Lovin' the fall weather...

[Saint Jude]

Had another unbeatable day on the river today. It's been getting pretty cool at night, but once the sun's up it's hard to beat these beautiful fall days we're having.
It got up around 75* today with no wind, just clear & glassy water. Lots of Mallards, Great Blue Herons, King Fishers, Cormerants,Merganzers,Otters, River Seals,Seagulls,...

I was just calling Prest For Time, when a little river otter decided to play "tag" with Bungee & me today ... pretty funny.
probably all kinds of critters I didn't see because I was enjoying the music I was paddling to! My doggie alerts me to a lot of stuff! I just love paddling to good music... but I do leave one headphone off...usually. Unless it's a irresistable song...:H Not like it's a highway.
I didn't see another boat on the river the whole day today, from noon to 3:PM.
Not complaining though. I love this time of year! Especially when the weather cooperates.
Hopefully tomorrow, will be nice again...

[amethyst]

Lovin' the fall weather...

Judie- I am always so envious of your days. So... what were you listening to?:H I LOVE river otters. I love otters in any form. They are so playful-they make me happy. I walk/shuffle/run with one headphone off too, but I bet it's not the same And KingFishers-well they are just too big headed cool! Hope it's nice for you tomorrow too:h

[Saint Jude]

Lovin' the fall weather...

Ohhh! Today was amazing!:thumbs: :beach: I went a few miles upstream from our place & was going to put in @ Orchard bar (a gravel bar.. not a drinking bar LOL) But it was windy, so I decided it was too cold.

I came back home went out on the gravel bar near our house, where I put my kayak in all the time... it was flat & glassy... unbelievable! You wouldn't believe it was the same river... let alone only a few miles difference!

Had a real treat today. Besides all of the water fowl & sun.. there were 2 huge beavers just upstream. There's a place where the river gets really dark & deep, I've seen river otters there a lot over the years, but never beavers. These 2 were huge! I got within about 15 feet of one of them that was on the bank. The other one was swimming in the deep water & swatting the surface with it's tail. Really loud warning thumps!
Bungee was going nuts on the kayak... wanting to jump in & go after them! I had to keep his leash on, and wrap it around my foot, really short. I can't imagine what a beaver would do to a little dog! They were bigger than him... he just doesn't know his size...
Pretty exciting!

Oh... As far as music... I have an MP 3 player with a lot of Blues, Bonnie Raitt,Stevie RayVon, Joe Cocker, Brian Adams,George Strait, Bob Marley, New Grass Revival, Allman Bros, Alan Jackson,Jimmy Buffet,Keb Moe, Lynard Skynard, Richard Thompson, Sarah Mclaughlin, just quite a mix...

Yeh, when the music really grabs me the kayak and my feet work as percussion instruments... probably really freaks out the fish & other critters... but oh well! No more than a motor boat...

[xtexan]

Lovin' the fall weather...

St. Jude:

I am reminded of a great day when I was out on my Folbot Greenland kayak on a local lake. In the early AM, the water was perfectly still, and like a mirror. It was messing with my head, as the trees surrounding the lake were reflected exactly upside down.

I was fly-fishing, and having no luck. Then I saw a great blue heron swoop down, and scoop a fish out of the water, and take off. As the heron was gaining altitude, the fish wriggled out of the herons beak, and escaped. The fish fell maybe 12 feet down to the water, and lived to swim away.

I thought, "AHA! Thats where the fish are!". So I paddled over there, and began casting. Sure enough, I caught one within a minute or two, and I let that fish go. Catch and release that day.

Some days are just perfect.


Neil

[jane jane]

Lovin' the fall weather...

Saint Jude, how wonderful to live on the water! We have a sea kayak as well, but we have to load it on top of the SUV and drive places to put in. I'd love to just be able to walk out and GO! Ours is a 2-seater, though.

The weather, the weather. Perfect here as well. On Sunday I went mountain-biking on some lovely wooded singletrack trails, and had the place all to myself---except for a young brown fox that I spotted scampering away. I LOVE autumn!

[hippie37]

Lovin' the fall weather...

I can almost picture the serenity from your descriptions Jude. It sounds truly amazing. I'm hoping to go Rafting next year with a friend who lives in Northern Ireland. Definitely not as peaceful as your watery rambles but It should be a good laugh!!

Love and Happiness
Hippie
xx

[lorisunshine]

Lovin' the fall weather...

Hey Jude, I know what you mean about these fall days. The air is a lot crisper around my neck of the woods (2 cels. this morning) but the sky is of such a brilliant cerulean that I wish I could paint it in all its translucency. I just go for walks along the lake. Discovered a couple of willow trees yesterday, that have been slated for total destruction by some itinerant beavers. The little bastards love especially the young ones. Beavers think that we plant the trees just for them.
Another beautiful day today.
Hugs Lori

[Saint Jude]

Lovin' the fall weather...

