Index of States Kayaked by Charlene Swankie

I DID IT!  Finished the 50th State, Hawaii, on my 70th Birthday, almost a year ago now.
This is a work in progress… I will also add elevations.  I am also updating the state pages with more details.  (updated 5/7/2015)

State	Order	Date	Location	Elevation
Alabama	46	10/23/12	Justins Bay, AL (solo)
Alaska	49	8/20/2013	Holgate Glacier, Holgate Arm near Seward, AK
Arizona	2	06/2009	Watson Lake / Vickie Walker; Cibola NWR (N.P.)
Arkansas	43	10/7/12	Beaver Lake (solo)
California California2	1	3/2008 ? ? ? 08/30/2009 08/03/2009	1) Monterey Bay(many times) 2) Morro Bay (fb) 3) Spooners Cove @ Montano de Oro State Park (fb) 4) Elkhorn Slough 5) Gold Lake (fb) 6) West Shore of Lake Tahoe(*maiden voyage) / Elle Beals (fb)
Colorado	39	10/11/11 and Summer 2012	Jackson Lake State Park nr Orchard (solo) (*Pelicans) Meadow Creek Lake nr Rifle (solo)
Connecticut	20	10/25/10	Put in @ Westerly, RI and paddled back and forth from CT-RI down to Little Narragansett Bay. (solo) (*Swans)
Delaware	23	11/02/10	Cape Henlopen @ Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge-put in @ Boat Ramp Access Rd. (solo)
Florida	29	11/26/10 12/19/10 12/30/10 10/?/12	1) Santa Fe River @ Columbia State Park, High Springs / Judy Luke family 2) Cedar Kay /Gary Lepak 3) Ichetucknee Springs State Park/Gary Lepak 4)   (solo)
Georgia	28	11/16/10	Tybee Island (solo)
Hawaii	50	5/16/2014	Off Maui	/sons
Idaho	6	10/18/09	Upper and Lower Priest Lakes (solo), Priest River, ID	Moose Family Video
Illinois	36	09/23/11	Lake Shelbyville (solo)
Indiana	35	08/19/11	Lake Monroe @very large boat launching area off Hwy 446 (solo)
Iowa	37	09/28/11	Clear Lake @ McIntosh Woods State Park (43.12237,-93.45856) (solo)
Kansas	41	10/02/12	Wilson Lake @ Wilson State Park – Otoe Launch (solo)
Kentucky	34	08/18/11	Fredericks Landing, Wilder, KY Boat Launch (solo)
Louisiana	47	10/25/12	Small unnamed pond/marsh nr Hwy 190 and Hwy 90(Chef Menteur Hwy) east of Slidell (solo)
Maine	17	10/12/10	Long Pond on Mount Desert Island, Arcadia National Park (solo)
Maryland/DC	24	11/02/10	Put in @ Ocean City Municipal Airport on Sinepuxent Bay… near Mystic Harbor & paddled across to Assateague State Park/Island (solo)
Massachusetts	19	10/21/10	Secret Lake in Athol / Kay Gleason
Michigan	14	08/31/10 09/05/10	1) Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary @ Alpena (solo) 2) Launched @ Gross Isle (solo)
Minnesota	12	08/03/10 08/07/10	1) St. Louis River @ Floodwood (solo) 2) Ely – Boundary Waters Canoe Area (solo) (write up BWCA)
Mississippi	45	10/12/12 10/24/12	1) Sardis Lake @ Engineer Point Public Use Area 2) Pearlton
Missouri	44	10/09/12	Coombs Ferry Public Use Area, Blue Eye, MO (solo)
Montana	7	10/19/09	Flathead Lake (solo), Lakeside, MT
Nebraska	38	10/10/11	Lake McConaughy, Ogallala (solo)
Nevada	3	08/25/09 12/03/09	1) Cave Rock, NV (solo) 2) Callville Bay Marina @ Lake Mead (solo) fb
New Hampshire	16	10/19/10	Harriman Reservoir in S.W. corner of state. Rt. 9, Molly Stark Trail.
New Jersey	22	10/27/10	Sandy Hook nr Fort Hancock @ Gateway National Recreation Area (solo)
New Mexico	40	10/15/11	Lake Caballo nr Truth or Consequences  on Rio Grande River (solo)
New York	15	09/25/10	Grand Island @ Beaver Point / Matt Beals
North Carolina	26	11/10/10	Jordan Lake / Judith Sookne
North Dakota	11	07/28/10	Langlier’s Bay on Lake Oahe (solo)
Ohio	33	07/28-29/11	1) Mad River / Cheryl and David Simmons (6.5 miles) (fb) 2) Buck Creek State Park lake (solo)
Oklahoma	42	10/06/12	Robert S. Kerr Reservoir @ Sallisaw Creek Park (Cherokee Nation) (solo)
Oregon	4	08/31/09	Siltcoos Lake, OR (solo)
Pennsylvania	32	07/24/11	Loyalhanna Lake. Camped @ Bush Recreation Area (solo)
Rhode Island	21	10/25/10	Put in @ Westerly, RI and paddled back and forth from CT-RI down to Little Narragansett Bay. (solo)
South Carolina	27 or 28?	11/13/10	Folly Beach (solo)
South Dakota	10	07/28/10	Missouri River on Lake Oahe @ Mobridge (solo)
Tennessee	30	07/18/11	French Broad River to Nolichucky River nr Newport / Leadvale @ Rankin Bottoms. (solo)
Texas	48	10/30/12	Mountain Lake nr Grand Prairie (fb)
Utah	8	11/02/09	Quail Creek Reservoir nr St. George (solo)
Vermont	18	10/19/10	Harriman Reservoir, nr Medburyville (solo)
Virginia	25	11/05/10	Kayaked here. First Landing State Park @ Broad Bay N.W of Virginia Beach .(solo)
Washington	5	09/9-15/09 09/9-15/09 09/12/09 07/01/10	1) Elliott Bay @ Alki Point  (solo) 2) Wenatchee – Turtle Island @ Lincoln Rock State Park (solo) 4) Port Angeles / Gary Lepak 5) Port Townsend /Gary Lepak (fb) 5) Port Angeles / Gary Lepak
West Virginia	31	07/23/11	Sutton Lake (solo)
Wisconsin	13	08/14/10	Apostle Islands National Lake Shore, north of Bayfield, WI (solo)
Wyoming	9	07/23 or 25?/10	Big Horn Canyon Recreation Area @ Horseshoe Bend Lake(solo)

