Quiet Kayaking in New York State

Payne Lake, part one

2011-03-13T17:35:00.001-04:00

Hello and happy almost spring! Here in northern NY, we still have more than 2 feet of snow on the ground, but the ice on the rivers is breaking up, the melted snow rings around the tree trunks are getting larger, and the chickadees are singing their warm weather song on mild mornings... so, I think we might actually get some temperatures above the 30's eventually!

In the meantime, I'll write about another flat water paddling location we visited. Payne Lake is in the northwest area of New York, not far from the St. Lawrence River, and near the town of Oxbow, NY. The lake has a couple of great features including a sandy, gradual put-in, marshy areas on both ends, cliffs on one side and rocks with a tiny cave on the other.

NOTE: There is at least one other lake named "Payne Lake" in NY state. It is in Lewis County, 10 miles east of Lowville. This blog concerns the lake in Jefferson County.

This lake has a DEC maintained boat launch area with a parking lot and a place for fisherman to cast from the shore. Unfortunately, no outhouse. Here is the put-in:

Here is a view of some of the cliffs from the put-in:

We paddled here in the summer with friends of ours, Karen and Gary, and had a great day! We began our trip by paddling left-- south-- from the put-in and paddled in a clockwise direction around the lake. Gary is on the left, Karen on the right in the photo below:

Our first wildlife encounter was with a Great blue heron in the marshy area on the southern end of the lake. He's in the middle of this photo, flying away. He was intent on fishing and wasn't very bothered by us as we paddled by, but as I floated to take his photo, he got nervous and took off.

This end of the lake is fairly shallow with lots of plant life, particularly water lily pads. Actually, the depth of water in this lake only goes up to 15 feet, so it's pretty shallow compared to many lakes in the Adirondacks. (This lake is NOT in the Adirondacks, where we do most of our paddling.) In the photo below, everyone's ahead of me as we near the bottom/southern tip of the lake. My husband is in the red kayak.

Even though I tipped the camera on this one, I really love the colors, so I'm including it:

Here is one of the beautiful and sweet smelling water lilies we paddled by in the southern area of the lake:

As we turned and began paddling north along the west side of the lake, the cliffs loomed large and imposing-- drawing our eyes up as we kayaked along:

I am looking for a photo that gives you a better idea of the height of these cliffs, but I haven't come across one that really illustrates it the way I'd like. I may find one later.... But anyway, they are high. Ahh... here we go. This photo will give you a bit of an idea:

From the perspective of the water, the cliffs seemed at times to be leaning over us as we paddled beside them.

During this part of the trip, we spotted a loon out in the middle of the lake. Even with my lens zoomed, my photos were too far away, but we always enjoy seeing the common loon on our paddles. They're beautiful, both in looks and in voice, and their diving skills are amazing!

One of my favorite shots of the day is of the cliffs and the sky:

And here are two others that I like as well:

We were nearing the end of the cliff area when I took this photo. It's a bit dark, but I like the composition, and I love the sky.

Here is another photo of Karen and Gary enjoying the beauty of Payne Lake. I am forever taking photos of everyone's backs... one of these days I'm going to have to lead the way so that I can turn around and snap some pictures of people's faces!

This is my husband in a little opening in the cliffs. This is not the tiny cave I mentioned earlier. It is on the east side of the lake and we'll get to it later.

We have almost reach the northwestern corner of the lake, as shown in this photo featuring Gary and my husband, Dick.

And here is Karen (yes, from the back, again) with her floppy hat that matches her kayak. Isn't she pretty in blue?

The weather was absolutely perfect the day we paddled Payne Lake. It was warm and sunny and there was not much of a breeze. We did not have bugs to contend with, and for some reason, there were hardly any boats on the lake. Motor boats are allowed up to 10 hp, but we didn't encounter any during our time on the water. I imagine this lake can get busy at times, but it was quite serene while we were there soaking up the peace and beauty around us.

I'll be back soon with part two of Payne Lake. And maybe by then, those of us in northern NY will be able to start thinking about readying our kayaks and canoes for another wonderful season!

I'll leave you with one more photo of Payne Lake to tide you over until part two:

Please feel free to use the comment buttons to express your opinion if you don't feel like leaving a comment.
Thanks!

Massawepie Lake, part two

2011-02-21T16:58:00.002-05:00

Welcome to part two of my blog on Massawepie Lake. We left off with our stop at the trail to Pine Pond.

Here is a photo of that well marked trail on the west side of the lake, on one of the fingers that extend out to the west:

Along the trail, we saw a burl on a tree, and of course I had to take a photo of it:

Here is a close-up of the burl:

As I mentioned in part one, the trail to Pine Pond was uphill from Massawepie Lake, but it wasn't real steep. Though, keep in mind, we were not carrying our kayaks. We didn't care to "pond hop" on this day, so we left the kayaks on Massawepie and took a walk up the trail to tiny Pine Pond. On the way, a plant caught my eye, so I snapped a shot. I love how the red berries and dark green, glossy leaves stand out against the reddish brown of the pine needles and earth.

Here is one shot of Pine Pond:

We saw a frog in the shallows at the edge of the pond when we went for a closer look. He is doing a good job with his camouflauge!

And here are a couple of mushrooms near the trail at Pine Pond:

Here is my favorite photo of Pine Pond. It seems to have "mood" to it-- I think it expresses this pretty little pond perfectly-- serene, wild and beautiful. What do you think?

After our short walk and our visit to the pond, we headed back down the trail to Massawepie Lake where we had left our kayaks:

Usually when we stop to stretch our legs, we find a place to sit and eat our lunch. But I don't think we did on this day. Since we got a late start, I think we may have eaten our picnic lunch on the way, or before we got on the water. At any rate, this would be a nice place to have a drink and a snack or your lunch. Just pull up a log and have a seat!

Once we were back on the water, we headed straight for the put-in. The wind had picked up and we were ready to get off the water.

In the car, we decided to drive south on the camp road, knowing we'd be able to see one or two more of the ponds in the area. We followed the narrow dirt road and it seemed as if we were driving on the ridge of a very large esker. It was sandy and both sides fell steeply away. The short drive was worth it as we came to Horseshoe Pond:

Although we didn't get our kayaks out and paddle here, it's easy to see why someone might want to. The put-in requires a steep downhill walk (uphill when you're getting out) but it may be worth your while. This next photo will prove it even more:

There is also a put-in for Boottree Pond, which we didn't visit. And in the area are three other ponds, though my information doesn't show any access to these: Catamount Pond, Round Pond, and Long Pond.

It is a beautiful area, and a great place for a Boy Scout camp. I will leave you with one last photo of Horseshoe Pond.

I hope you've enjoyed the photos of Massawepie Lake and some of the ponds surrounding it. Please use the "reactions" buttons to let me know what you liked about this blog post. Thanks, and keep thinking spring!

Massawepie Lake, part one

2011-02-11T17:44:00.001-05:00

This is the first photo I took of Massawepie Lake, facing west from the put-in on it's eastern shore. We did not arrive until the late morning, so the ripples you see are due to the slight breeze. (If you're a kayaker in NY state (maybe this is true everywhere?) or you've been reading this blog, you know that winds pick-up as noon time approaches and the atmosphere heats up, then die back down toward evening.) This lake is owned by the Otetiana Council of the Boy Scouts of America, along with the adjoining ponds of Catamount, Round, Long, Horseshoe, Boottree and Pine. The lake is also the source of the Grass River. Because the Boy Scouts use this area, it is CLOSED to the PUBLIC from the LAST WEEK in JUNE to the LAST WEEK in AUGUST. So, if interested in paddling here, go early in the season or late in the season. The lake can be reached via Route 3, about 12 miles west of Tupper Lake.

When we paddled here in September of 2009, there was a sailboat of some type out on the water near the northern part of the lake. This is one of our favorite types of lakes-- the ones where no gasoline motors are allowed!

I hadn't yet realized that a photo of the put-in area for each place we paddled was a good idea, so I don't have one for Massawepie Lake, but it's a sandy area and I do not remember any problems at all with our entry. By the way, is anyone as intrigued as I am about the lake's name? It sounds perfect for a boy scout camp-- think of the camp songs using that name! The Adirondacks does have some interesting names, a lot of them seem to be people's names or describe the lake or mountain (Nicks Lake, Whiteface Mountain) but this one could be a Native American name... if I find out anything I'll let you know (or if YOU know, then let ME know!) Ahh.... Inquiring minds like mine just can't let a question like that go. Thank you Wikipedia for the info: massawepie is Iroquois for "the beaver's lake." There-- don't you feel better? I do! (Except all of the 4th graders in NY state probably already knew this!)

The lake is practically surrounded by hemlocks. I believe this photo is along the eastern shore.

Here is my husband as we head into one of the nooks and crannies at the south end of the lake. Did I ever mention how the bright, late morning and early afternoon sun is not too conducive to good picture taking? (At least with my point and shoot.)

Here is a photo of the western shore, just across from the camping area on the lake. It looks like there is a clearing in the trees. We could imagine the boy scouts canoeing across to this pretty spot for some kind of gathering.

One of the most interesting places for us was the southwestern part of the lake where there was tiny island, a couple of peninsulas, a footbridge, etc. Here is the approach to that area:

And here is one of the peninsulas-- or maybe this was the island-- sorry, it's been too long for me to be positive. But isn't it gorgeous? And notice that the water is much more calm in this protected area. The second photo is another of the peninsulas in this area near the Grass River.

This is a pretty shot taken looking north, I think, from the southern area of the lake:

Here is one of the "dead end" areas near the Grass River. We were on our way to check out the river.

This is the footbridge over the Grass River. You can carry over this bridge and float down the river as it leaves Massawepie Lake.

Here is a close-up of the bridge which shows how shallow and plant-filled the river is as it flows out of the lake. We decided not to paddle down the river.

One more shot of the Grass River flowing out of Massawepie Lake:

And a shot I took of the footbridge's boards. I like the grain, the space between the boards, and how the nails are sticking up a bit.

Once we left the footbridge and the Grass River, we paddled up one of the fingers of water that I knew, by my paddling map, would lead us to a trail to Pine Pond. Here is a photo of the "end" of that finger, before we got off the water at the trail:

As you can see, there was still a whole lot of plant life in the water in September. We took out our kayaks at the Pine Pond trail and left them for a very short walk to the pond. Here is the well marked trail:

There are a few places on Massawepie Lake that will get you to trails leading to some of the ponds surrounding it. This is one, to Pine Pond is on a western "finger" of the lake and there are trails to Boottree Pond and Horseshoe Pond as well on the southern shores. We like to stretch our legs, but putting in and taking out at multiple spots is not our idea of a great paddling day. However, if you like that type of thing, this is a perfect spot for it. (There are many others with lots more mileage, both on the water and the carries, further north--St. Regis Canoe Area and Fish Creek Loops to name two, where we haven't yet been paddling.)

