Should We Launch?

We were itching to get our paddles wet but the weather had been cool and rainy. So when we had a warm, sunny day we headed north once again on Rt. 100 to a small but very picturesque reservoir put-in that we’d saved on the GPS. As we drove north the skies began to cloud over. By the time we got to the launch site black clouds were hanging low in the sky. Should we launch? Take a look at the picture below. What would have been your call?

Fishermen Coming In As We Debated

Should We Launch?

Is It Clearing A Bit?

I was for launching.  I wasn’t so sure. When I first started kayaking eight years ago I was dumped out of my boat by a sudden thunderstorm and spent 45 minutes bobbing around in the lake under a dock as lightening cracked overhead. I remember wondering if this was how I was going to leave this earth.  We decided that the pond was small enough to take a chance. So off we went.

It was a good decision. Shortly after we were on the water the skies cleared.

Blue Skies … Nothin’ But Blue Skies

Exploring An Inlet

We explored some inlets and then paddled around to where a loon nest was supposed to be located. We spotted a male and female loon with one chick. The chick was only about two weeks old and this might have been its first swimming lesson. We kept a reasonable distance so not to alarm the adults and watched the chick climb down from Mom’s back and glide along beside her. The baby loon occasionally would try to swim up to a foot away but it quickly learned this was hard work and returned to easier paddling. Oh, to have our good cameras with us! Not wanting them to be caught in the rain, we’d opted for the waterproof point and shoots instead. Another picture for the Ones That Got Away Album. If you look closely, you can see the chick as a fluffy brown spot.

The Swimming Lesson

A Closer Look

Wouldn’t This Make A Great Mother’s Day Card?

As if seeing the loons wasn’t good enough, we came across a clump of daylillies. There were some wild iris there too that were just days from bursting forth. We also found some geese with half grown goslings.

Daylillies Were Blooming

Geese With Goslings

Just think what we’d have missed if the weather had scared us away!