Friday, July 13, 2012

Paddle Boarding Thrills And Spills Galore

By Kelli Evans


Like surfing, stand-up paddle boarding first originated as a recreational sport in Hawaii. The activity quickly gained popularity and rapidly spread around the planet. In the USA, paddle boarding Tennessee is popular because the state has an abundance of lovely lakes, rivers and streams. Stand-up boards can be used for exploring the many watercourses in the state.

The Bat Cave situated along the shores of Nickajack Lake is a particularly popular spot. The location sits in Marion County near the town of South Pittsburg. The cave has a soaring entrance pit that towers vertically almost 50 meters. The cave has been a popular attraction for several decades, ever since being first explored by cavers during the 1960s.

Paddling near the cave near nightfall is stunning. Bats swoop from the cave minutes after sunset each night to hunt for insects. Each bat can catch and consume over 1,000 insects per hour. Each bat can catch and consume about 3,000 insects during its feeding session each night. The entire colony consumes 220 tons of insects each year and makes a valuable contribution to the environmental balance.

Up to 100,000 bats live as a colony in the cave. It is a maternal colony made up of female bats caring for their young. The bats have very tight control of their flight movements and swoop through the air with great precision. It takes them only a fraction of a second swoop on a bug.

The domed-shape roof of the cave allows the bats to cluster very close to each other. Almost 2,000 per square meter huddle together each night. This allows them to conserve energy needed for body heat, both for themselves and their offspring.

In short, even though Tennessee is landlocked, the state is rich with lakes and rivers that are calm and peaceful and perfect for paddling. People keen on Paddle boarding Tennessee have abundant opportunities for the sport. Before embarking on their adventure, enthusiasts will gain from various blogs and related websites with plenty of useful information.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment