Lake County >> Jack Shrive was only 15-years-old when he first made the trek — or rather the paddle — around the entirety of Clear Lake. It’s a feat very few have managed.
Last year, the young kayaker, now 16 and a student at Middletown High School, set off from shore with one mission in mind: preserve the lake. “I decided to do it because I felt there was a need to raise awareness for protecting Clear Lake,” Shrive said. “I felt the current initiatives weren’t effective. I felt like we needed something to motivate the citizens of Lake County to protect the lake directly.”
And this year, on June 6, Shrive is doing it all over again.
He plans his trip in three segments. At 8 a.m. he will depart from Rodman Slough near Lakeport and paddle to Buckingham Point. From there he’ll take off down the narrows, round Rattlesnake Island and head to Windflower Point. Then, traveling south, he’ll paddle past Monitor Island, round Indian Island and end his journey at Highlands Park in the City of Clearlake. He estimates he’ll complete the trip at around 3:30 p.m.
A self-professed environmentalist, his journey represents much more than a paddle around the lake. “I think his commitment to conservation and the environment is a big part of it,” said Shrive’s mother, Robin Shrive. “It’s not just kayaking the lake, it’s really making a statement.”
A year ago the estimated 25 mile trip took him seven and a half hours. Shrive never got out of his kayak. “Basically I consider is more of a challenge to stay in the kayak the entire time and to motivate more people like myself to challenge themselves,” he explained.
He expects the tour to run about the same amount of time. The point, after all, is not speed.
“I want to make this a tradition every year to kayak the lake,” Shrive said. “Just to make sure the movement to protect the lake is strong. And I hope every year I get more support.”
The paddle isn’t just long, it’s difficult. Last year he pushed through a scorching 100-degree heat. “It is very challenging,” Shrive said. “I can encounter some very severe weather, especially in the narrows.”
To prepare himself, Shrive paddles various sections of the lake in his kayak, but last year’s event is the only time he’s made the entire trip in one go. “[A couple of days] before I try to do half of the course,” he explained. “I try to give myself the most challenging conditions possible so that I prepare myself for any situation that does arrive.”
Of course, he’s hardly a stranger to the sport. Shrive has been in and out of different boats his entire life. “I’ve been kayaking pretty much ever since I was a little kid,” he said.
His mother can vouch for his love of the water. “When he was an infant I would row with him in his little car seat in the boat,” Robin Shrive said. “He’s definitely a water boy.”
But Shrive doesn’t just kayak for the love of being on the water. When he paddles, he knows he’s making a difference. “I think kayaking is the ultimate example of environmentally friendly boating,” Shrive said. Non-motorized vehicles do not pollute the water. They’re also quiet, so as not to disturb the wildlife.
Shrive’s environmental work extends beyond his boating. He’s involved in the Redwood Chapter of the Sierra Club and he attended a Sierra Club leadership camp. He also participates in local trash cleanups both around the lake in the community at large. “I do consider myself an environmentalist and I’m very dedicated to do whatever I can to protect this lake and create more environmental initiative in our local community,” he said. “I’ve always encouraged people to respect our wildlife. I do whatever I can to promote the protection of the wildlife and to do as much as I can myself.”
Upon proposing the long trip to his parents, Shrive was met with some expected hesitation. “It’s quite the undertaking and a little nerve-wracking as a parent,” said Robin Shrive. “As his mother, I tried to have him shorten the course but he was determined to do it his way and to do it in a way that was really something to be proud of. I went with it and kept an ear to where he was during the progress of it.”
While she may have been a little worried, her pride overshadowed her fears. “He definitely likes to take on challenges and take a position on an issue and this was his way of doing that for saving the lake,” Robin Shrive said. “I just think it’s a great goal that he has and I really encourage him to be productive and to really be active in his community and to really follow his passions and his beliefs.”
During last year’s paddle, Shrive had support from two Lake County Sheriff patrol boats while his dad and some friends joined him for a few sections. He felt the love. “I didn’t see a lot of people but I definitely saw some really inspiring people out there cheering me on in their kayaks,” he said.
Plus, the local law enforcement helped put Robin Shrive at ease. “He did communicate with us and we knew where he was,” she said. “The sheriff department was looking out for him, which was really wonderful for me to know.”
Shrive invites the community to join him for a segment again this year. “I try to get as many people I know to get in their kayaks as possible,” he said. “Get out in a non-motorized boat, just enjoy the lake, enjoy the wildlife and show support for protecting the lake.”
Robin Shrive shares her son’s desire. “Hopefully this year we’ll have others join in and come out for a portion of the course,” she said. “I think that would be really wonderful to see that progress.”
On June 6, Shrive will be making his trip in a yellow Necky kayak. He hopes to hang an Earth flag off the boat to “symbolize the meaning of the trip.”
Jennifer Gruenke can be reached at 900-2019.