The trail to Pine Pond is short, but uphill. Since we weren't taking our kayaks, it was a pleasant way to stretch our legs. It's a tiny but pretty pond and I'll end part one of Massawepie Lake with a photo of it:

Keep thinking "spring" and maybe we'll make it happen sooner. I can't wait to be back on the water. How about you?

South Pond, part two

2011-01-30T19:46:00.004-05:00

If you are interested in birds, please go back to Crooked Creek, part one for a correction on my bird identification. What I thought was a spotted sandpiper is a bird rare to NNY-- a Red-necked Phalarope.

Thanks to a fellow birder and blog follower for the information. I appreciate it!

Welcome back to South Pond! Do you feel the warm July breeze when gazing at the photos? If I close my eyes and visualize, I can almost smell the lake water and the pines... hurry up summer!

Below is a photo of the island (on the right) we stopped at to stretch our legs and eat lunch. Behind the boulder is a shallow area. It's mostly rock, but the water is shallow and we were able to land here without a problem.

There is a very nice campsite here although the flat area for a tent is quite small. Pine needles blanket the ground and there are boulders here and there, such as this one:

Often we see mushrooms when we take a kayaking break to stretch our legs. It makes sense because we are usually in the woods during these breaks. We've seen some interesting ones, mostly it's their colors that attract me. Here is a very bright one. I know nothing about mushrooms, but I wonder if it's vibrant color is a warning to not eat it? Probably not, since I know some poisonous ones are white... hmmm... if you know what kind of mushroom this is, let me know.

We took a walk along some paths through the island, checking out the lake from different vantage points. Although there are a lot of trees, the sun filters through the pine needles giving everything that speckled look that is so interesting to the eye. We even found the "potty"-- someone had brought a toilet seat and fixed it over a hole in the ground.... you never know what you might find! Here is an example of the sun coming through the trees on the path:

After our walk on the island, we ate our picnic lunch at the campsite, using the handy log stools someone had provided. There was even a crude table for us to place our cooler on. The day was peaceful and we both felt that if the day were any warmer, the sun any hotter, we might have taken a nap right then and there.

After paddling along the backside of this island, we turned and headed east-northeast. Here is a photo of some of the islands, looking in that direction (I think!) I'm pretty sure the one we stopped at is on the left. But, it's been a year and a half, so I may be wrong.

By the time our morning was edging into afternoon, the wind had picked up a bit, as you can see by both the photos above and below this text. Clouds blew across the sun at times, giving a blue-gray look to the water as well as the mountains in the distance. (This view is pretty much looking east, I believe.)

Here is another with the hazy clouds covering the sun and the wind causing ripples on the lake. The mountain is Blue Mountain. See my blog posts of Lake Durant and Rock Pond for a few more photos of Blue Mountain, looking at it from a southerly direction. Here is the link to part one: http://quietkayaking.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html

Below is a photo of my husband. His hips bother him, so throwing his legs out of the kayak once in a while changes the pressure on his hips, giving them a break. We do this all the time, but I can't say that it's "safe" with other kayaks. Test this out in warm shallow water before trying it elsewhere-- we have wide, extremely stable kayaks, allowing us to do a bit more moving around and repositioning than some other kayaks.

Anybody recognize this shot? First one to comment correctly on why they recognize it will get their name (if they wish) and a "Congratulations!" in my next blog post!

We cut off the southeastern corner of the lake and headed back toward the put in as the water rippled and the breeze picked up. It had been an enjoyable morning and early afternoon. We were so happy to have seen the osprey and spent a lot of time watching him/her. We felt that it was a great kayaking day. And before we got back to the put-in it got even better:

A loon! We hadn't seen him or her all day as we paddled around South Pond, but it suddenly appeared near us. They are master divers and swimmers, able to hold their breath underwater for many minutes at a time in search of some fish to eat. We watched this one and with the zoom on my camera, I got a few shots.

The photos aren't great due to the lighting, but they're a great reminder of our day on South Pond, and how lucky we were to have seen not only an osprey but a loon as well!

As we trudged up the hill, sliding our kayaks along the pine needle path, we were so buoyed by the sight of the loon as we were ending our paddle that the climb didn't bother us a bit!

I plan to blog on another location within a week or two, so come back and check it out. Thanks for reading.
And all of you who kayak or are planning to this year, keep dreaming of warm weather and sooner or later, it will happen!

South Pond, part one

2011-01-27T20:20:00.005-05:00

Thanks to a fellow birder and blog follower for the information. I appreciate it!

Hello and "happy" winter! I suppose I shouldn't grumble... I live in Northern New York and when it gets down to 27 below zero, it's not much of a surprise. That was Monday's temperature at 7:00 a.m. (January 24th.) Our attempt to kayak at Moss Lake- my last blog post- was the end of our kayaking season. Now I feel like we're more than halfway through the no-kayaking season. I hope I'm right! I promised to blog about locations we've been to in the past over this winter but the holidays, visiting family, and my commitments to some community music groups have once again wreaked havoc on my good intentions.

I will try to give you a taste of what will be in store for all of us once the snow and cold temps. have left and the sun is bright and warm, the leaves and grass green....

This is South Pond, looking south-southeast. Blue Mountain is in the background. The July 2009 morning we paddled here the day began with very calm water and only a few boats on the water. Most of the land surrounding South Pond is part of the Forest Preserve or is state land. There are some homes on the north-northwestern shore and the islands have some bare campsites. To get to South Pond, drive north on Route 30, about 6 miles from the town of Blue Mountain Lake. The parking area and South Pond are on the west side of the road.

There is one important disadvantage to paddling here, but we felt it was worth it. The trail down to the water is a very steep decent from the unloading area (you have to park down the road a bit after taking your kayaks or canoes off.) The trail is smooth, but it's quite a ways down to the water. My husband's red kayak is a bit more than halfway to the water (the light color behind the trees.)

One other thing to be aware of is the large submerged boulders. We did not scape bottom on any of them since we knew to look for them. Most, if I remember correctly, were on the northern shore area. Submerged boulders are not that unusual for Adirondack lakes, so this is really not a big deal and isn't much of a problem for flat water paddlers-- I just wanted you to be aware.

We traveled counter-clockwise along the shoreline from the put-in. There are several houses in this area and any traffic on Route 30 can be heard in this area, but it didn't take long for the noise to fade as we paddled along. Here is a photo of the northern shoreline area:

The lake is sort of triangular shaped with a few islands on its wide southern area. Its size isn't much more than 1 mile wide along the southern side, but almost that long from the northern points to the southern shore, so it's not tiny. One of my guidebooks says that wind can be a problem. By the time we got off the water, some waves were forming, but most of the morning it was, if not smooth like the photo above, then just "ripple-y."

The photo below shows some of the northwestern shore. This is where the houses were located. Luckily, thick woods kept the man made structures partially hidden.

Here is a shot as we approached the southern shores. The islands, from this point of view, looked like part of the shoreline to us.

Continuing our paddle toward the south shores of South Pond, we looked up in a tree whose top had been sheared off and saw an osprey nest.

If you look closely, you will see an osprey in the nest. We watched him/her for a long time, hoping to see the fisherman grabbing his lunch. But, no such luck. We were able to get a few photos though, as it flew to another tree and perched there.

Here is one I cropped. It's not real clear, but gives you a better idea of their shape and markings.

One of the best parts about flat water kayaking, other than the peacefulness and the relaxation we enjoy, is the opportunity to see wildlife such as the osprey. We always feel like we "hit the jackpot" when we are fortunate enough to observe animals and birds in their habitat as we paddle along. Even if the only wildlife we see are Canada geese or black ducks, we can't help but smile-- it adds another dimension to our kayaking pleasure!

I'll end the first half of this blog on South Pond with a close-up of one of the islands. We stopped here to stretch our legs and eat our lunch. Next time I'll start with a few more photos of this island which included a campsite near the water.

Stay warm, pray for spring to come early, and I'll "see" you next time for part two!

Moss Lake

2010-11-02T20:53:00.001-04:00

Hello and welcome back to my blog! I took a couple of weeks off from writing, hoping all the while that I'd have a trip to share with you. Well, we tried-- but mother nature did not cooperate. However, I have photos from our "try" at kayaking Moss Lake, as well as a very few photos from another trip on this pretty but small lake from a few years ago.

Here is what the trail to the put- in looks like in the damp and rain of a Sunday in October. (By the way, it was partly cloudy, with blue skies and nice sunshine when we loaded up the kayaks and headed to Moss Lake, which is near Eagle Bay, north of Old Forge.) It didn't stay that way for long.

Moss Lake used to be the site of a girl's camp, so there is a trail all the way around the lake. It was used back then for horseback riding. It makes a nice, fairly flat walk. But I wouldn't advise a stroll here in late May or June. The black flies can be bothersome.

At the parking lot there is a sign explaining the history of the camp with a map of the trail as well.

Camping is allowed but I believe you need a permit.

Here is the put-in at the lake, less than 100 yards from the parking lot.

I'm sure you're thinking the photo is pretty washed out... well, it was. But the color was not the problem. It's RAIN and FOG that were the problem. The lake has a pretty island with an osprey nest at the top of a dead tree. Here is the island as seen from the put-in:

And a close up:

Does it look cold to you? Well, it was. The rain was drizzly at the lake and the temperature had steadily declined the further we traveled on our way to Moss Lake. I think it was 42 degrees when we got out of our car and (quite smartly) decided to NOT begin removing the straps on the kayaks. We went to check out the lake and to see if the weather showed any signs of improvement.

Before you get the idea that Moss Lake is a dark and dreary place, let me show you what it looks like in June when the sun is out and it's warm and bright!

There are hills surrounding the lake, so it feels a bit secluded and as you can see, is a very pretty little lake.

I only have a few photos from our earlier trip to Moss Lake because at the time we went, I didn't yet trust myself to hang onto my "good" camera, so we used a 35 mm point and shoot, and I only scanned some of the photos into my computer.

Here is another photo from that trip in June:

Did you notice that I said "trip in June" yet a few paragraphs before that, I advised not paddling here in May or June??? Well, we didn't know the black flies would be so bad that day. Our trip was not long because we found ourselves unable to speak, breathe or even sometimes keep our eyes open on the lake when we ran into a cloud of the pesky things! It ended up not being a very pleasant paddle, even though as you can see, it started out fairly nice. I think the wind died down, or maybe it was when we got closer to shore... not really sure when or why the black flies got so thick. I just know I had them in my eyes and nose and that is not good at all.

If you paddle around the lake counter clockwise from the put-in, you will come to a small sandy beach which also has a deck area and a trail up to a separate parking lot for handicapped persons. This seems to be a very nice place to go if you are in a wheelchair or would like someone who is disabled to be able to enjoy a view of the lake. It is just a trail- not paved- but it looked to us as if it would be passable in a wheelchair, at least with some assistance.

