For most of us an expedition to the far reaches of the earth is just not possible. For others it’s just not something we want to do. But when you think about it an “expedition” is just about seeing new places and facing new personal challenges. By those guidelines we can can our own little “mini-expeditons” almost anytime we like. We can take a weekend and paddle somewhere we’ve never been before. Heck you can even do it in a day. I think the only requirements for a “mini-expedition” is that we go paddle in a new place and face conditions or distance that pushes us a bit beyond a normal “day on the water”. With that in mind I’ve set a goal to circomnavigate a local lake that I’ve not done before. Saturday morning I’ll launch out onto Lake Wisconsin just a few miles south of my home here in Baraboo and do my best to circumnavigate the lake in a day. Total miles? Well technically the lake is 9500 acres and has 57 miles of shoreline. But I’m going to make a few choice cuts and hopefully get around before dark. So we’ll play miles by ear!

Lake Wisconsin is part of the Wisconsin River and was created when a dam was placed in the river at Sauk Prairie in the early 1920′s. I’ve paddled about 6 miles of the shoreline in the past but have never attempted to paddle the whole of the lake before. Lake Wisconsin runs east to west and is susceptible to the prevailing winds which blow against the current and can create a nice little chop. The current in the lake is slight, but noticeable. This time of year there should be very little boat traffic, but you do have to keep an eye on the auto ferry that crosses about every 25 minutes or so. The forecast is for a breezy day reaching 86f. If anyone near by would like to join me on this quixotic adventure just fling out an email.

It’s good to remember that kayaking always offers us opportunities to have our own little adventures if we look for them. Even if that adventure is just a day in your “back yard”.