Labor Day Kayaking at Lake Berryessa

Written by: Park Ranger Aaron Page

Kayaking on beautiful Lake Berryessa on Labor Day 2016.On Labor Day, Sept. 5, 2016, Lake Berryessa Park Rangers Aaron Page and Todd Eggert led eight enthusiastic paddlers on a kayak tour of Lake Berryessa, located in California’s scenic Napa Valley. The participants ranged in age from 10 to 55 years.

The outing began at 9 a.m. with introductions, a safety briefing and safety checks. The expedition then launched from Foxtail Flat beach in the Oak Shores Day Use Area.

The group kayaked halfway to the southeast corner of Big Island in an east-by-northeasterly direction. Taking a short break, they discussed the rocks found around Lake Berryessa, their origins, and the basics of geology. Ranger Eggert also answered questions about a nest of Egrets the group had seen. An Egret is a species of heron that lives in fresh or salt water and typically builds stick nests high in trees, often on islands that are isolated from predators such as raccoons.

The expedition then continued to the southeast corner of Big Island where they enjoyed an excellent view of the lake. Here, Ranger Page talked about the Putah Creek watershed, how geology is responsible for creating watersheds, why this area is a great location for Monticello Dam and Lake Berryessa, and the importance of the dam and lake to the residents of Solano County.

The group then paddled south-southwest to Goat Island where they talked about the geographic fault lines in the area. Spotting a nearby Osprey nest, Ranger Eggert answered questions about Ospreys, which are large, fish-eating raptors also known as fish eagles, sea hawks, river hawks, and fish hawks.

From Goat Island, the paddlers headed back to Foxtail Flat where they concluded their successful kayak trip and a delightful morning on the beautiful waters of Lake Berryessa.

Published on September 13, 2016