Chaplain, outdoor rec host kayak trip for Red Flag 12-4

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Sonny Cohrs
  • 23d Wing Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. --  Chaplains normally work hard and pray hard, but during Red Flag 12-4 here, the wing chaplain helped the team members play hard as well.

U.S. Air Force Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Stephen Voyt, 23d Wing chaplain assigned to Nellis for Red Flag, organized a kayaking trip to nearby Lake Mead National Recreation Area July 21. A total of 16 service members took to the water and paddled nearly 10 miles in search of fun in the sun.

"We spent three hours at the beach hiking, swimming and kayaking. For $40, I couldn't think of a better way to spend my afternoon," Voyt said. "It was a great time and a lot of folks said thanks for organizing this trip."

When Voyt arrived at Nellis for Red Flag, he began reviewing notes of previous Red Flag chaplains. The last group here for Red Flag took a trip to see the desert sights in the spring.

"The previous chapel team was the first to setup a morale trip for Red Flag," Voyt said. "They had gone to Death Valley and the Valley of Fire, but that was in March. For the July timeframe, Lake Mead was the best choice."

Lake Mead National Recreation Area became the first national recreation area in 1964, and the reservoir was created by the damming of the Colorado River. The trip served as a way for Red Flag participants to get away from the hustle and bustle of the exercise and enjoy a relaxing time on the open water. Red Flag kayakers enjoyed a picnic lunch, hiking, cliff diving and swimming at a nearby beach in the reservoir.

For Senior Airman Scott Waclawik, 23d Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment technician, this was a nice alternative to the usual glitter offered on the Las Vegas strip.

"The downtown nightlife is fun, but once you've done it once or twice you get tired of it," he said. "This was doing something outdoors and relaxing. I might as well take advantage of the surroundings and do something different. I got to meet a lot of people ... and it was a good stress reliever."

Waclawik grew up kayaking with his dad, but mostly on rivers with a current. For his trip to Lake Mead, he had to do a lot more work paddling than he was used to. After the pit stop on the beach, he hooked a rope to the Outdoor Rec pontoon boat and relaxed on the way back to the marina.

"The water is very clear; a little warmer on the top with cold currents underneath," he said. "You could see fish swimming around and some jumped out of the water; should have brought my rod. It was definitely worth the $40 for transportation lunch and just a good experience."

Lake Mead offers year-round recreational opportunities for boating, fishing, hiking, photography, picnicking and sightseeing. It is also home to thousands of desert plants and animals, adapted to survive where rain is scarce and temperatures can soar. For more information about the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, visit http://www.nps.gov/lake/