Fall 2025

by Andrew Wenning

Fall 2025 has surprisingly been a breathtaking season, at least for me, for getting out for a paddle. With the drought conditions we had been experiencing through the summer paddle season, I had been anticipating a dreary Fall season dominated by an early pallet of browns, grays and leafless trees. Oh, how wrong I was!

For those who know me, I am an early riser, and love to be out on the water for day break. For me it is a special time of day. The length of the paddle or the purpose of the paddle doesn’t really matter. It is just important to sneak that paddle in.

Jason Warham knows without a doubt if it is just the two of us heading out for portage work or perhaps just a paddle, we will be meeting up somewhere in the dark and may very well be on the water in the mist and fog before the sun pops over the horizon.

Sorry Jason, but I also enjoy my solo outings. During my solo outings my senses are perhaps like a sponge absorbing what nature presents.

Yes, there are also those grey and somewhat dreary mornings where you may wonder if it is worthwhile to get out. My suggestion is don’t skip them. Make sure you get out. There is always a reward. It may be visual, it may be a sense of accomplishment of overcoming the initial coolness on your face.

It always surprises me how quickly I forget about that initial sense of cold digging into my finger tips and toes. The body quickly warms up with each pull on the paddle. If and when the sun does pop out the rewards can be breathtaking.

If the paddle doesn’t warm you up, throw in a portage. Chances are a portage will certainly warm you up!