About half way around the lake; continuing in the clockwise direction; is a footbridge. This outlet is supposedly paddle-able, but we have not had the opportunity to find out yet. You do have to get out of your kayak and lift over the bridge or go around it-- it's not high enough to pass under.

There are places along the lakeshore where the trail is very near, and other spots where the trail is a bit further from the water. Since the weather did not seem to be improving, we decided to take a walk on the trail. Here is a photo taken near the put-in before we got on the trail:

And one of a marshy area not far from the put-in:

Once on the trail, we crossed several streams winding their way to the lake. Here is one:

And here is another:

As we walked around the lake, the drizzle turned into mist... it wasn't looking promising, even for a walk in the woods. Here is the deck area at the sand beach which I mentioned above:

And here is the lake and the island from that area:

And a close-up of the island. Do you see the osprey nest in the top of the dead tree?

Here is a photo of that same nest, taken on our previous paddle here, from the opposite side of the island:

If you look closely you will see the white head of an osprey just left of the middle of the nest. Both parents were in the nest when I took this photo. We were near the island and they were not happy. One swooped down (even though we were about 70 feet below them, they still didn't like our presence) and let us know that we needed to go. We obliged them, not wanting to upset them and understanding then that they must have babies in the nest. Also, at about the same time the osprey momma or daddy warned us, I floated right into a cloud of black flies so thick that I saw black-- when I had my eyes open, that is. I threw the camera in my lap and paddled like a madwoman, trying to get away from them! We decided at that moment that we'd done enough paddling on pretty Moss Lake for one day in June.

Here is one more photo from the beach area:

And here are a few more photos of the area around the lake from our short walk. It was very short because about 20 mins. into it, the misty rain became rain drops. Rain and a temperature of 42 degrees is not pleasant, believe me, even in the woods along a nice trail.

We turned around and headed back to the car as the rain became steady, the drops bigger. One thing about the gloom and the rain though, colors in the woods stand out. Here is a fern I photographed on the way back to the parking lot:

So, I'd say that we've had some bad luck with Moss Lake. We have friends who paddle here most every year. It's a great location and so pretty, with easy entry from the sandy area at the put-in. Don't let our experience with the black flies or the rain keep you from checking Moss Lake out. You won't be disappointed. I'll leave you with one last photo of Moss Lake from our June trip a few years ago:

Hopefully we'll get a chance to do an enjoyable full paddle of Moss Lake next season. For those of you in the south or those who wear your spray skirts and dry suits, happy kayaking! For the rest of us, kayaking season is over now. (Yes, we've had snow here, though it only stuck on the grass for a few hours.) I plan to blog every week or two on a location that we've visited in the past. I have tons of photos, and many great memories, tips and descriptions to share with you through the dark days of winter. So join me again soon!

Crooked Creek, part two

2010-10-13T20:34:00.040-04:00

OK. Back to Crooked Creek! Before I continue describing the rest of our trip, I'd like to back-track all the way to the beginning of part one. Before I took the first photos, before we even had the kayaks off the car, we had a pretty neat experience. I didn't have the camera out yet, so you'll have to picture this in your mind...

We had just pulled over near the bridge on Route 1. My husband began untying the straps, and I started transferring our lunch from a cooler to a smaller carrier. All of a sudden I heard something behind me and turned to catch the back end of a deer as it swerved away from me. It almost ran right into me! My husband saw the deer too, but too late to warn me. The doe veered around the car, then up on the road and walked straight down the middle of the bridge, crossing and going into the woods. Imagine the photos I could have had... oh well...

So, we floated back downstream toward the bridge. These rocks are in the area where the spotted sandpiper was hanging out. There are places where you'll see both rocks and marsh areas juxtaposed, but not all the time, so it's interesting to see.

Although this next photo doesn't include much of the color of fall, the blues of the sky and water are so strong and contrast with the tan-brown of the plants that I had to post it.

We've now paddled back to the put-in at the bridge and are heading further downstream. We didn't have much of a plan. All we knew is that we were getting hungry, and that we did not relish a long hard paddle back against the wind and current. The thought of this made us pay closer attention to the time as we headed downstream. We did not want to get so engrossed in our downstream paddle that our trip back was no fun. Around a bend in the creek, we saw a muskrat swimming toward us. When he caught sight of us, he turned very quickly toward shore and was hiding in the reeds by the time we passed him.

As we paddled along and the wind died down, we heard a hawk's whistle. Looking up, we saw one marsh hawk (Northern harrier) join another for a moment. Then they split up again, and we only saw one. He/she seemed to be enjoying the breeze, gliding around on the air currents. We watched for a long time and at one point, he seemed frozen in place in the sky. That was really cool to see. I have watched a seagull do that once-- believe it or not, very nearby on the St. Lawrence River-- but had never watched any other bird just kind of "hang" in the air. That was probably the highlight of the paddle-- well, maybe not-- the deer incident is close!

Here is one of the beaver houses we saw along the creek. This was one of the few spots on the creek where the current seemed weaker and the wind more calm.

Rounding a bend in this same calm area, we saw a great blue heron. The photo isn't great, but they're such neat looking birds that I have to post his picture:

I have another shot of him as he flew off-- he was very shy. I won't post that photo because it's all browns and grays like the one above. Just imagine him flying away, off to the left...

This area was one of my favorite of trip. It was around a big bend in the creek, marsh on one side, rocky shore on the other, and calm, shallow water with lilly pads. We want to come back here and paddle in the summer to see everything green.

I purposely put these similar photos near each other. Which one do you like better?

There are more rocky areas on west/south side of the creek as you go along toward Route 12. We like rock formations and thought the nature-made rectangular blocks were neat.

Our bellies had been rumbling for about an hour, so we finally decided to pull off somewhere. If you paddle here, keep in mind that there are not many places to get out of your kayak and stretch or eat your lunch. Maybe in low water there might be some shore areas, but there weren't any as we paddled. What we found was a rock ledge that looked like a possibility. It took some maneuvering, but we were able to land here. My husband is in the background, wearing MY hat. Guess he thinks he's funny! (Actually, he did look pretty comical, considering his hat of choice is a baseball cap.)

As we sat eating our lunch, I looked up over my shoulder and saw the gorgeous blue sky through the pine tree's branches and needles and had to go get the camera from the dry bag. Here is the resulting photo:

The wind blew in gusts at times as we ate, convincing us that we would be in for a steady paddle back upstream. The sun was also competing with the clouds. I think I had hoped to make it to the bridge over Route 12, just as a marker to figure out how far we had gone. But, we decided to head back instead of paddling further downstream.

On the way, we passed by just two camps downstream from the Route 1 bridge. Both looked barely used or abandoned all together, but with it being October, we can't be sure they aren't just summer camps. I forgot to mention that at the Route 1 bridge there are homes on that road, and several homes/camps upstream for less than a half mile. After that we did not see any other buildings. (We went less than 2 miles upstream.)

Near one of the camps that looked abandoned, there was a man-made rock wall. We paddle over to investigate and found this snake skin. I thought it was the skin of a medium-sized snake, but look closely and you will see more of the snakeskin skin in the shadow between the first and second rocks, left to right. Well, I guess the slang term "snake skin" isn't quite correct. The term for shedding, wiki just told me is: ecdysis. Either than or simply "moulting." I did not find out what the "snake skin" is called, other than "shed scales." At any rate, the snake must have been rather long, from what we could tell! And obviously, this rock wall was a great home... or at least a good resting place!

Our paddle was almost over--clouds were blowing in over us and we were looking forward to getting off the water. Yet we were sad that this might be our last paddle of the year. The clouds above us formed an interesting pattern so I snapped a shot:

Back at the put-in at the bridge, we did some more maneuvering to get out. I managed by sidling up to the reeds and bank, using my paddle behind me to balance the kayak, and got out easily. My husband did the same thing, with some extra balancing help from me while he got out. No problem! As I mentioned in part one, we're getting better at entries and exits.

Here is one last photo of Crooked Creek from the put-in as we were leaving. It's such a pretty spot, with lots of wildlife: deer, spotted sandpiper, ducks, muskrat, beaver (though we didn't see one,) and great blue heron. This creek will be on our list of places to return to. Next time, it'll be in the summer and hopefully without wind!

Here's hoping we get one more paddle in this weekend. Cross your fingers for us. And don't expect me to "go away" once our paddling is done for the year. We've been to over 30 different places, and I've only blogged about 7 or 8 of them. So I plan to fill you in on some of them!

Please feel free to use the "reactions" buttons if you don't have time to leave a comment. Feedback is always appreciated. Happy kayaking!

Crooked Creek, part one

2010-10-11T21:09:00.004-04:00

Hello and welcome to fall in northern NY! We had our first FREEZE on Saturday night, October 9th. No, I was not thrilled... I admit to being one of those long time northern New Yorkers who manages to complain all winter about the cold.... I should be used to it after living here over 31 years...

Anyway, with frost on the ground and winter around the corner, flat water kayaking will be coming to an end very soon. In fact, it could be over for us, but we're hoping to get one more paddle in next weekend. Wish us luck!

Here is a photo of Crooked Creek from the put-in on Route 1:

Crooked Creek is in the northwestern part of New York and it empties into the St. Lawrence River at Chippewa Bay which is north of Alexandria Bay. Wind for the entire weekend did not look good. But, with only a few more chances to kayak, we decided to go anyway. This makes the third paddle we've taken this season despite the wind. I still don't recommend it, but compared to the other two times we paddled in wind, this one wasn't as bad. Probably the main reason is that we purposely chose a creek rather than the openness of a lake.

As you can see, the put-in is not what we'd consider ideal. But, it wasn't horrible, just not "easy." The bank slopes down to the water and there are cattails and reeds once you leave firm ground, but there was an opening large enough for a kayak. The bank slopes away past the reeds, so there is not a lot of shallow area. By balancing, we were able to get in with no problems. This is a type of entry that we are getting better at, thankfully. Also, it looked as if you could put in under the bridge, but carrying your canoe or kayak to the spot would be a bit difficult on the steep edges of the bank (though not impossible.) Under the bridge though, there is not enough head room to stand up. I'm 5'3" and had to bend over almost in half to walk under it. So, I wouldn't recommend it, though we could tell that others had entered from here.

Here is another view of the creek at the put-in. There are two other places to get on Crooked Creek, both are further downstream. One is where Route 12 crosses, the other is at Schermerhorn Landing, even closer to the St. Lawrence River. We chose to start at the Route 1 access, then paddle upstream for a while before going downstream past Route 1 and on toward Route 12.

And one more of the same area, these shots are all looking downstream from the Route 1 bridge.

As you can see, it was a beautiful day. There was a breeze and there were gusts of wind, but the sun was out. The temperature here was about 50 degrees when we got on the water, and after 3 hours, had warmed up to about 57. We used our gloves and I put cotton in my ears since I'm bothered by the wind. We began paddling upstream, not only against the current but also against the wind. I forgot to mention that although the bridge is quite low for walking under, it was fine for paddling under!

