lake Oolenoy and arriving at the boat ramp on your left.  For more information about seasonal hours and directions see the state park website.

Recommendations: Bring a camera for some great views of Table Rock and Pinnacle Mountain.

Note: There are two lakes in Table Rock State Park. Lake Pinnacle does not allow public boat access; however, they rent kayaks and canoes. Both kayaks and SUPs are permitted on Lake Oolenoy.