Thank you for doing your usual Amazon shopping using my affiliate link.
See my current status.    Help me a little if you can.  I promise to pay it forward.

State List

I thought an index of states might help followers who want to see where I have been.  Some state photos are only on Facebook at this time but I will try to get blog pages made for those as soon as I can.  Thank you for following along.

State / Location / Date / Link

Alabama - 2012?

Alaska - Will be my 49th state. 2013-4?

Arizona #2 - Watson Lake June 2009. Photos not on Blog yet, only on Facebook.

Arkansas - 2012?

California #1 1) Monterey Bay bef July 2009 2) Morro Bay-Photos only on Facebook for now. 3) Montano de Oro State Park. Photos only on Facebook for now. 4) Lake Tahoe 8/3/09. Photos only on Facebook for now. 5) Gold Lake 8/2009. Photos only on Facebook for now.

Colorado / #39 Jackson Lake near Orchard, CO  -  Oct 11, 2011 -

Connecticut / #20 Put in at Westerly, RI and paddled back and forth from RI to CT to mouth of Little Narragansett Bay.  Oct 25, 2010.

Delaware /23 Cape Henlopen – Nov 2, 2010 Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Beach Access Rd. Nov 2, 2010.

District of Columbia ?

Florida / #29 1) Santa Fe River in Columbia State Park – High Springs, FL – Thanksgiving 2010  2) Ichetucknee Spring State Park  - New Year’s Eve 2010. 3) Cedar Key, West Coast of FL – Dec 19, 2010 -

Georgia / #28 Tybee Island, Nov. 16, 2010

Hawaii Will be 50th state!

Idaho / #6 Priest Lakes – Oct 18, 2009

Illinois / #36 Lake Shelbyville – Sept 23, 2011.

Indiana / #35 Lake Monroe – Aug 19, 2011

Iowa / #37 Sept 29, 2011 – where was this???

Kansas 2012?

Kentucky / #34 Fredericks Landing, Wilder, KY – Aug 18, 2011

Louisiana 2012?

Maine / #19 or 17? Acadia National Park – Long Lake near Mountain Desert Island - http://swankiewheels.blogspot.com/2010/10/17th-state-paddlemaine-oct-12-2010.html

Maryland / #24 Sinepuxent Bay near Mystic Harbor @ Ocean City Municipal Airport – Nov 2 2010.

Massachusetts / #19 Kay’s Secret Lake – Oct 21, 2010

Michigan / #14 Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary, Alpena – Aug 31, 2010 - Gross Isle – Detroit River -

Minnesota / #12 Boundary Waters Canoe Area near Ely – Aug 7 2010 - Floodwood, MN  - St. Louis River – Aug 3, 2010

Mississippi 2012?

Missouri 2012?

