Canoe...Can You?

Out weather is perfect during these very short weeks in April and May and we took our first spring canoe trip down up a nearby river.  I had worked very somewhat hard in the yard and felt I deserved an afternoon gunk-holing.  The trees had leafed out about 20% as the result of one or two nice rains.  We set off from a floating dock.  Floating docks are somewhat of a new experience for me.  As I age, I find squatting or stepping into and out of a canoe is a more difficult experience, made more so when the dock beneath your feet goes up and down with a boat wake.  (I tried not to think about how hard it was going to be upon our return after sitting for several hours!)  But we were being closely watched by parents and two little girls in pink, and had to show our best.  Glad we did not have a bad launch as we were promoting canoeing as a wonderful activity.  

The open part of the river with its reeds and marsh still held fall colors.  But once we rounded the bend and the sun hiding behind a cloud broke through, I was able to get some spring color as the sun's angle was just right!

The photo of this old-time home was blurred from the moving canoe, so I made it into a painting.

Once we moved into the tighter confines of the river we saw many eagles.  Some were mature and some immature.  We also saw at least one eagle's nest, but could not tell from our angle whether it was active.  Eagles here should be feeding fledglings at this time.  The percussion of numerous woodpeckers, the chatter of the eagles, the screeching of the kingfishers, the call of cardinals, titmice and various warblers filled the air deep into the woods.  Further inside where freshwater seeps existed we could hear the songs of hundred of frogs.  We did pass one human couple in a canoe that had brought some music along, but they kept it low and moved past fairly rapidly.  (I will never understand why people find it necessary to get out into the wild and bring canned music!  She was late twenties with a clearly large and artificially filled bikini top and he was a shaved-head dude and their music was awful.)

Soon we were back into the quiet noise once again.  Bits of bright green grass were carpeting small areas here and there.  In between were muddy slides down into the river where the muskrats and otters played.  We startled two muskrats and a few turtles splashed from their sunning on logs.

We went as far up into the narrow part of the river as we could go.  The water was at high tide and upon its reversal we knew our hours were numbered.  

On our way out, this sentinel was surveying the influx of humans on the water and at the shore, or he was looking for those pesky crows.

We startled a few of the year-round geese.  They were noisier than any marching band as they made us aware of their dislike of our presence.

This photo of the gray heron is blurred, but I liked the lines and color and posted it anyway.  We have only a few here right now, and should have more in a month or so.

As we headed back to the dock we thought we saw a wedding ahead, but it turned out to be a photo opportunity before the local prom!  We would be pulling in around the corner of the sea wall at the end that cannot be seen in this photo, so not disturbing their celebration.  It was almost seven and we were feeling hungry and thus rewarded ourselves with enchiladas and Margaritas at a new and very good Mexican restaurant not too far from this shore.