Sorry about the tip of my kayak in the photo! Sometimes my eyes are so focused on something in the distance I don't even realize there's an unwanted object in my frame! The creek was rippled due to the wind and naturally, the more open the area, the more we noticed the wind and its effect on the water and our paddling. We scared up a number of ducks-- at least 3 separate bunches/flocks. Unfortunately, they were so timid that we were a long way from them when they took flight. So, I have no photos of them, nor do I have any clue what kind they were.

If you've been following my blog from the beginning, you may remember my mention of the spotted sandpiper and how I had no idea that there were fresh water sandpipers. Well, the spotted sandpiper (along with the wind!) has become one of the themes for this season's kayaking adventures. We spotted (pun intended) one of these cuties on the short upstream part of our paddle. They are solitary birds and do not gather in flocks. This is a zoomed in photo of him. The bright sun combined with the waves on the water make this photo difficult to look at. But it's the best shot I have of the sandpiper.

CORRECTION: Thank you to one of my blog followers who happens to know a lot more about birds than I do! She was (rightly) suspicious of my identification since sandpipers don't typically spend time swimming around in the water. They are shore birds. I knew this, but did not even consider it at the time-- which proves I have A LOT of improving to do in the area of bird identification! This bird, based on its behavior (paddling around in Crooked Creek as we were doing!), photos I've now used to compare (thanks again to my blog follower/birder,) and with the help of said birder, is a Red-necked Phalarope! Apparently they are a rare bird to see in "our" area-- northern NY! My birder friend tells me these birds breed in Arctic and subarctic tundra and winter chiefly at sea in the Southern Hemispere! How cool is that?? I actually got a photo of this rare (for NNY) bird. Believe me, there have been many times when we've seen something awesome and couldn't get the camera out in time. Maybe because I thought it was a "mere" spotted sandpiper, that made the difference? Thanks once again to one of my blog followers for the correction and correct identification of this bird. I appreciate it.

Here is a photo of the shore line and the trees in the distance, beyond the marsh. Trees in this area are turning, but are not at peak yet. They are past peak near me, thanks to all the rain and wind we received over the last couple of weeks. Our leaves are on the ground!

The maple trees in this area seem to be at peak color near the St. Lawrence. Here is a beautifully colored tree along the creek:

And a close-up of its leaves:

Crooked Creek is aptly named. If you check it out on a map, you will see its many twists and turns through a marsh on its way to the St. Lawrence. The creek's middle channel was full of water and looked fairly deep, but it was impossible to see the bottom with the wind/waves. We DID see the bottom on the inside turns of the creek-- but not until we were already in a spot that was too shallow. A word of warning: if you paddle here and try to cut off some of the twists to save paddling time, you may be sorry! Without calm water to help me see the depth, I ended up in muck twice. Not stuck, but almost--and if you're an explorer-type of kayaker, you'll know what I mean when I say that stirring up the muck is very unpleasant to the nose!

In the photo below, you can see one such shallow area. It's also clear that the wind is blowing strongly since many lily pads are sticking up. Yes, I know what you're thinking-- lily pads are a very good indicator of water depth. I agree! But we've paddled many places where the lily pads have grown up from a bottom of say, 6 to 8 inches, rather than the 3 inches I found myself in twice!

This creek must be loaded with fish because we saw some great fisherman on the water-- we believe there were at least 3 different great blue heron eating their lunch at different points of our paddle. They were just as skittish as the ducks. Based on size and coloring, we're fairly certain we saw 3. But, it's possible that it was only 2. Bright sunlight really does wreak havoc on identification-- the white on these herons was blinding when at just the right angle.

Here we are taking a much needed rest as we turn and head back downstream. We will go past the put-in and continue further downstream. We "hooked up" so that we could float together for a bit down the creek. Due to the wind and the current, this required a lot of steering, so our hooking up and our rest didn't last long.

The wind was at our backs, but not directly, so we had to correct even as we paddled downstream. We have found that in most cases, the wind has a much bigger effect on our kayaks than the current. I'm sure if we were in an extremely strong/dangerous current, that would not be the case, but we do not paddle in those types of situations. The wind is an annoying part of flat water paddling, but it is welcome in the spring (black flies!) and also on a very hot and humid day. For the fall, usually we have many calm days. That has not been the case lately. I wonder if anyone else in northern New York agrees that it's been a "windier" than usual season? At any rate, we knew we'd be dealing with the wind and chose to paddle in spite of it. We're glad we did.

Meet me back here for part two of this paddle in a few days. And please feel free to use the "reactions" to send me feedback if you don't feel like making a comment. Thanks, and happy kayaking!

Long Pond and Round Pond, part two

2010-10-03T20:29:00.001-04:00

And now for the rest of the trip on Long Pond and Round Pond:

One other feature which makes us enjoy this destination is the short upstream paddle you can make on the Oswegatchie as it empties into Round Pond. Here are a couple of photos of that area:

It's less than a half mile before the water gets swift and the river is filled with rocks and boulders.

We spent a few minutes battling the current, just to see if we could get further upstream. It looks as if there is a possible path through the rocks, but there are tons of them just under the surface (notice the ripples in the photo above.) It was fun trying, but the current was strong enough, the water shallow enough and the rocks plentiful enough that we didn't get far at all.

Here is a photo of the same area from a few years ago when the water was higher, causing more foam/bubbles as the water rushed over the rocks:

It was time to turn around and head back the way we had come. There are a few beaver houses just off Round Pond on the river. We caught a glimpse of one as he dove under and wondered if we really saw what we thought we did in the second or two his head was above water. We're pretty sure since when we paddled by the beaver house, we heard him scolding us!

On the way back, around the top (north) side of Round Pond we stopped to stretch our legs.

This area is part of the FFA camp. You would not be able to stop here if there were campers on the pond. There are cabins in this area for those attending the FFA camp, and trails leading to the main buildings on Long Pond. When there is no activity at the camp, we have stopped here for a quick walk to stretch our legs. From past experience, I would guess that as long as you are only stretching your legs, you won't have any problems. (Don't for instance, try to camp here.)

It's a very pretty area, here on Round Pond. This is a view from the woods looking out at the pond:

Once back in our kayaks, we headed for the footbridge, scooted under and were back out on Long Pond. By this time, those on the pond were waking up. We heard a lawn mower, voices, etc. and knew that our quiet time on Long and Round Ponds was at an end. A lone loon agreed with us. We saw him/her on Long Pond as we were heading into Round Pond and looked for the bird on the way back. He/she was no where to be found.

The paddle back didn't take long as these two bodies of water aren't very large. It was a great way to start off a beautiful weekend morning and we enjoyed it immensely, as we usually do.

I will leave you with 2 more photos from an earlier trip to Long and Round Ponds. Just seeing these photos makes me wish we were going back again soon. It's a beautiful spot.

Happy kayaking!

Long Pond and Round Pond, part one

2010-09-29T20:25:00.012-04:00

Well, we haven't kayaked since Nicks Lake, but this summer we got in a few paddles, despite my inability to blog about them. So I'm going to go back and tell you about one such place-- Long Pond and Round Pond near Croghan, NY. By the way, I have realized that it might be helpful to list the nearest town for these kayaking locations, making them a bit easier to find if you're interested in going. Of course, the best way to pinpoint any place I've blogged about is to go to my website, Quiet Kayaking in New York State, www.quietkayaking.webs.com Choose "map" in the left column menu and you will find locations marked and identified. Be aware that I'm not quite caught up to our trips-- I think the Kunjamuk, new for us this year, is not marked yet.

Anyway, here is a photo of Long Pond to start off the blog with an "ahhhh," as in, "this is a beautiful and peaceful place to kayak."

This pond is one of two areas which one branch of the Oswegatchie River flows through (Round Pond being the other, which is connected to Long Pond.) The photo above was taken from an area near the put-in, looking "up" the pond. There are a couple of houses/camps near the put-in, then there is a stretch without buildings on either side, until you near the FFA camp property. We kayaked here on a June weekend when there wasn't any activity at the camp. But if you go in the summer, be prepared for campers and canoes, a few motorboats from those who have private property on parts of the pond, and even from a seaplane that is sometimes on the pond. (At least until it takes off, that is!)

Even though this can be a busy place and the few motorboats are noisy, it is one of our favorite destinations. We always go early in the morning. If it's a warm and/or summer weekend morning, we usually get off the water by 10:00. That seems to be when things get humming, and we like the peace and quiet. We have not paddled here in the fall, but that would also be a good time to go.

This is the put-in. As you can see, it's our kind of entry-- gradual and sandy. The access to Long Pond is on a dirt road but it is well-maintained/graded in the summer, and it's only a few miles off a paved road.

There was a slight breeze on the morning we paddled here, making the reflections just a bit rippled. Usually it is very calm in the morning. At the end of this post, I'll show you how great the reflections can be-- I have some nice photos from a paddle here a few years ago.

There is an esker between Long Pond and Round Pond. We got out for a walk along the trail crossing the esker for a view of Round Pond. Here is the trail:

We hadn't stopped here before, so we enjoyed Round Pond from a different perspective. It's more sheltered than Long Pond and except for some cabins that are part of the FFA camp, there are no buildings along its shores.

It's easy to see that Round Pond is more protected from the breeze just by looking at the water in the photos above. Round Pond is very peaceful. We stood looking at the view from the esker for a few minutes, happy to be able to feast our eyes on this kind of beauty in nature.

Then it was time to get back in our kayaks on Long Pond. Here is a shot looking back the way we had come. One of the best things about Long Pond and Round Pond is the number of easy exit/entry spots for a short walk or to eat your lunch.

Another "thing" we like about this destination is the footbridge. It's part of the FFA camp, but kind of fun to look at and to paddle under. Here it is, on the left of this photo as we approached it.

And a closer look at the bridge after we'd paddled underneath it. Yes, we did! It isn't very far above the water, but near the end on the right of this photo, it's a bit higher. We did have to lean back as we went under, but it wasn't a problem at all.

So we are now on Round Pond. Here are a couple of reflection shots from that day:

And here is a photo of the path we had taken from the other side of the esker. It looks much more overgrown from this side than it actually was (if you look earlier in this post you will see the clear, pine needle-strewn path.)

Round Pond is probably about a third of the size of Long Pond, but the footbridge means the few motorboats on Long Pond can't get into the smaller pond. That's just fine with us!

Along the shores of Round Pond were some purple wildflowers whose name I can't remember (darn it!) Do you see the butterfly among the leaves of the flowers?

I enjoy taking reflections of clouds on the water. This shot also includes Dick in his red kayak on the other side of the pond, waiting for me. I wanted to paddle the shoreline in case there was something interesting (like the flowers and butterfly) to capture with my camera. His shoulder was a bit sore, so he paddle straight across and waited for me to join him.