Montana / #7 Flathead Lake – Oct 19, 2009

Nebraska / #38 Lake McConaughy, Ogallala, NE - Oct 10, 2011

Nevada / #3 Cave Rock (east side of Lake Tahoe) July 2009  Callville Bay Marina, Lake Mead – Dec 3, 2009 - http://www.facebook.com/media/albums/?id=1573053507#!/media/set/?set=a.1166302649071.2021521.1573053507&type=3

New Hampshire / #16 Oct 5, 2010 – where is this???

New Jersey / #22 Sandy Hook  - Gateway National Recreation Area.   Oct. 27, 2010.

New Mexico / #40 or 39? Lake Caballo near Truth or Consequences – Oct. 15, 2011.  On the Rio Grande River.

New York / #15 Grand Island – Beaver Point – Sep 25, 2010 -

North Carolina / #26 An unnamed lake – Nov 10 2010

North Dakota / #10 Langlier’s Bay on Lake Oahe,  July 28, 2010.

Ohio / #33 Mad River – July 28-29, 2011 - http://www.facebook.com/media/albums/?id=1573053507#!/media/set/?set=a.1880713828904.2087534.1573053507&type=3 Buck Creek State Park Lake – July 2011

Oklahoma 2012?

Oregon / #4 Siltcoos Lake – Aug 31, 2009

Pennsylvania / #32 Loyalhanna Lake, Bush Recreation Area – July 24, 2011.

Rhode Island / #21 Put in at Westerly, RI and paddled back and forth from RI to CT to mouth of Little Narragansett Bay.  Oct 25, 2010.

South Carolina / #27 Folly Beach – Nov.  13, 2010.

South Dakota / #11 Mobridge, SD on Missouri River on Lake Oahe – July 28 2010.

Tennessee / #30 Newport / Leadvale – July 18, 2011

Texas 2012?

Utah / #8 Quail Creek Reservoir near St. George – Nov. 2, 2009

Vermont / #18 Oct 19, 2010 – name of small lake???

Virginia / #25 First Landing State Park near Virginia Beach -  Nov 5, 1010

Washington / #5 1) Port Angeles – Sept 9-15, 2009  2) Port Townsend Sept 12, 2009  - http://www.facebook.com/media/albums/?id=1573053507#!/media/set/?set=a.1121698694000.2016126.1573053507&type=3 3) Port Angeles – July 1, 2010

Washington / #5 Elliott Bay @ Alki Point

Washington / #5 Wenatchee – Turtle Island

West Virginia / #33 or 31st? Sutton Lake – July 23, 2011

Wisconsin / #13 Apostle Islands National Lake Shore – Aug 14, 2010

Wyoming / #9 Big Horn Canyon Recreation Area – Horseshoe Bend Lake – July 25, 2010.

   
   If you have suggestions for places to kayak in the states I have not yet visited, please email them to me at charlene.swankie@gmail.com.



    

38th State: Nebraska - Lake McConaughy (10/10/11)

Lake McConaughy, Ogallala, NE

First I have to say thank you to all my friends, followers and family who helped me get back on the road again… after the set back in September of breaking off a front tooth at the gum line and requiring an emergency root canal, and then the additional expense of realizing my rear tires were falling off the rims, requiring immediate replacement (with used ones for now).

These unplanned expenses left me stranded in SD with no income until 10/20/11.  It didn’t feel good at all.  I tried to get a job. I even painted walls of a stairway to earn a tank of gas.  I tried to sell my story to the paper, I tried making up flyers and handing them out.  I interviewed for a Photoshop job and didn’t get it as the lady was too sick to work with me. 

Then the word got out in the Vandwelling community and through my blog and suddenly gas money began appearing.  I was totally astounded and humbled.  I don’t know what I am doing to deserve such kindnesses, but I can assure you, I will pay it forward to honor all of you.  Thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

So finally, I got on the road again and then came down with this horrid case of pink eye.  I couldn’t open my eyes for three days but managed to get to an Emergency Room near the lake I hoped to kayak in NE.  And there I stayed while my eyes swelled shut, they tired one med, then another, and finally came up with the right combination and the swelling began going done.  And SOOOOOO…..

I didn’t know if this day would ever arrive after fighting an eye infection for the last three days.  Have been camping in the Hospital Parking Lot in Ogallala NE, because I couldn’t open my eyes to drive.  The awful weather and wind made the stay a little easier on me, but I hate being in the van when I HAVE to be in the van.

My eye, two days ago and then today.


The weather here two days ago and then today.


