Welcoming the Summer Solstice

It was the summer solstice yesterday, I marked the occasion with an excursion to the Embalse de Negratin with my Gumotex Halibut kayak.  The plan for the day was to re-trace the route of a paddle on the 'badlands' side of the reservoir, which I did with my Neris Valkure folding kayak in June 2017, blog post June 6th. 2017.  I affectionately refer to the side of the reservoir, opposite to Playa de Freila, as the 'badlands', because it's a remote, wilderness-like area with scenery reminding me of old western films.  Got into a nice steady paddling rhythm and covered 11 kilometres in 3¼ hours.  It's getting pretty hot here now, but the weather was on my side yesterday - overcast, threatening rain (which never came) and very light winds to start with.  Sun kept trying to break through the clouds - and I kept willing it not to!  Didn't feel like a Summer Solstice day, but it suited me just fine.

Didn't take any photos this time but I've attached a couple from the 2017 trip – the sort of scenery where, with a little imagination, you might expect to see eagles soaring, coyotes skulking around, smoke signals in the sky, Apaches on horseback silhouetted on the skyline and Clint Eastwood (or John Wayne) riding through the canyons – but, of course, I didn't see any of that!  In fact I didn't see or hear any movement, wildlife or otherwise, at all.

Most strenuous part of the trip was the crossing of open water back to Playa de Freila.  A wind, stronger than forecast, started gusting up from the dam end of the reservoir, creating uncomfortably choppy water.  My nice steady paddling rhythm increased in tempo!  Open water crossings of Negratin need to be treated with respect in fresh winds from either end of the reservoir.  The very same thing happened on that June 2017 trip, but on that occasion the wind was short lived and I sheltered in an inlet until it passed, before attempting the crossing.

Landing back at the beach was a bit ungainly.  With waves sweeping diagonally along the shore a nimble exit from the kayak, to pull it clear of the water, was needed – but my old legs, after being redundant for more than 3 hours, didn't feel like co-operating quickly enough!  Fortunately, it being such a grey morning, there were no witnesses – and I didn't actually fall over.

Back to Embalse de Negratin

  In spite of a severe storm, which tracked down the east coast of Spain last week, leaving flooding and destruction (even a few fatalities) in its wake, Monday of this week looked a good day to take a kayak to Embalse de Negratín. 

   Here are a few photos from that trip.  It was a repeat of the area of the reservoir that I covered on June 11th. [Blog post 12/06/19]  .......  Playa de Freila to the Torre de Maruq (Moorish watchtower), nipping into all the inlets on the way, and a direct paddle back again.  However, it did all look very different this time, as the water level was even lower; the lowest I've ever seen it.  Shame that the storm didn't get far enough inland to help top up the reservoir.  As usual I was on the water early in the morning.

Many more tree stumps and roots had now been exposed along the edge of the reservoir.  Here are some  examples of the more sculptural looking ones:

This was a coffee break stop at the limit of my trip - on the same headland as the Torre de Maruq.  So far it had been perfect kayaking weather but strong winds were forecast for the afternoon.  So time to turn back.

This inlet is where the Barranco de los Hornos runs into the reservoir. A Barranco being gully or ravine, generally with a watercourse in the bottom.  The watercourse will be dry most of the year, but wet weather can change that.

Just after I got back on the water I heard the mellow sound of bells and a herd of goats appeared.  Goats are inquisitive animals and large numbers lined up on a ridge to look down on me.  Some came down to the water for a drink. They didn't all wear bells, so I guess it is only the 'lead goats' who have that privilege.  I didn't see the goat-man or goat-women, but I've no doubt that he or she saw me.  Even in the most remote of places you never know who may be watching you!

As I headed back to Playa de Freila I I saw this part submerged tree.  Over the last couple of years I have passed this way several times without seeing it.  It just shows how much the water level has dropped - and is a reminder of what can be lurking just below the water.  I couldn't resist moving in for a close look,  That is Jabalcón mountain in the distance.






I got back to the Playa at about 1:15pm.  Time on the water was nearly 4 hours and the total distance paddled, at a leisurely pace, and with a couple of coffee breaks ashore, was 6 kilometres.  If the wind that was forecast for the afternoon did come, it was much later in the afternoon, after I had packed up and gone.

At Last

At last, for the first time this year, I have managed to get out on the water with my folding kayak for a 'proper' paddle.

I did get out with my small inflatable kayak (The Twist) one fine Saturday morning back in February (Feb. 9th.), but that was just for an hour or so pootling around in Garrucha harbour.  Ever since then fickle weather, on the coast and at Embalse de Negratin, has kept me off the water.  Whenever I looked ahead at a day which appeared good for kayaking, the weather forecast changed at the last minute and strong winds, from the worst possible directions, put paid to any plans.

