Kayaking Once Again! Clopper Lake

Threw Away the Fear!

well, I am trying to kayak again!..... and so it starts anew...

I backed up my hatchback to the putin, gently slid the bag out the back... Inflated the kayak... slid it in the water... gently put my right leg over the kayak and slowly sat down..... WOW... on the water again!

So beautiful a day and floated my problems away!

Passed some others enjoying the weather as I floated by!.. Remember this is relaxation, I am not running a relay race or paddling a marathon... I am gently floating along with my camera...  Much like this guy...

This guy was floating by getting lunch

The usual Club Meetings

Quite a few picnics and Social Gatherings

Different Groups as I headed toward the Overpass

A few Guardians of the water

Feel Like you are on the water click my short video

Kayaking at its best

Looking out first thing in the morning and the water was still as glass

 Beautiful colors but the draw was the water not moving and no wind....
It is calling me......

 

Once I got out there it was surreal!

 Everyone was getting breakfast

This is a great fisherman

He is such a showoff... Not one, but two times

Then he goes in for a second one!

Some fisherman have all the luck or they just know the right fishing hole!

The horseshoe crabs were busy!

Yep, that's not litter-that's a bird

The King of Back Bay!

Vacation Paddling

Out in the Sea Eagle 330 up Turville Creek

Beautiful overcast morning

Beautiful view up Turville Creek

Calm and Cloudy

Back Bay Bungalows May 2016-June 2016

So Now, here for my vacation, first day out spent all day 

and I am still suffering for it.   Use YOUR Sunscreen

ALL OVER!

 

 

 

Well, my favorite Cottage... surrounded by water and right in front of the put-in for my kayak, next to a fishing dock.   Yep, paradise for me... Now if I could just recreate this for my true retirement.....?

Or just visit paradise

 A new fisherman, I haven't seen before.

You can see it was really windy today, so there was a strong current and big waves-good workout.

I changed cottages and today I am in the Purple cottage.  I can walk off the porch and sit in the swings if I want to.  The view is still pretty terrific.

I took my usual trip from the Bungalows up Turville Creek to the end.

The fish are amazing at the circle where there is an overpass - they just jump out of the water.

Back to back bay again

Birdwatchers

Back Bay Bungalows - On Vacation..... YEH

Pulled in Late.... Took this pic of the beautiful view from my bungalow

So the second day, I got my act together early, filled my coffee flask and  off  I went in my kayak.

Can you see why I love this place.   Perfect kayaking.  Every year I have to check out the nesting birds...

There is momma bird feeding the youngn's

One year the little ones got old enough to leave the nest and that was fun to watch with their parent coaches.

Then there are the heron watching me watch them!

The usual Dock Guardians were on their posts sending the message up Turville Creek to say I was on my way to interrupting any of their fishing...

My feet are propped up for rest and rehabilitation from work.... the birds are singing and all is well in the land of kayaking.

A gaggle of geese.

Another Heron

 

     It was a gorgeous day, I spent from early am around 7 to 2 and today I am very very red... I had a T shirt over a tank over a suit, but my front was exposed and my upper arms, and hand definitely burned.... slept  for a while, and now today I am going out later so I will be coming back in the evening.  The view from the porch is very tranquil and I drank a pot of coffee just enjoying the quiet and nature.

KittyKayaks 380x Sea Eagle

Sea Eagle 380X has returned

So I sent an email to The Sea Eagle People.  They were so kind as to help me out with my 330, which you know I have run ragged and it has been more places than my 380x, they were so kind as to patch the bottom of my 380x and it worked as good as new today.  

It did not sink or anything, but there was water coming in under the floor of the bottom insert.  

I like to go out to eat after kayaking and it just was not making me happy.

The Sea Eagle Customer service rep came to the conclusion that the cement boat ramp at the Black Hills Lake was making the holes in my kayak bottom and that I need to use the soft launch... so I will see if I can oblige... 

Today I used the soft launch at Clopper lake.  I was dry as could be after I got out, so I was much happier today..

She looks good doesn't she... and then I loaded her up.

What is all that stuff you wonder?

** Life Jacket  /**Beach Towels / ** rescue cushion w handles/

** Seat of course / ** paddle / ** Cooler chest / ** tubes for rods, and monopod / anchor for reading or fishing/ roping for when a wind comes up and you don't want to get too far to paddle against the current coming back in = rope a tree or a stump or a rock...

fishing bag for getting serious when the fish jump and tease you!

Water for hydrating... cameras, so when the big pic comes you don't have a battery die and can just grab another camera....

Bungee cords to hook your paddle in so you don't loose it when you are paddling around... 

LOOK! I have used all these things at one time or another... I have not used the whistle for help or the compass to get back from somewhere...

The paddle was good

The current was strong, but not too strong for my favorite cormorant  or Phalacrocoracidae as the scientific name is....

I went to his usual calling spot and then I saw him in a tree

So I paddled over and got a closer look

Yep, it was him, soon I will have to name him..

I followed him around for a while, not easy with the current and the wind...

It was a beautiful day!

I passed a few turtles.... They agreed it was beautiful!

Then I passed some more turtles!

 THEN... I saw our friend had found a friend and I stopped bothering him...   I guess his gulping paid off....  Strange sounding bird and he does look prehistoric.

                    Phalacrocoracidae   Cormorant

He Gulps.... one gulp loudly    while he is outstretched...

He just stands frozen like this until he gets the results from his gulping.....   I find him fascinating!

Not really rare in this area, but I never saw this before....

Then again... I never saw this

And after I saw a heron do this in Berlin, MD, I find this guy at

Clopper lake and when I kayaked near him he started doing the same thing!....

and so it is!

 and out we go!

Another beautiful day ends at Clopper Lake!

and what does the certified kayaker wear to dinner?

 Yep, that is my 380x in action on my shirt

and....

Yep, coffee in the morning and coffee... after I get back... sometimes coffee in a thermos when I am yakin'!!!

When I saw this bird... I thought he must have had something to be able to stand on one leg at the top of that high tree.... COFFEE???!!