April 24, 2019

Kayaking on Buffumville Lake Charlton/Oxford town lines.

Yesterday Daisy and I enjoyed a short wobbly kayak paddle adventure on Buffumville Lake.    Buffumville Community Park is a nice dog friendly park in Charlton, MA, and it’s open year-round.  It’s about 2 miles west of Route 395 x4 on Oxford Road.

We donned our PFD (Personal Floatation Devises), and I set the boat and paddle into the water near the dock while Daisy ran around and tested the waters.

I settled into the kayak with my camera within easy reach.  I called my Daisy and she came very reluctantly.  She enjoys splashing about in the water, but I think she still remembers a canoe mishap when she was 3 months old, in the Colorado River.

Being the wonderful dog that she is, she got into the boat with me, and I paddled away from the boat dock, south towards Buffumville Dam.  This is the second time I’ve ever paddled this boat, and paddled with Daisy.  I was determined to go further than we had the first day we paddled around the cove near the dock.  The wind was blowing north, making our paddle a little more challenging, but I felt as long as the wind stayed in this direction, I could count on it to help us back to the dock. 

The views from the middle of this little lake are beautiful, this spring.  The grass has turned green, and people were enjoying picnic tables, and disk golf around the dam.  Some folks enjoyed walking their dogs along the four mile trail around the south end of the lake.  Daisy was most interested in her fellow canines than being trapped, adrift in our tangerine kayak. 

There are several marsh type islands in Buffumville Lake.  Daisy was intensely considering making a dash for what might have seemed like terra firma.  I gently paddled away from the island, toward the boat launch and hoped my reactions were going to make a difference.  I didn’t want to need to try and recapture Daisy in the lake.  Possibly flip over our kayak, loose the camera and car keys all on one bounce.

This being our second little kayaking adventure, I paddled much better.  Daisy seemed more relaxed, and I managed to have her seated, centered in the kayak.  That was a huge help.  This was very different from our first paddle, the kayak wobbled with every stroke I made.  I was tense and my weak shoulder hurt intensely.  I couldn’t wait to get out of the boat, myself that day. 

Today was much more enjoyable.  Daisy gave a little whimper to let me know she’d had enough boat time, and was ready to get out.  I mean get out right then and there; at what might have been very shallow water.  This lake isn’t a deep or large lake.  Small dory’s and john boats, canoes and kayaks are dotted around the lake.  Several have fishing poles, and small motors. 

I didn’t have to ask Daisy to get out of the boat.  We neared the dock and she sprung out, and onto the dock.  She ran around and enjoyed being on land again. 

I loaded my kayak and put our PDFs into the truck.  I’m waiting for another day with weather as nice as today to paddle again.  I look forward to paddling at Buffumville Lake again.