Long and Round Ponds 2012, part two

Round Pond is our favorite of the two ponds on this paddle.  It is more secluded and as I mentioned in part one, is not accessible to motorboats, though I suppose a small fishing boat with a motor might be able to slip under the footbridge as we do in our kayaks.

Here is Brody, checking out Round Pond as we entered it from beneath the footbridge.

Here is a representation of the pretty reflections found on Round Pond in the morning.  Round Pond also gets less wind, so the water is usually close to ripple-free until late morning.

This little point of land is near the entrance to Round Pond, where there are many lily pads.

Once on Round Pond, if you turn left and paddle across the pond, you will find the inlet.  It's in the northeast corner of the pond.  Here is Brody, checking out a nice reflection as we head toward the inlet.

And another of those wonderful reflections on Round Pond:

We enjoy paddling the inlet.  It's quiet until you hear the distant sound of water over rocks.  Sometimes it's a rushing sound, but with less water flow, it's more of a bubbling.  But either way, it's a calming sound. 

Along the inlet there are rocks on the banks, and also more Joe-pye blossoms:

The stretch of inlet that is paddle-able is less than a mile.  Once you reach rocks in the stream, you will need to turn around.  I know it looks like it's possible to maneuver around those larger rocks and get past them to another section of flat water, but it's not possible if you want to stay in your kayak.  There are many more rocks under the water's surface and those are the ones that you will get hung up on.  But it's fun to try, since the water is shallow.  (The current is strong enough here at times to turn your boat as you are trying to make your way upstream.)

On the way back-- downstream from the rocks in the inlet, I stopped long enough to take a couple photos of a dead tree whose shape I liked:

I was experimenting with the black and white setting to see if I any of my photos look better in black and white.  So far, I don't think I've done a great job with the black and white composition.  I think most black and whites look better with less in the frame and more contrasts than what I see when we're kayaking.  What do you think?

On past paddles to this area we've seen a muskrat or two and once thought we saw an otter swimming, but only for a second or two, then the elusive rascal went under water and we lost him.  So, we can't be sure it was an otter.


Paddling back to Round Pond on the inlet, this is the view:

We heard some splashing in the water once back on Round Pond and looked out across the pond to see a deer trudging the last few feet to the banks of the pond!  It was out of the water and bounding into the woods before I could pull the camera out of the dry bag.  But that was fun to see, for sure.


Brody enjoyed the lily pads:

He gets excited when there's something in the water.  We're not sure if he thinks he can get out and walk on the lily pads or if he just wants to eat them!

But whatever the case, he really seems to enjoy checking out the blossoms as well as the pads.

This is a set-back on the northern side of Round Pond:

And another great reflection from that area:

And Brody, surveying the set-back with curious doggy wonder!  (And more beautiful reflections)

He very rarely faces me in the kayak, being curious enough that he must see where we are going and what might be happening in front of us.  So, I grab the camera quickly when he turns around.  I held him in place for this shot.

So that I could also get this close up:

Here is another photo of the footbridge, reflections and all, as we head back to Long Pond:

I took many common loon photos, but none came out very well since the loons stayed far away from us.  This is the best of them and shows only one loon, but there were two, fishing together.

Here is the put-in as viewed from the water.  It's a nice, easy, gradual sandy entry-- the type we prefer:

Long Pond and Round Pond are small but beautiful.  Although access is off a dirt road, the road has been well maintained with grating each time we've traveled here.  We were a bit disappointed by the beer cans and trash at the put-in which is not at all usual, unless something has changed in the past year.  (We didn't paddle here in 2011.)  But, all in all, it's still a great place to take a short, quiet paddle.

I'll leave you with one more reflection photo of Long Pond from this trip. 

I hope you're all having a great paddling season!  Please use the reactions check boxes to make a comment if you don't want to type in something.  Thanks for reading, and happy kayaking!