The serenity of this area draws us back many times. I think we've paddled here 4 out of 5 years because of the feeling we get when we're on the water here.

I will finish the description of our paddle on Long Pond and Round Pond in my next blog post. For now, I'll leave you with the promised reflection shot, taken early one July morning a few years ago. It's one of my favorites:

Please use the "reactions" buttons below to give me feedback on this blog post. Thanks and happy kayaking!

Nicks Lake, part two

2010-09-21T07:00:00.003-04:00

Nicks Lake is fairly small in size but there are a few set-backs around its edges that offer a closer look at the woods surrounding the lake. The nature trail circles the entire lake, so you will often be able to hear and sometimes see campground or day-use visitors walking along the trail. Here is a view of the lake as we paddled around it clockwise from the bridge:

As you can see, the water is rippled. It was nearing noontime and the wind had picked up just a bit, plus we were out of the sheltered area beyond the bridge. Here is a zoomed-in view of the boat launch area from the water:

And a close-up of the beach area from the water as well:

Out on the water, I often seem to attract dragon flies. I have lots of photos of them as they land on my knee, the front of my kayak, or in this case, the side of my kayak which is padded for carrying on your shoulder. He/she is orange, but not real easy to see against the black of my kayak's padding. Have any of you noticed dragonflies being attracted to your kayak? Dick's kayak is red and he very rarely has dragonflies riding along with him. With mine being yellow, I wonder if the dragonflies are drawn to the brighter color. What do you think?

The next two photos show a tree that died and was blown down into the water. The tree grew out on a point at a bit of an angle, and I was sure I remembered it when it was a healthy tree a few years before. That's why I took these 2 photos.

It's "bones" are sticking out of the water in this one:

Here is what this point and tree looked like about 3 years ago (but from the opposite side of the point):

Nicks Lake has rocks around its edges that are barely submerged, but there is one rock in a deeper area of the lake that sticks up. It's big enough to get out on, but unless you're really agile and/or don't mind going for a swim if you tip over, I wouldn't advise trying it. For us, the rock marks an area where we usually see a loon or a pair of loons fishing.

We had been looking for a loon since getting on the water. Whenever we kayak a location where we've seen loons before, we're always on the lookout. We like to know that they are still there, still having their babies and fishing in the waters of whatever lake or other waterway we're on. It makes us feel good, even if we have no idea whether it's the same pair of loons we saw on a previous trip. We did see a loon, but he/she was busy fishing and never stayed long on the surface. We lost it in the little white caps that started forming, and I never got a photo. BUT never fear, I have some great photos of a loon family from a paddle we took in 2007. Here are a few of them:

If you look closely, you will see TWO loon babies swimming along beside momma (or maybe it is daddy!)
Did you know loons are able to stay underwater for up to 4 minutes? When they dive down, they can surface a long distance from where they started, making it sometimes difficult to find them. They are also very good at avoiding us-- we've watched them dive, then pop up many minutes later completely behind us. They are not only aware of us on the water, but know which direction we're headed and purposely swim the other way.

We were about 2/3 to 3/4 of our way around the lake by this time. The sun and the sky were still gorgeous and we were relaxing, enjoying the slight breeze and the rays of sunshine beating down on us. The temperature was cool but the sun kept us warm enough that t-shirts were all we needed. Here are a couple of photos showing the pretty lake with the hills which surround it:

And here is one of the campsites on the water (through the trees) which we passed by as we headed back to the boat launch.

And this photo is of another campsite, not visible in the trees, but it shows how pretty the whole lake and campground area is.

I looked to my right as we paddled toward the take-out area and thought these clouds looked like smoke signals over the hills:

The dead tree in the water (photo below) used to stand on a point to the right of the boat launch (if looking from the water) and on top was a huge nest of branches. We aren't sure what bird made its home there, but the nest was very large, so we guessed it could be an eagle's nest. Unfortunately, sometime in the last 3 years, the dead tree fell. I don't know if birds have "back-up" nests like other animals do, but I hope so!

Well, we've made a complete circle and are back where we started from. Here is Dick as we approach the boat launch. Another campsite is visible on the left with a red kayak at its waterfront:

I will leave you with a photo taken a few years ago in the summer when the water lilies were in bloom. There were no flowers when we paddled here in September, but in June and July you will certainly see many along the shallow edges of Nicks Lake.

If you would like more information on kayaking locations in New York state as wells as kayaking tips, resources and links, please check out my website "Quiet Kayaking in New York State" at:
www.quietkayaking.webs.com The information there is more "static" giving you descriptions and directions to locations, a map marking the places we've kayaked, and tips for kayaking, etc. I only have full info in a few locations, but will be adding more this fall and winter, with my goal being to have information on every place we've kayaked in NY, and that number is more than 30 and growing. Please also give me some feedback by clicking on the "reactions" below this blog. I've just added this feature and I'm looking forward to knowing what you think of my blog posts. Thanks and happy kayaking!

Nicks Lake, part one

2010-09-14T19:21:00.002-04:00

Sunday's weather didn't look good, so we knew Saturday would be our only chance for a paddle last weekend. We didn't have a lot of time and even less energy since we'd been playing cards with friends the night before. The temperature was in the low 40's when we got up, but it was clear and looked like the day would be sunny but cool. So off we went to Nicks Lake. This lake is very near Old Forge, NY and is the site of a NY state DEC campground. There were numerous campers, even on the 2nd weekend of September. Note: This lake is not the place to go for a quiet paddle. The campground is very popular. It's a very nice campground, too, as you will see by some of my photos. But, since it's near Old Forge and there is a campground on the lake, this paddle destination is for those times when you just want to get out on the water for an hour or two. One of the best things about Nicks Lake is that there are no motor boats allowed. Also there are the obvious advantages of a public area-- picnic tables and restrooms. Here is the link for more info on Nicks Lake: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/24485.html
Here is a photo of the swimming beach. You may launch from here but the carry from the parking lot makes us prefer to leave from the boat launch which is on the right before getting to this picnic/beach/parking area.

No swimmers on this day, since the temperature only reached 70 by the afternoon. Here is a photo of the boat launch area:

This landing is used for fishing. On both sides there is sand for an easy entry. The only drawback is that sometimes it's shallow enough here that you have to walk your kayak out a bit, or scoot along to reach deeper water. On this day, we scooted and reached enough water to float less than 4 feet from the shore. Also, take note that you cannot park at the boat launch site. You must unload your canoe or kayak, then park in the lot further down the road (where the picnic tables and beach are.) This is the view as we're heading out from the launch area:

We went left, toward a bridge which is part of the nature trail circling the lake. On the way, we passed the beach area. There is a lifeguard on duty during the summer months, a bathhouse for changing, and restrooms. Also, there are picnic tables in the shade-- great for a hot summer day. But today, those picnicking gravitated toward the few open areas with picnic tables, sitting in the sun to enjoy their lunches.

Here is a photo of the bridge:

This bridge crosses the inlet to the lake. We have been to Nicks Lake many times but have not been able to paddle underneath the bridge and explore that area in the past. Sometimes the water level is too low, other times, the water plants have made it impenetrable. On this paddle, we got lucky! We were able to poke around in this area for about 20 minutes, enjoying the lack of wind, the calm water and all of the reflections. Here are some photos of that area:

Dick found the inlet's channel. It's on the left side (east) of this protected area of Nicks Lake.

So we had to explore. Even though we could see that we wouldn't get far...

We enjoy narrow waterways where we can maneuver around, check out the banks which are almost reachable on either side of us, and maybe see something new or interesting. This was a swampy area, so we wouldn't be getting out, but it's fun to paddle through marshes and swamps.

Within a few minutes of entering the channel, official signs tacked on trees notified us that we were at the DEC's boundary. We knew this probably meant we'd be entering private land, but there were no posted signs, so we went a bit further to see what was around the next bend....

Nope. No "Posted" signs, but downed trees across the channel.... more effective than signs, right? So, we turned around-- which was not an easy task in this narrow waterway-- and headed back toward the main part of the lake. Here is a shot of the sun through a pine tree which I could not resist taking:

This is the view we had as we approached the bridge and the main part of the lake:

Surprisingly, we did not see any ducks in this wind-protected area. Out on the main lake, we did see 3 or 4 black ducks. They stuck to the shadows along the shore, being very camera shy. We did not see any great blue heron or other wading birds on this paddle, but afternoon paddles in northern NY do not usually produce a great deal of wildlife sightings. Also, afternoon is, in my opinion, the worst time for taking photos. My camera doesn't take great photos in bright sunlight, so I'm always pleased to get a few that aren't bad during a midday paddle.

Since we've been to Nicks Lake a number of times, I have lots of photos. All of the above were taken on our paddle of September 11th. But here are a couple from previous trips.

A few years ago, Dick was making friends with some black ducks:

And here is the last one I'll leave you with for now. I'll be back with more details on the remainder of our Nicks Lake paddle soon. Happy kayaking! PS-- please use the "reactions" area to let me know what you think of this blog post. It's a new feature I just added to my blog. Thank you in advance for your feedback!

Kunjamuk River and Elm Lake, (by way of the Sacandaga River,) part two

2010-09-08T22:15:00.003-04:00

Once we began heading upstream on the Kunjamuk, the scenery began to change from the marsh plants to tree and brush covered riverbanks. Here are two photos of the river's stillness in the marsh area we were leaving:

We were very excited to see five marsh hawks overhead as we paddled. Marsh hawks are also known as Northern harriers. They make a distinct whistle and their shape as we looked up at them also helped us identify them. At times there were only two or three flying above us, but seeing five gliding on the thermals over us was great fun. I am afraid none of my photos will do them justice but I'll try to post one that has been zoomed in if it isn't too fuzzy... Here are two of the hawks:

Some stretches of this river reminded us of a branch of the Oswegatchie River near Cranberry Lake because of the narrowness, the current and the twists and turns. There was a lot of water due to a very heavy rain 5 or 6 days before we took this trip, so the current was strong. It wasn't difficult to paddle upstream, but resting was out of the question. Taking photos was a challenge-- my kayak did not stay headed in the direction I wanted to remain for the photos. Here is the only decent photo from a bunch I took of some cardinal flowers:

I mentioned that the river was more closed- in and narrow, but my photos aren't showing it. I now realize that I didn't take many photos while we were paddling around the tight, twisty, current-driven bends in the river. These next few photos were taken in places where the river straightened out for a bit, giving me a chance to get the camera out and take some shots without ending up in the bushes.

This is one of my favorite shots from the whole trip:

And this one makes me sad, since the tree's leaves have turned and are falling off... a sign that kayaking season in northern New York will soon be over...

Isn't it interesting how the leaves can be seen more clearly in the water? The sunlight washed out the tree on the bank, but the river gave it a great reflection.

After paddling upstream on the Kunjamuk for a couple of miles, we passed under a logging road/bridge. It is here that we needed to get out in order to visit Kunjamuk Cave. Our kayaks barely fit on the trail at the take-out.

