My first Red Rock paddle was more about the boat than the lake. This was the maiden voyage of my used Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro sit-on-top kayak. These kayaks are popular in California and Florida but fairly rare in Iowa. After months of searching I finally located one on a hog farm in Clarion, Iowa.
I plan to use this kayak as an exercise platform and for touring on flat water excursions. The paddle from the Wallashuch boat ramp to the Elk Rock shore line seemed to be a perfect test for this kayaks intended purpose.
The second kayak on this trip was a Trinity Bay, Wahoo sit-on-top. The Wahoo is very maneuverable and it performs best on tight rivers or mild rapids. However, on flat water with choppy waves and wind I knew it would be a struggle to keep it tracking straight. Since the wind was in our favor on the trip to Elk Rock I let my 15 year old son take the Wahoo first. On the return paddle I would attempt to power the kayak back to Wallashuch.
My son and I set out from the Wallashuch boat ramp with the wind blowing from the southeast at 6.7 mph and gusts up to 9.2 mph. After maneuvering past the Labor Day weekend boat traffic near the marina we set our course for Elk Rock. The first thing I did was to drop the rudder on the Scupper Pro. This was my first experience using a rudder and I was amazed with the instant control it gave me. Take a look at the GPS analytics and you can see a few dog legs I made as I was playing with the tracking. Windage and waves were not issues either. Unlike the typical sit-on-top fishing barges the Scupper Pro is fast and tracks straight because of the hull shape and dimensions (15’ long x 26” wide).
After a brief leg-stretching near the Elk Rock boat ramp we continued west along the shore. The rock formations in this area are interesting. I attempted to take some photos and soon realized that I need a less bulky camera. I know the rocky shore line is more dramatic in other parts of the lake but that will have to be another trip. It was time to swap kayaks and head back to the Wallashuch boat ramp.
We both noticed a big difference in our kayaks performance. I felt like I was riding on an erratic water beetle in the Wahoo and my son was playing with his newly acquired speed. In fact, he was able to get the Scupper Pro up to 5 mph heading into the wind and waves.
We arrived at the Wallashuch boat ramp 4 hours from our start time. This was a successful 8.73 mile trip and leaves me wanting another fast yak for the fleet. Lake Red rock is truly unique amongst the other Iowa reservoirs. My next trip to Red Rock will be a longer scenic paddle.
Pros:
Interesting rock formations along shore line
Cons:
Busy holiday weekend.
Contact:
Army Corps of Engineers
1105 Highway T15
Knoxville, IA 50138
P: (641) 828-7522
F: (641) 828-7952
E: LakeRedRock@usace.army.mil
GPS Data:
Moving Time: 2:59:15 h:m:s
Distance: 8.73 miles
Avg. Moving Speed: 2.9 mph
Avg. Wind Speed: SSE 6.7 mph
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