Neil, That's a great story about the great blue heron. I love seeing those guys. They have that prehistoric look about them... We have a lot of them around here. I paddled past one on the bank of the river yesterday really close, I thought he's take off when I got close, but he didn't seem to mind us paddling by.

Jane Jane, we have a few little silver foxes around here. They're so cute. I've never seen them in the day though. Just @ night when I'm coming home from work they're out sometimes carousing the neighborhood.

Lorisun, Yep. A bit nipply out! I've been wearing a fleece vest over my bikini top, but I usually unzip it after paddling a while in the sun. It warms up pretty nicely, as long as you're in the sun & not much wind.
Today is looking REAL GOOD!

Hippie, Rafting in Northern Ireland sounds excellent! Haven't been there yet... Let me know when!

Gonna go "beaver huntin' again!:H I'm sure i'll get some feed back on that one!
Last night while I was posting... Hubby was wondering what I was chuckling about... I mentioned something about my choice of words...
I swear it's just a coinsidence... but... something to do with "river talk"
"put in"
"Take out"
"beavers"
"wet"
"slippery"
"deep"
"huge"
"paddle"

Ya I know! Another thread heading down hill fast.... It all starts out SOOO innocent.

[sammys]

Lovin' the fall weather...

Oh Judie, you have been having a dream fall, you sound really good and like you are having a blast wish I could join you. When ever I see a beaver swimming past my pier it is always sunset and I wonder if sometimes I am swimming with them although I have never seen one in the water with me it just makes me think...

Sammys

[Sante]

Lovin' the fall weather...

Saint Jude,

I have tons of deer in my backyard: do they count for wildlife (ha, ha! I live in a reservation and they run wide wherever they want).

Still, I love wildlife on the water. Osprey, especially. But even simple stuff like blue heron, and fish we see all the time: blue fish, bass, and flounder, especially.

I think we'll learn more when we retire and spend all of our time on our sailboat -- maybe even make friends with dolphins that also swim near us!

Sante

[Saint Jude]

Lovin' the fall weather...

Sammys- probably if you're swimming... the beavers would know it... and hopefully give you some privacy! ... It sure seemed like they wanted the area to themselves yesterday, on the river.
I for sure didn't want to get in the water with them...and by no means was gonna let my doggie go swim with them!
But I think they do have VERY accute senses for other critters that might be around... especially if they have young-uns.

Sante- We have a lot of deer here too. They love our apples & figs...(the figs are just starting to ripen )
Ospeys have gone south for the winter already.

The Whales are just starting to migrate south now though. Not on the river. But only a few miles downstream at the mouth of the river we see them sometimes. I need to go to town tomorro ... maybe I'll see some... if I'm really lucky


PS I did end up having to work tonight.. so much for having a night off! But at least I spent the day on the river! I got a call about 3:15Pm.. while I was still in my kayak... but I got home & showered, & made it to work by 4:45(it's a 20 min drive to town) and I was 15 min paddle from my truck... so I thinkl I did pretty good! Plus I fed the dogs!

[Niblet]

Lovin' the fall weather...

Hello Saint Jude,
I just love hearing about your paddling adventures with Bungie...
We have a small lake at our camp that I really enjoy paddling a canoe on... Sometimes we bring both of our labs and they lay right in the middle
On our little lake we see the odd otter, buffle head duck , king fishers are regulars, as well as great blue herons... There is something about being on calm prestine water eh?
Happy paddling to you and your beloved Bungie.

[Saint Jude]

Lovin' the fall weather...

Niblet, it really is hard to beat being out on that beautiful water on a sunny day. This Fall weather has been unbelievable. I almost went out on the river today but it didn't get quite as warm as I'd like.
I may just bundle up & go anyway tomorro. I always get warm paddling, if it's not raining. Kinda kicking myself for selling that drysuit I had.
I think it's supposed to be sunny tomorrow though.

Yep, the doggies really do love it too.:h
Bungee totally recognizes the gear, when I'm getting ready, and starts "talking" to me.

[Niblet]

Lovin' the fall weather...

Well then deary, there is only one thing for you to do.... get yourself another wet suit !!! What a beautiful hobby that you enjoy with your Bungie !!! You owe it to both of you to extend your paddling days as long as you can... Set a few dollars aside here and there, and just bite the bullet !!! Happy Paddling

[cowgal]

Lovin' the fall weather...

Jud!

I love your posts (and you!!) you have been a driving force in my "trying to kick this habit"

I really wish I could bring the horses, and we could kayak and ride all day, what a dream!! We are probably going to have awesome weather, and I will stay out of the house and away from Mike as much as possible, some serenity is all I am looking for, and with him, it is hopeless, counselor said it was going to get worse, and boy has it ever!!:upset:

Happy kayaking, I love you girlie!!!:h :h

MA