However, yesterday, everything looked promising for an early morning start at Embalse de Negratin.  There was a last minute change in the forecast, but very high winds weren't predicted until late in the day.  I planned to be off the water long before then.  So I arrived at Playa de Freila at 7.00am and was all set up and on the water by 8.45am.  Breakfast had to wait until I was afloat.   The water level in the reservoir was much lower than when I was last here, so I expected the various inlets along the shoreline towards the dam to look very different.

Just a gentle headwind at the start.  A fresh N.W. wind was forecast for the morning, coming over the top of those high 'badlands' in the distance.  I had banked on it being a lighter wind at water level.

I didn't recognize this inlet at all from a previous trip along this bit of shoreline.

Sun bleached and weather-worn dead trees, stumps, roots and bushes were quite a feature of this trip.  Some were quite sculptural.  I could see mystical figures or creatures in all of them .... perhaps I shouldn't give my imagination free rein!

Some rock outcrops were quite nice also.

I stopped here for a leg-stretch and a comfort stop ..... also to try getting out of the kayak when fitted with the spray-deck which was supplied with it.  Until now I'd never felt the use for it .... but on this occasion I thought I would try it out and see how I managed getting in and out of a much reduced cockpit size.  Getting in had been O.K. but I thought I would try getting out again somewhere private, rather than embarrass myself when I got back to Playa de Freila and found an audience there!  Luckily I managed just fine, as there was quite a few people around on the shore when I did get back.

I got as far as the Torre de Maruq, the remains of an ancient Moorish lookout tower last visited on May 19th. 2017, before turning back at around 11.00am.  It was getting uncomfortably hot on the water by then.  The outward leg of this trip, dipping in and out of all the inlets, had taken just over two hours

As I made my way back to Playa de Freila the wind died away completely, leaving the water quite mirror-like.  However, this didn't last and the weather forecasters were eventually proved correct.  As I packed up to leave for home the wind came back with force ...... and  created a nasty chop on the water with flecks of white where wave tops were collapsing.  Just as well I had made an early start.

My straight-line return leg to Playa de Freila took just 45 minutes.  The cafe-bar, which was closed when I set off, in the car park at the top of the slipway, was now open and quite busy.

Time on the water for this quiet paddle was approximately 3 hours and the total distance paddled, according to my GPS thingy, was 6.95 kilometres.  All in all, a very nice morning on the water - it was good to finally get afloat again.

An Autumn Morning on Embalse de Negratin

   I got back to Embalse de Negratin with my folding kayak yesterday.  The weather has been very changeable recently, but the forecast of light winds and a zero chance of rain looked promising - however, I hadn't expected fog!  As I approached the reservoir at about 8:30 a.m., and could look down into the valley, I saw a bank of dense fog lying over the water.  Fortunately, by the time I reached the bathing and picnicking area (where I launched on my last visit) at the foot of Jabalcón, it didn't look so bad at the waters edge.  By the time I had assembled the kayak, and was ready to go afloat, the early morning fog was dispersing nicely and blue sky was appearing.

Plan for the day was to paddle down that big offshoot of the reservoir, which runs to the north west, opposite  Jabalcon.  One of the two areas of the reservoir I hadn't covered on previous visits.

I'm headed right down there.

Low cloud and some fog was still hanging around in the upper part of this offshoot.

Nearing the top, the water was getting very shallow and it was necessary to be watchful for submerged obstacles.

Must have been some big trees here before the valley was flooded.  Stumps like these were only just below the water surface in some places.

Couldn't get much further than this.  Too shallow and too many obstructions to look out for.  The water level has dropped by about a metre since I was last on Negratin, mid August.  I had expected to get much further up the valley than this.
Might have to make another visit next spring, when winter rains might have topped up the reservoir again.

Turned round and looked back towards Jabalcón.  A haze around the mountain gave the impression that fog might be reforming.  I believe that keen photographers would call this 'an atmospheric shot'.

Herons have built nests in those part-submerged dead trees.

There they are.

I had paddled into this stretch of water following the north shoreline and was paddling out along the south side.  A couple of hours had now passed, it was time for leg stretch and a coffee break - but where to stop?  This shoreline was muddy.

Another of those 'atmospheric shots'.

I finally found what looked like a firm bit of shoreline - but I was wrong!  Stepped out to find, too late, that a shingle surface hid the sticky stuff underneath.  Much cleaning up of kayak later (couldn't avoid carrying it back into the kayak on my sandals) but I had my coffee break regardless.

Blue sky, just a few clouds and not too hot - it was turning out to be a lovely day for a quiet paddle.