We were happy for the chance to stretch our legs and get the kinks out of our back and shoulders on this short walk. It's about a third of a mile to the cave from the bridge.

Here is the cave. It faces the trail as you approach from the logging road.

As you can see, it slopes down from the trail. The cave is about 25 feet in length, 8-10 feet in width and at least 6 1/2 feet high in the back, maybe 7 1/2 or 8 near the entrance where the hole in the ceiling is located.

The cave seems to be a mystery. No one knows if it was formed naturally or if it was man-made. The "blow hole" on the top makes me think it's man-made, but I'm sure mother nature could have created such a hole, which some call a "sink hole" when referring to this cave. It's a pretty neat view from inside the cave looking out the hole in the top:

Another pretty cool view is from inside the cave looking out to the woods beyond:

Here is a fuzzy photo showing both the cave entrance and the hole in the top:

And one last photo of the cave from the outside:

We enjoyed our little side-trip to the cave. It was fun imagining who might have made the cave, or who might have used the cave over the years. By the way, there were no bats in the cave. I don't think it was dark enough. I also checked for spiders before getting too close to the walls and didn't find many, for which I am very thankful!

Back at our kayaks, we decided to eat our lunch on the water since the logging road was dusty, the woods were packed in around our kayaks and there was no place to sit. We bungeed ourselves to a tree hanging out over the water and ate in the shade with the current trying to snatch us away from the tree branch. This was the scene once we rounded a bend just past the bridge:

We paddled along, enjoying the sun, the birdsong and the maneuvering around the bends, twists and turns of the river. Soon we reached another logging road bridge. Here is Dick, about to paddle under it:

After a few more miles of paddling, the river spread out and we could see some mountains in the distance.

Pretty soon, the river widened further, becoming Elm Lake. At this point, we had paddled 6 1/2 miles. Here are some photos I took from Elm Lake of the mountains near its northern and eastern shores:

By the time we reached Elm Lake it was around 2:30. We knew we had a couple hours of paddling back, so we did not venture past Elm Lake. (It is apparently possible to go further upstream, depending on the beaver dams and water levels.) We turned around and headed back downstream on the Kunjamuk.

I had an easier time taking photographs with the kayak heading downstream. I still had a couple of close calls with bushes on the banks, but I managed.

I like trees, even dead ones, and so I took this photo:

The shape of the tree was so interesting that I needed a close up:

I forgot to mention the beaver dams earlier. We counted nine! All had been breached, at least partially. Whether by the high water or other kayakers and canoeists, I don't know. Here is a photo of what is left of one of the dams.

We were happy to see the marsh hawks once again as we were heading back on the Kunjamuk. I got a few better shots this time. Here is one which I zoomed in and cropped:
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On the way back, we met a large number of kayakers compared to the trip upstream when we encountered just one gentleman in a canoe and another in a kayak. The closer we got to Lake Pleasant, the more paddlers we passed. Everyone was out on the water, enjoying the good weather and the beauty surrounding the river.

The paddle back to the Sacandaga was nearly effortless and we relaxed along the way. We knew once we reached that river we'd be paddling upstream against the current. So we enjoyed the last couple of miles by stretching our legs out in front of us, leaning back in our seats, and barely dipping our paddles in to the water.

Before we knew it, road noise intruded and the Sacandaga and our upstream paddle awaited us. There were fisherman out on this river as we paddled up toward Lake Pleasant and the put in/take out. The afternoon light had been fading on the Kunjamuk, but out on the Sacandaga where it was open, the sun was still bright.

Near the end of our trip, we met up with some of the black ducks we'd seen earlier in the day. They were hanging out near the edge of the river in a shallow spot, preening. This shot seems a perfect way to end this blog post. I hope you've enjoyed this kayaking trip description and will be looking forward to my next post.

Thanks for reading, and happy kayaking!

Kunjamuk River and Elm Lake, (by way of the Sacandaga River,) part one

2010-09-02T22:36:00.000-04:00

This past weekend was gorgeous in northern New York. It may have been a bit cool and breezy in some spots, but near Speculator, in the sunshine, it was a fantastic day for paddling. To get to the Kunjamuk River, you put in at the outlet of Lake Pleasant, which is the Sacandaga River. Paddle downstream for a couple of miles and you'll reach the marsh area where the Kunjamuk flows from the north into the Sacandaga. The round trip, from the put in upstream on the Kunjamuk to Elm Lake and back is about 13 miles. It took us about 6 1/2 hours, including time for a lunch break as well as a walk to historic Kunjamuk Cave.

The put in is beside a municipal parking area on the north side of Route 30, just east of the junction of Route 8 and Route 30. There is a public bathroom and a park here, so it's a great place to park for this trip. The launching area was gradual sand and rock. An easy entry, which we always appreciate. Here is a photo:

Scenery on the Sacandaga was beautiful right away, even though there was motorboat noise from Lake Pleasant and traffic noise from Route 30.

The Sacadaga had a noticeable current as we headed downstream. It was not swift, but we were moved along without much paddling on the first section of the river where it was not very wide. Once the river widened out the current wasn't as noticeable. This part of the Sacandaga, once broadened, seemed the perfect place for ducks. We saw many black ducks, resting, eating, preening.

I had a tough time putting the camera down because around each bend, there was another nice view to frame, such as this one:

Or this one with more mountains in the background:

And many more ducks, hanging out, swimming away into the reeds, or taking a look at the two of us as we paddled by at a slower pace than these web footed fowl:

It was about 10 a.m. when we got on the water-- a bit late for us, but it took us a while to drive there. The temperature was perfect and I was able to peel off the windbreaker and sweatpants I wore on the ride up. (yes, it was in the upper 40's when we got up that morning!) Here is Dick with a hill behind him:

As we entered the marsh area where the Kunjamuk joins the Sacandaga we saw a Great Blue Heron. I took his photo, but it isn't a great shot, so you'll just have to imagine him standing in a shallow area surrounded by reeds, his eyes on his dinner.

It didn't take too long to reach the entrance to Kunjamuk River. If you decide to check out this particular paddle destination, you may be fortunate enough to find an orange ribbon tied to some water plants, indicating that you are headed in the right direction. It wasn't difficult to find the Kunjamuk though. We knew it would enter from our left, and we looked for current in the channels we saw in the marshy area, and when we found it, we were sure before we saw the orange ribbon marker. Here is the view as we began our paddle upstream on the Kunjamuk:

This description and the photos don't cover half of the trip one way, but I will have more info and lots more photos for you the next time. We'll be away over the holiday weekend, but I expect to finish the Kunjamuk trip when I blog next week. Until then, I hope you're all happily paddling away! (Let's hope Earl clears out and away quickly.)

Lake Durant and Rock Pond, part two

2010-08-31T20:34:00.002-04:00

Well, first let me apologize to my few but faithful followers! I am sorry it's been so long since my last blog post. When I started this blog, I expected to write a few times each week with no problem-- we've kayaked a lot of different places and I have TONS to say about it, and I like to write. But I found out that many of my time-consuming interests coincide with kayaking season. Between our son's marriage, our visiting daughter, and my commitments to 4 different community music groups, I couldn't seem to get any blogging done at all. Here's hoping I now have a better handle on my time and will not let such a long streak of non-blogging happen again!

So, to finish off Lake Durant and Rock Pond:
The views of Blue Mountain were stunning, even on a day that was cold, windy and only partly sunny. We all kept looking toward the mountain as we paddled. I think part of the attraction to a mountain view for us is that we enjoy kayaking on small streams, lake inlets and outlets, marshy areas, etc. and many of these places are either closed in with vegetation all around, in a flat area, or in a valley.

When the sun was out and the wind wasn't whipping up ripples on the water, there were even some reflections on the lake. Here is one shot with a pretty blue sky in the water:

After paddling around Rock Pond, we headed back to the footbridge, hoping the winds would stay calm while we ate our lunch. I think the men were hungry because they took the lead again:

Back at the footbridge, we beached the kayaks and sat on some rocks and logs along the trail to eat.

After lunch we bundled up (more clouds were moving in) and headed toward the eastern end of the lake, exploring along the way. Here is Karen with her pretty robin's egg blue kayak.

Along the south shore we found a stream flowing into Lake Durant by way of a waterfall:

Being the mighty (or mighty curious) adventuring kayakers that we are, we had to check it out:

The stream was pretty narrow and a bit too twisty for our 12 foot kayaks.

But we had to try to get to the waterfall anyway. Dick got stuck and stood up, trying to get around a tree branch. I would not recommend trying this move! I don't have a better shot, but Karen took one of Dick wiggling and wobbling as he stood in the kayak. We thought he would tip over for sure... but he didn't!

Finally, we all got up the stream far enough to see the waterfall.

I know it doesn't look like much-- a shallow stream of water flowing over some rocks... but we sure had fun inching our way up to it!

There were some huge boulders on the south side of the lake.

I liked seeing Blue Mountain with the boulders in the foreground:

As you can see, dark clouds were moving in steadily and it was getting darker and windier as the day went on. We reached a little set-back on the south shore.

I found the moss on this boulder intriguing. There is no sunshine on that boulder, that is the color of the moss. It looked out of place-- too bright, considering everything else around it.

The set- back was a good break from the wind, but as you can see by the clouds, not-so-good weather was approaching.

We decided it would be best to head back to the put-in. As I said in part one of my Lake Durant and Rock Pond blog post, the winds picked up and the waves picked up, so I stowed my camera in the dry bag before we headed across the lake and west to the put-in/take-out. It's a good thing the camera was safe and dry because the lake was choppy, with waves about 1 foot, and they came crashing over and into our kayaks, spraying us a few times. The only loss was Dick's favorite kayaking cap. It was thin, faded and comfortable-- just right for kayaking. But the wind snatched it off his head and before he could fish it out, it was sinking down to the bottom of Lake Durant!

I'll be back with a new location description in a couple of days. We've kayaked 13 times this season and about half of those have been new to us. (Including some I have already blogged about.) I am looking forward to sharing our paddling experiences and photos with you!

Lake Durant and Rock Pond, part one

2010-05-19T22:06:00.002-04:00

The weekend was not supposed to be great for paddling and Saturday was the only day we could go. So even though it might rain, and even though the winds were supposed to pick up, and even though we never paddle when we are sure it will be windy.... we went anyway. We also talked friends of ours into going as well!

Lake Durant and Rock Pond are beautiful. I'm not sure you will get the full effect of their beauty in these photos since the sun was in and out all day, and by the end of our paddle, the camera was safely stowed in the dry bag as waves splashed over our recreational kayaks, driven by winds which made the paddle back strenuous.

But the question is, did we have fun? Yes, of course! Would we paddle with winds whipping at 15-20 mph (at least) again? Probably not!

Lake Durant is a couple miles long with a state campground at the eastern end. There is a boat launch at the trail marker area for Cascade Pond, just off Durant Road. This is where we put in, rather than at the campground. Here is a photo from the put in.

