Lakeview Wildlife Management Area, Part Three

Welcome back to my posts on Lakeview WMA just east of Lake Ontario.  It's one of our favorite paddles due to the variety of the scenery as well as the wildlife.  My website, Quiet Kayaking in New York State  www.quietkayaking.webs.com  does not yet have a page devoted to this great kayaking destination, but I do have a page about South Sandy Creek, which is one of the waterways connected to/part of LWMA.  Check it out for more details on that part of the trip, or to explore other locations.  I have 20 completed, and still have a long way to go since we've kayaked at 38 different places beginning in 2006.

Once we paddled on the ponds, exploring the shallows and reeds, we headed back.  We didn't see many wading birds on this trip, but on previous ones, we've seen lots of Great blue heron as well as American Bittern. 

Lake Ontario's waters were calling us back out to the beach area and the expanse of water.

Here is Brody, in one of his favorite positions in the kayak:

If you look closely, to his right, you will see three tiny kayaks almost on the horizon.  They are yellow/orange and red.  Brody is anxious to meet up with the rest of our group.  The three of them left me behind as I was trying to photograph a sanderling or some kind of plover.  I got his photo, but none are that great, so I won't post.  But that is why I was so far away from the rest of the group.  Brody is very interested in getting out to them.

At the spot they are kayaking ahead of me, the lake bottom is still visible (very clear water!) and is probably over your head, but not very deep at that point.  From the shore, you can tell where the drop-off is by the change in water color.  As I mentioned in one of the earlier posts, this lake is usually not quite so calm.  The waves were almost non-existent.  Other times we've been here, there is no way we would have paddled onto the lake at all in our recreational kayaks.  One in our group was having fun in the small waves and got more than a little water in her boat.  Luckily it was a hot summer day, the water was warm, and we had our hand pump and 4 of us to help with removing the water.  I would advise against much play in the waves with recreational kayaks for that reason-- you'd end up leaving your boat on the bottom of the lake and have to swim back to shore!  Not a pleasant thought.

Here are some terns and a gull.  I think the gull is a juvenile herring gull and the terns are Royal terns.  The younger terns have more grey than white, but as you see, they are getting their white feathers.  I love their bright orange beaks-- they really stand out.  The terns and gulls were hanging out like good friends, but separated themselves from the Canada geese (as seen in my photo in an earlier post.)

After more time on the lake and a quick stroll up the sand to check out the northern beach area, we got back in our kayaks and headed upstream on the creek.  I was intrigued by all of the dead trees and limbs, and sad at the same time, knowing where they had come from and that they weren't on the banks of the creek any longer.  I think the photo below is interesting with it's reflections and the dead branches reaching into the bright blue sky.

 The next 2 photos were all taken in 2008.  Unfortunately, these lovely views are gone since the trees and branches you see below are now the dead ones-- becoming a different view for us to enjoy (though admittedly, not nearly as beautiful.)  The tree is a favorite photo of mine.  I liked it so much that I had note cards made with it on the front.  It's such a curvy, graceful looking tree, isn't it?

There are still some big, beautiful trees, as you can see by the photo below, taken in 2012 (this area is farther down stream than the photos above which are closer to the put-in.)

Despite the loss of some alders along the South Sandy Creek, that part of the trip is still very shady and pleasant to paddle through.  Just be aware that if the creek is running fast and the water is high, you'll have to pay attention to overhanging branches and branches in the water, even more so than usual.  We have paddled here 4 times in 6 years, and have enjoyed it every single time.

I'll leave you with a "rare" (because I always have the camera in my hand) photo of Brody and me in the ponds area of Lakeview Wildlife Management Area.  

Happy Kayaking to any of you who will be able to get out on the water soon.  And for those of us in the north/northeast, well... let's just keep thinking warm thoughts while we plan our first paddle of the season and before we know it (I hope!) we'll be out on the water also!