Lots more nests as I came back out into the main part of the reservoir.  The herons like these dead trees and there's plenty of dry twigs around.

   

Heading back to my starting point, at centre picture.  The haze had cleared from Jabalcón by early afternoon. 

Before I got there I came across this sticking out of the water.  From a distance it looked like a sculpture in steel.  It leans towards the shore and, to me, gave the impression of a multi-headed creature that had risen out of the water and was trying to reach the shore on spindly legs.

But it's just the top of an old electricity pylon!  Surprising that this was left standing when the dam was completed and the valley flooded.  I didn't see this the last time I passed this way.  Perhaps the water level was high enough then to cover it.  A hazard to watch out for in the future.








Time on the water was near enough four hours, including the coffee break.  Distance travelled was 11.5 kilometres.  It was a lovely day out.  Only a very small part of Embalse de Negratin now not seen.

The C15 camper van conversion (re. previous blog post) came into its own - could have a bit of a siesta on the sleeping platform before the drive home.  Quite comfy!

An Early Start, at a New Location

   An early start from home saw me standing on the shore of Embalse de Negratín, at a new launching place (for me) at the foot of Jabalcón, at just before 7:30 a.m. on Friday morning.  It was nice to find that is was possible to drive right down to the water here - and even nicer to find it was still cool in the shade of the mountain.  The summer heat is now building up steadily in southern Spain.

   By 8:40 a.m. I was afloat and paddling into a gentle headwind towards the top end of the reservoir.  This was all new territory for me, and I could have gone in any direction - but that wind was the deciding factor.  It was forecast to freshen  in the afternoon, so, if that forecast was inaccurate and it freshened early, I would have the wind behind me coming back.

About an hour later I was at the head of the reservoir and following a winding channel through thick vegetation - sort of swamp land.  It's possible this channel was created by the The Rio Castril which flows into the reservoir at this end.  I paddled up this channel through very silty water until it became barely wide enough to turn my kayak around, and it wasn't until I had turned round that the strength of the flow into the reservoir became apparent.  Getting back to open water took no time at all.

Fish were busy feeding on flies on the surface of the silty water in the channel.  Some were so intent on feeding that they didn't notice me quietly drifting down on them - and more than once they only took evasive action at the last possible moment.  At times I was sure I was going to run some fish over.

Nearly back to open water.

Open water and the wind has died away now.  Calm enough to decide to head back down the reservoir on the opposite side to where I had launched.

This end of the reservoir is less barren than the dam end.  The slopes of Jabalcón are cloaked with pine forests, there is a larger variety of wild flowers along the shore and much more bird song.

That building on the opposite side caught my attention.  I'm sure it's the same building I've seen in photos of Embalse de Negratín on the web - with just it's roof sticking out of the water.

A break here for coffee and cake at around 10:00 a.m.  Shoals of tiny, tiny fish passed along the waters edge as I sat there, always heading in the same direction - towards the head of the reservoir.    Even crumbs of home-made carrot cake didn't distract them from their journey.  Perhaps these small fry are programmed to get to the head of the reservoir where all that vegetation will offer them shelter to grow large in.

Later, somewhere along here, I saw a fox out in the open.  I assume it had been down to the water for a drink and was heading back to the cover of trees.  I stopped paddling as soon as I saw it, but the fox must have already sensed my presence - it peered at me over its shoulder before disappearing into undergrowth.

My launching place earlier this morning is on the opposite shore, just left of centre of photograph.

Up there is the other arm of Embalse de Negratín, where another river feeds the reservoir.  That will be a trip of its own - some other day.

No comment - just another photograph with nice reflections on glassy calm water.

Packed up and ready to leave.

Up there, at the top of a concrete ramp, is a landscaped picnic area and some amenity buildings - which I've never seen open.  The gangway at the bottom of the ramp leads to a floating jetty/pontoon - or it would be floating if the reservoir was full.  I've yet to find out if this place has a name - at the moment it is just a red cross at the foot of Jabalcón on my map of Embalse de Negratín - shown on the previous blog post.

That opening on the other side of the water is the other arm of the reservoir - but that will be a trip for the autumn, it's getting too hot to spend much time on the water now.  Today's paddle was a three hour one which was plenty long enough - nice and cool when I started early but roasting hot by the time I was ashore, packed up and ready to leave.






   My gps thingy recorded only 4.9 kilometres paddled, but it must have been more like 9 kilometres.  About an hour into my trip the gps unit showed a low battery warning and after that it kept turning itself off.  I hadn't found anything in the manual about what happens if you ignore the low battery level, but now I know - it goes into battery saving mode, by turning itself off!