This put in (and from what I've read, the one at the campground also) had a nice gradual slope for getting in the water. The bank was a bit high, but the trail was worn down so that putting in at the water's edge was fine. We headed toward Rock Pond which is west from the put in. Here is a shot looking in that direction:

We heard many birds, but I am not very good at identifying them by their sounds. I know the calls and songs of those near my home, but I'm still learning about those in the places we kayak. We did see a belted kingfisher almost as soon as we started paddling. He wasn't diving for minnows, but was flying along the edge of the forest which butts right up against the lake on both sides for the majority of its length. I could identify chickadees, robins and chipping sparrows but there were many other forest birds singing away all throughout the day.

As we approached Rock Pond, we saw the footbridge that marks its "entrance." The guys beat the women to the footbridge and were checking it out as we arrived.

You have to take out here, as you can see. There is no way around the footbridge, and although we've scooted underneath a few footbridges in other locations, that is not possible here. We got out on the right and walked across the footbridge.

There is a very pretty but small campsite at the end of this footbridge, just to the right. (This would be on the south side of the lake.) Here is a photo of it:

There were some beautiful trilliums growing here. I couldn't resist a photo:

Here is a view of Rock Pond from the hill above the footbridge:

This was just one of the many rocks that give Rock Pond its name. Luckily, most are above the water so you don't have to be concerned (for the most part) about scraping your kayak on one that is under the surface.

The wind already had some strength to it less than a few hours into our paddle. Our friends holed up in a sheltered area as we waited for the wind to die down a bit. Did I mention that the wind made it quite chilly? The temp. was around 50 degrees, but it felt much colder when the wind blew across the water and into our faces. That's why Karen's got her hood up. Gary is the one waving hello! I've gotta give our friends credit-- they were game for this trip even though it was their first paddle of the season, the weather wasn't inviting (to say the least) and Karen was trying out her new kayak for the first time.

When the wind quit its onslaught, we paddled back out onto Rock Pond and around a few small boggy islands. Here we saw some tree swallows flitting around overhead. We headed west as far as we could go, looking for the outlet.

This area was my favorite part of the paddle. It was a bit protected so not as windy. Plus, the sun came out for a while during the time we spent at this end of the lake/pond. We got stopped by a beaver dam just past the water you can see in the above photo. On a warm, sunny day, we would have carried over the dam to explore some more, but the cold and the wind were enough to keep us in our kayaks on this day.

Here's a photo of my fellow paddlers soaking up the sun while it decided to shine--partially:

And here's another. Blue Mountain is in the background of both shots.

We hung out here in this shallow area and relaxed, enjoying the sun, the birdsong and good company. The four of us happen to have kayaks that are identical in make and model. They are wide, very stable recreational kayaks which we love. They are not meant for cutting through whitecaps. They are meant for the type of paddling we enjoy most-- lazy paddling on calm lakes and rivers, and exploring inlets and outlets, creeks and streams at a leisurely pace. Perfect for the moment shown in the photo above.

Once we head back toward the footbridge, I had just finished saying I was surprised we hadn't seen a great blue heron when one flew from the edge of a marshy area, straight down the lake away from us. We also saw a few ducks. One was a mallard drake, but we're not sure about the other one.

One of the prettiest views as we kayaked was of Blue Mountain.

I probably took way too many photos of Blue Mountain from the waters of Rock Pond and Lake Durant, but not every kayaking location affords such great views in the distance!

I'll be back in a few days with more on our paddle on Lake Durant and Rock Pond.

Moose River Convergence with Black River, part two

2010-05-14T21:20:00.000-04:00

Once we were back on the river from the creek, we headed downstream on the Moose. You can't go much further upstream due to boulders and rocks in one branch and swift water in the other. If you like hopping around on rocks, looking for driftwood and that type of thing, the area with the boulders is accessible from Shibley Road. Turn left after crossing the two bridges. There are paths down to the area. You can see a bit of the rocks and boulders in this photo below.

But what I was really trying to capture in the photo is the swift current coming from the southern/western fork of the river at this spot. The area in front of the rocks is where the current was rippling and would have turned our kayaks right around had we tried to paddle in it without a lot of force behind our strokes. As I said, we turned around and did not attempt to go upstream any further since it would have been less than a hundred feet before the dam stopped us anyway.

On the return, we stuck closer to the northern bank of the river. We saw a couple of geese on a half-submerged rock, but no other water birds. They aren't in this photo, but were in the shade so they blended in and were hard to see.

I like clouds, so I took a few shots of the interesting formations that caught my eye as we paddled back downstream toward the put in/take out.

The sun was getting lower in the sky and we were thinking about dinner, so we explored less on the way back downstream. There are houses and camps on both sides of this part of the Moose, so as I mentioned, it is not a secluded or quiet area. Still, the sun was warm, the wind calm, and the water easy to paddle. It was a treat to be out in the middle of the week, and this short trip kept us going through the cold and snowy Mother's Day weekend. Here is one more photo of clouds and river that I took that day:

Since it was a short paddle, part two of this blog post is also a bit short! I'll be back soon with another trip description. Pray for warm weather this weekend!

Moose River Convergence with Black River, part one

2010-05-12T21:16:00.004-04:00

Well, I'm a bit behind on my blogging this week. But, I didn't have a trip to blog about because the weather was downright nasty last weekend. High winds, rain, even snow... not what this kayaker wants to see, especially on the weekends. Anyway, we were able to get a quick paddle in mid-week of last week before the weather took its turn for the worst. It was a gorgeous afternoon:

We went on a short paddle here but this trip can be extended up the Black River toward Port Leyden. (Also, below the falls at Lyons Falls begins a flat water paddle that is over 30 miles-- all the way to the dam at Carthage.)

The put in at Lyons Falls where the Moose and Black Rivers meet is exactly the type of put in we prefer: sandy with a gradual entrance into the water. Please note that this is an area that I would not recommend in the early spring with run-off or after a very heavy rain. I might give you a scare in a minute with a photo of this area during flood stage. But, this time of year and especially in the summer, its a nice place to paddle. One more word of "caution"-- this is NOT our favorite type of paddle. It is hemmed in by roads on each side, bridges, and houses, so it is not as peaceful and serene as our favorite places to paddle. That being said, you'll see by some of the photos, that the wooded areas along the river are still pretty to look at.

Here are two shots of the put in at Lyons Falls. The DEC website shows boat launches for the Black River, but this one is not listed. I'm guessing that's because it is not maintained by the DEC. Here is the link if you're looking for boat launches on the Black River north (downstream) of Lyons Falls: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/23889.html

We headed right from the put in, which is the Moose River. Heading left would have kept us on the Black River (and almost straight ahead is a huge waterfall/dam, so don't go that way!) Going left on the Black,upstream, you can paddle about 3 or 4 miles until you reach another dam in Port Leyden. We chose to paddle up the Moose since we didn't have a lot of time. It's less than 2 miles upstream before you reach rocks and/or swift water from the dam.

And here is a photo of what the Black River looks like in the spring during the rains and heavy snowmelt. This is a now abandoned paper mill, with water going over the falls/dam. This photo was taken about a football field length from the put in area (and from a different direction.)

Here are a couple photos of the river bank on the southern side:

We heard blue jays as we paddled and later saw some type of hawk above us. The photo is very far away, but shows his shape. We think he is a Cooper's hawk, based on what we saw of him as he flew over us. Naturally, I did not have the camera on him when he was the closest to us! (Happens to me all the time.)

We paddled to a shallow area on the south side of the river and explored for a few minutes.

Remember in my post about Francis Lake, I mentioned we saw a spotted sandpiper but had never seen one before? They are a stream/lakeside waterbird, so once we knew this, I was sure we had the right bird. It just seemed odd that we never noticed the bird before. Well, it must be a "good year" for spotted sandpipers because we saw another in a shallow, sheltered area of the Moose River on this trip. I took his photo, but he's hard to see and was too far away. These little guys are slender and they are about half the size of a robin.

Up near the end of our short paddle upstream, there is a creek on the southern side. It is narrow and shallow, but I was able to navigate about 30 feet of it before a downed tree barred my way.

Here is a shot looking back out at the river from the creek:

I'll finish up the description of this short trip next time, and leave you with one of my favorite photos from our paddle that day:

Happy kayaking!

Francis Lake, part two

2010-05-08T15:43:00.000-04:00

I found a photo of the esker itself on Francis Lake. This was taken a few years ago, but gives you an idea of what an esker looks like:

I forgot to mention in my first post that we saw a sparrow fly up from a pine branch on the ground as we walked on the esker. She/he was sitting on a branch above my head when I found her with my camera lense. The angle is a bit unusual because of my position beneath her, so I could be wrong about my identification of this bird. From what I have learned, she is a white-crowned sparrow. True, they don't hang out in NY, but I am thinking she was just passing through. Here is the photo:

Once back on the water, we saw the resident loons again and entertained ourselves for a few minutes trying to guess where they would pop up next or how long they would stay underwater. They kept an eye on us and often swam in the opposite direction we were taking with our kayaks. As we entered an area near the southern shores of the lake I saw a splash in the water and watched a bird fly off-- a belted kingfisher! I was very excited since I had never seen one dive. My husband had at Stillwater Reservoir a few years ago, but I only saw the kingfisher as he flew away. We watched this belted kingfisher for at least 10 minutes and he graciously showed off his diving skills 2 more times. We were staying away from the shore so that he would continue to fish, so I don't have any photos of him. After a while, the bird took off toward the southern shore where we were headed, so we followed. And then there were 2! We watched with binoculars (but it was difficult to keep up with them that way since they didn't stay still for long.) We are assuming they were a pair and were courting, based on the chasing and landing they did. We enjoyed their antics as well as their call, which I can't describe, but is distinct. They put on a show for us that lasted more than 15 or 20 mins. Then they flew further into the woods at the end of the lake, out of our sight.

Here is another photo of the lake taken that day:

As you can see, it was beginning to cloud up and the wind was creating some small waves. The waves weren't big and the wind wasn't too strong, but the cloud cover made us decide it was time to head for the dock.

On the way, we passed a shallow area on the western side of the lake with some boulders in the water. We didn't explore this spot that day because some boys in a row boat were fishing there. In the past, this is where we have seen a lone great blue heron. Here is a photo of that area from the main part of the lake:

And here is one of my husband, paddling up ahead of me:

We had a great time paddling Francis Lake. The boys in the row boat were the only ones around. There are several camps and homes on the lake, mostly on the northern and western side, but the southeastern and eastern shores of the lake have no buildings visible, making it a beautiful place to paddle. We really enjoyed seeing the wildlife and soaking up the peace we found here.

Since we've been to Francis Lake a number of times, I'll end with a few photos taken at other times in the past 4 kayaking seasons.

I'll be back soon with a description of our next paddle. See you then!