How’s that saying go, “Anything worth having is worth waiting for!”  On the left is the Banner Health Ogallala Community Hospital.  Monica’s night crew were marvelous to me.  If you are ever in this area and need care, don’t hesitate to go there… and there is lots of room to park… follow the sign that says “Trucks.”  It’s right by the Helipad… never heard an ambulance or a helicopter and only one or two cars.  No trucks. lol 

Had it been necessary for me to see an Ophthalmologist today, they would have arranged for a volunteer from the community to drive me to North Platte and back again.  And they called twice today to make sure I was o.k. Isn’t that sweet?



The dam and reservoir are named for George P. Kingsley, a Minden banker, and C.W. McConaughy, a grain merchant and mayor of Holdrege, two of the leading promoters of the project. Although neither lived to see completion of the project, their leadership and perseverance eventually culminated in a public power and irrigation project that helped Nebraska become one of the nation's leading agricultural states.


This place is wildly popular in season, but I rather had it all to myself today. They do have a Kite and Sand Festival in the summer.. which looks awesome. The weather isn’t going to get any better than this, this week, well, it will be sunny, but the winds are going to pick up again, so I had to kayak it today.


Finally, on Oct. 10, the eyes and the weather both cleared up so that I could go kayak Lake Mac (Lake McConaughy).



Kingsley Dam was built between 1936 and 1941 by pumping sand from the bed of the North Platte River to form its sides while pumping loess soil mixed with water into the center of the structure to from a watertight core. Pumping from the downstream side of f the dam formed Lake Ogallala. Water is prevented from seeping beneath the dam by a solid wall of interlocking steel sheet piling. Varying in depth from 30 to 160 feet, the piling ties into an impervious Brule clay formation.

The winds were probably the lowest today that they have been in days... so I knew I had to go for it. I didn't go far into the lake and it gave me the same feeling of rough wave action as the Monterey Bay does in the California shoreline.

That wave coming toward my kayak is about 1-2 ft tall.
Rough, but not scary. It was a little more than I was ready for having just spend the past three days in bed with my eyes closed.  That would be zinc oxide on my lips… as they don’t seem to be taking kindly to anymore sun.
This is some sort of Grebe... a Western I think??? They didn't fly away, only dove if I got too close. I paddled on out into those trees, but the wave action was just too unpredictable, so I headed back into Martin Bay.
Now, this calm water agrees more with my convalescing state. Can you see the high water mark on the trees? The water is very low right now. Water levels fluctuate, for current lake levels go to www.cnppid.com .
The bay is ringed with clean, fine sand, making for a superb swimming beach. Behind the ring of sand, clusters of trees offer welcome refuge from the hot summer sun and a variety from the sand-water landscape. Modern restrooms and a boat ramp are located at Martin Bay.
Between the dead tree and the live tree you can see a large bird flying? He had been perched on top of the dead tree. I was trying to get my camera out and turned on when he took flight. I'm not sure what it was... large like a Bald Eagle, with a white head, but looked like it had some spots on the white. His head looked pointier than an Eagle????
Another bird.. it was singing and I got some video and audio of this one

This is Martin Bay, far side from where I launched. Took a break. Only other people I saw today were two folks metal detecting.

The Lake is known for it's fine-grained sand, clear water, and a wide variety of game fish. This is some of the smallest-grain sand I have ever seen.
And they there are the humans who have to muck/yuk up everything.
And leave bits of themselves behind as if marking their territory. This is a lump of commercial charcoal.
It's hard to believe that Martin Bay can be so very calm while the Lake itself is a bit un-nerving to be on. But I sure enjoyed the Bay.
313 species of birds have been identified on or near the shores of the Lake. The larger birds like this Great Blue Heron (I think) were very shy and I never got close to a single one.  One place I got within four paddle strokes before it took flight.
Did a little beachcombing and found some nice pieces of bark. Fun to get out and walk along a pretty clean beach... in general.

Break time... on the calm Bay. Can you see how calm the water is?
Another Grebe and a couple of gulls. There were small fish jumping out of the water and then slapping down... sounded like little snaps. I kept trying to catch them in a photo and this was the best I could get... the ripples in the water between the camera and the gulls are the little phishes.



A beautiful fall day.  Returning to shore... see how clean the water is? It was a good paddle. Next time I come to Nebraska I plan to spend about a month exploring the state. There is sure more to see. It would probably take a couple months just explore this whole lake... 35,000 acres.

I came, I saw, I conquered Nebraska.  Look out Colorado, here come Swankie and SwankieWheels.

Yes, tonight I am indeed in Colorado and may paddle here tomorrow.  I just love it when I can do that… two states in a day or within 24 hrs.  Makes me feel like SuperGrannie.

(will be adding some links here)
Things to see next time: