Kayaking Falls Reservoir

Our first kayak trip as a foursome was so great we had to get out again!! This time we launched from a very cool launch tucked away just north of Badin and on Falls Reservoir. Falls Reservoir is the next lake up from Tillery (held back by the dam seen in the "Fall Mountain Hike" post). It is a small lake but completely undeveloped with the Uwharrie National Forest on the eastern bank. Eli was very excited to go out but Emmett was a bit fussy. We launched and shortly thereafter Emmett needed consoling so Dada had to tow Mama and Emmett. We paddled across the lake to a beach we saw on Uwharrie NF and had a picnic and explored a little. On the way back we paddled to the dam and then back to the launch. Emmett was so tuckered out Andrea was able to just turn him around and lay him on her legs and out he went. Eli actually fell asleep sitting-up in my lap as we paddled back from the dam. A couple of times I was not sure if he was asleep or not and would ask him a question then he would wake up and ask where we were or mumble something incoherent... it was hysterical!!! The lake was awesome and the trip was a blast; we will definitely explore some more!

Eli ready to go!!!

Mama and Emmett getting ready... and keeping Eli waiting.

Eli loves picnics. On most picnics, be they on the front porch or lake front, Eli will say (usually more than once) "I love picnics! This is the best picnic ever!"

The beach where we landed.

View of our picnic site. National Forests are not parks, so there was a decent amount of litter and multiple fire pits but we still had fun.

Dung beetle near the picnic site. We also found some Honey Suckle in bloom and Eli tried it for the first time!!

Life jacket diaper change, you can tell he is tired.

Sacked out for the ride back.

Arriving back at the launch. Eli got into the water and enjoyed splashing around.

Here he is without a shirt because right before this picture was taken he was splashing and playing around a little too exuberantly and he face planted right into the water. He came up gasping, proclaiming how cold the water was and with two skinned up knees (not too bad)... obviously it didn't keep him down too long!