Francis Lake, part one

2010-05-03T21:31:00.001-04:00

Wow, we sure had a warm weekend! I am NOT complaining. It was great. We were able to kayak on Saturday. Although we got very little rain, the forecast sounded like the afternoon might be "iffy" so we planned a late morning paddle on Francis Lake.

We paddle Francis Lake at least once each season. It's an interesting lake and since there are only a few homes/camps on the lake, it's usually pretty quiet. There are a couple of set backs, making exploring lots of fun. There was a breeze most of the day which worried us when we first arrived since it felt like the rain might be coming early. The lake didn't look too rough, and it was warm, so no worries. The rain never did came until evening. I have to warn any northern New York paddlers: THE BLACK FLIES HAVE ARRIVED!! We were very thankful for the breeze when near the shoreline. Black flies are a part of life in northern New York (and elsewhere) in the spring. Sometimes they're thick enough that you feel as if you can't breathe without one entering your mouth or nose. Luckily, this was not the case today. They are out, but we didn't have any clouds swarming us. They also didn't do too much biting, but that may be due to the breeze more than anything.

The resident pair of common loons made an appearance about 45 minutes into our paddle. We were happy to see them. We have no way of knowing if it's the same pair from year to year, but we like to think so. They sat very low in the water and spent more time diving than floating or paddling, so it was obviously "lunch time" for them while we were on the lake. They are skilled at swimming underwater and have a very good idea of the direction our kayaks are headed. Their instincts keep them safe-- Often we loose sight of them and look back to see them many yards behind us! They are fascinating birds who can stay underwater for, I believe, up to 4 minutes. Here is a photo, though all that's out of the water are their heads and necks:

I'm getting ahead of myself. I planned to start with a photo of the lake, and then go back to the beginning of our day on the water and show you the put in. It's a sandy area but also has a dock. Only one section was in the water, the other one up on the bank. We are guessing that the DEC pulled it out for winter and just hasn't placed it back yet. I use the dock since it's very low and the water is fairly shallow, but my husband just scoots in from the sandy bank. He uses the dock a bit for support. It's not as convenient as a gradual sandy entry, but it's not bad. Here is a photo of the partial dock:

We had such a great time on this paddle that I don't know where to start. I think we were both surprised by the birds we saw because we often see only our loons, and once in a while, a great blue heron. We definitely HEAR birds, we just usually don't see them much. Our paddle this time was different. I'll get to the birds in a minute, but first, I want to mention that turtles were everywhere sunning themselves. I am not sure if these are "painted turtles" or some other type, but they are common in NY. I will have to make another attempt at identifying them. We found it interesting that all of those we saw on Francis Lake were sunning themselves with their back legs out (for balance, we're guessing) and their front legs drawn in. Here is a photo so that you can see what I mean. Maybe someone with more knowledge of turtles will let me know why they might be doing this.

Here are a couple of photos of the set back we spent quite awhile exploring:

My husband is great at spotting things before me and was quick to point out a bird in the marshy area along the shore that I hadn't noticed. I yanked the camera out of the dry bag and turned it on, hoping it wouldn't fly away before I snapped it's photo. Neither of us had seen this type of bird in New York. I was stunned to learn just how little I know about wading birds in New York state. Did you know that we have sandpipers? Yes-- those small (or very small) wading birds that you see on our ocean shores and estuaries. I had no idea there were sandpipers in our neck of the woods! I used my field guide to identify him. This little guy is, I believe, called a Spotted Sandpiper. Here is his photo:

We also saw a lone Mallard drake in this area. We're not sure if the female was on a nest, or if the male was just passing through, but he was very pretty with his beautiful green head and bright white feathers. I took some photos, but he was too far away and flew when we inched closer.

There is an esker on this lake and we decided to get out here to stretch our legs and have a snack. An esker is a pile of gravel, etc. left behind when a glacier retreats. So, it's a raised area, like a finger sticking out into lake. Here are a few shots taken from the esker, looking back at the marshy set back we had just explored.

The esker is a great spot to view a couple sections of the lake with its vantage point about 8 to 10 feet above the water. We took a walk along the trail on the esker's spine, our footsteps muffled by the thick covering of pine needles. The spot is peaceful and perfect for a picnic lunch... as long as it's not black fly season and there is no breeze. As soon as the breeze died down, we headed for our kayaks.

Look for part two of our Francis Lake trip soon!

West Branch of the Fish Creek & Gifford Lake, part two

2010-04-29T21:59:00.002-04:00

Continuing with my description of our paddle up Fish Creek:

As we paddled upstream, we saw Canada geese just past an area where people were fishing. Here is a photo of them.

And here is another shot of the creek as we paddled further upstream:

The creek has many twists and turns. It allowed us to see some Red winged blackbirds before they flew off.
Here is the only one I managed to photograph that day:

We stopped talking and paddled quietly as we rounded a curve in the creek, hoping a great blue heron or some other water bird might be waiting. Nope. But at the next turn in the creek, I was ahead and spotted something orange with it's head bent, looking in the grass. A red fox! By the time I signaled my husband, the fox had picked up his head and decided there wasn't enough room for all of us on the creek. It was too late for a photo. The whole encounter took less than 5 seconds. But that was definitely the highlight of our first kayaking trip of 2010! We've seen many red fox as they hurry across the road in the evening, but this is the first time we've seen one while paddling.

There is a channel off the creek which leads to a very small lake, Gifford Lake. The entrance to the channel is marked by a fishing camp on the right as you paddle upstream. There is one house on Gifford Lake, and the highway is behind it. For these reasons, we chose to turn around instead of paddling the lake. Here is Gifford Lake:

After reversing direction and heading back to the creek, I consulted my guide book for the way upstream. We headed along the channel and turned right, continuing upstream, but there wasn't much current to guide our way. When we reached what seemed like an impassable area, we poked around, looking for a way upstream. I am able to float in very little water in my kayak, but the closer I got to the overgrowth-- last year's dried reeds and cattails-- the more the water smelled stagnant, and the bottom looked full of silt, which isn't much better than mud when it comes to paddling a kayak! So, I advised my husband, who sits lower in the water in his kayak, to turn around before he got stuck. I was able to back out of the area, but was disappointed since this meant the end to our upstream paddle, and we had expected to go for at least a few more miles. While on the water, we were concerned that we somehow missed the channel, but now that I've thought about it, I don't think so. The West Branch of Fish Creek had water going over the dam where we put in, but I think the low level of the creek upstream is an indication of what is, so far, a dry spring. We did not get nearly the amount of snow we usually do in Northern NY, and this creek looks like it's feeling the effects. I did not check the water levels of area waterways before we went on this paddle, but I have now.
There is website with water level info on some rivers, lakes and streams in NY. It is part of the US Geological Survey site and is called WaterWatch. This is the link: http://waterwatch.usgs.gov/?m=real&r=ny

We headed slowly back downstream and saw a number of turtles sunning themselves. They are very creative when there's no log or rock to get out on for a soak in the sun. We found them "dry docked" on the dead, brittle reeds and cattails, such as the ones in this photo:

We saw more Canada geese in a side channel as we headed back. They made a racket when we paddled in their general direction. Who knew 2 geese could honk so loud? We decided they might have already been tending eggs, so we turned around with the noise of their warning in our ears.

Back at the bridge, our exit from the creek went better than expected. We were a bit disappointed in the length of the trip, but it was such a beautiful day, we were happy to have had the chance to paddle, no matter that it was only a few hours.

We're looking forward to the coming weekend and hoping the forecast of rain won't be for the entire time. For now, I'll leave you with a photo that is more typical of our kayaking trips in terms of greenery. This is the Raquette River:

West Branch of the Fish Creek & Gifford Lake, part one

2010-04-26T22:17:00.000-04:00

Our first paddle of the season was on the west branch of Fish Creek and up to Gifford Lake. Finding the put in was easy. It's not far off Route 13 outside of Camden on Cemetery Road. The put in is at a state public fishing area, so there's a parking area. If you're into fishing, there is a nice set of steps down to the creek where you can sit and fish. Here is a photo:

Putting in here wouldn't be a good idea since the water is deep and there's not much area to balance your kayak. Downstream from these steps is a dam, upstream is a bridge. We scouted out the area on each side of the bridge looking for the best place to put in. The upstream side of the bridge seemed best, but the banks are a bit steep and there isn't much of a gradual bank to scoot in. We found a grassy spot and put in one at a time. It worked out quite well, but we're getting better at tricky situations like these. The creek cuts through a residential area where you put in, but within a half mile or so, the houses thinned out and soon there weren't any. The day was beautiful-- sunny with a temperature of about 64. I like kayaking in shorts and a t-shirt, and it wasn't warm enough for that, but the day was pleasant. Once away from the houses we heard lots of birds, but I was only able to identify two: Eastern Phoebe and Red winged Blackbird. Our first wildlife encounter was with what I think is a green heron. He/she was pretty skittish, but I managed a few photos:

He thinks he's hiding in the shot above.

He flew away when my kayak floated toward him (but still far away, as you can see.) You may not be able to see his feet, but they are orange. From the info I gathered, the orange feet are for breeding season only.

And here he is in the tree he flew to, waiting for us to go away and leave him alone, which we did once I took this photo.

Although this was a "short" paddle, we really enjoyed getting out on the water for the first time. The peacefulness we feel when on the water washed over us as we paddled along, enjoying the sun and the scenery. Here is a photo of the creek as we paddled upstream:

And another of the creek a bit further upstream:

As you can see, nothing much has "greened up" in northern NY yet. There were some lily pads already grown and lying on the surface, but for the most part, other water plants haven't started their new growing season yet. This creek is probably chock-full of reeds and lillies in the summer. Part 2 of Fish Creek will be coming soon. Be sure to check back!

Quiet Water Kayaking Season in Northern New York Has Begun!

2010-04-25T21:17:00.000-04:00

Hello and welcome to my kayaking blog. I'm looking forward to sharing with you some of our kayaking adventures and photos as the 2010 season gets underway. April in northern NY can be fickle, but this weekend we were able to get in our first paddle of the year. We choose a new location, the West Branch of Fish Creek, near Camden, NY. Although this short trip begins in a residential area, the creek upstream from the dam soon becomes wild. We heard lots of birds but many were out of sight like the Eastern Phoebe. We saw Canada geese, a green heron (I think,) many red winged blackbirds, a couple of small snakes in the water, and.... a red fox! Unfortunately, he/she only stuck around for a couple of seconds once we rounded a bend in the creek, so no time for a photo, darn it! It was quite a treat to see the fox out for a stroll along the creek in the middle of the day. I would say that was the highlight of our first kayaking trip of the season.

I'll be back with photos from our first trip. But I will also add some other photos as we go, since April is not exactly the best time to photograph waterways in northnern NY state. We're just beginning to get some tiny light green leaves on our trees here. That means lots of brown and tan along the creek we visited.