I went canoodling!

It was a nice day, but it clouded over. That was alright, as the bugs were not bad on the water. I haven't been for a canoe for two summers. It was a crazy year last year. Taking it easy, I did about 45 minutes on the water. Too long and my back seizes up.

In previous years, I worked my way up to several hours, going up Jebbs Creek. It's a prettier canoe, in the shallows, with much wildlife. I'll try go more regularly. The lake was pretty quiet, on a weekday. There have been complaints about yahoos using the lake as a Nascar track, disturbing swimmers and those in canoes and kayaks.

This is why I don't usually canoe on weekends. Also, if there is a wind, I have to plan my track. We are grateful to a neighbour who lets me park my canoe in their unused bay.

The water was covered in pollen. No breeze, at least not much. Lots of fish. The lake residents have worked hard to convince others to get rid of lawns, and to soften the shorelines with natural plants.


Fake!


Turtle basking.


Fishie or turtle??!!


A huge bullfrog! They were singing, you can hear them in the video below.


You can hear the bullfrogs, as well as the birds and the wind. The turtle just quietly slipped into the water. I don't know what stirred the water at the end of the video, fish or turtle.
Canoe ride from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

On the way home, a doe was on the road.
doe a deer from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

August 29th Canoe Ride

It was a lovely trip. My right shoulder was sore that night (a titch of arthritis) , my torso muscles were sore the next night, and my sitting muscles the third night, but I recovered!

Otty Lake is a very shallow lake, 60' at its deepest. Where I launch there is much muck in the bay, and I was pretty much poling my way to open water. The water lilies are prolific.
In the second photo, cottagers have put buoys in to show the rocks. They were just under the surface, in a very shallow spot, well into the bay. I wonder how many have scraped on them?!


I headed down to Jebbs Creek curious, with our drought, to see if it was navigable. It was.


There were few critters. A crow, poking its head in the shallows, didn't want its photo taken. Then the heron, on the far side of the creek hid in the trees.


Happily, she followed me and landed on a branch just up the creek, posing long enough for me to focus the camera. I'm having  hard time with this. I'm just not fast enough, and my graduate lenses are a challenge for near and far.


This Sunfish sailboat made me think of my father, who loved his sailboat!


This was my map track. I was hoping to see the watersnake, but had to rely on these photos from last year, 2015.

I did spot a smaller watersnake.It popped up eight beside my canoe. I grabbed the videocamera!

Watersnake 1 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I am able to say I had a canoodle in July!

I was afraid I was going to miss the whole month. I was out in the canoe in June, then things got hectic. This retirement stuff isn't for chumps, plus we've had clouds, winds and one needs a calm day.
The best time of day is from 6 - 9 a.m., and I like to ease myself into the day!

My neighbours allow me to leave my canoe in their isolated little bay. It is so kind of them.

It wasn't a long canoe ride, but there was quite a wind. You can see where I went over the land. Actually, the GPS pooched out on me. I went across to the west shore, then crossed with the wind. My arms were sore a couple of days later. At my age, I really have to do these things on a regular basis.

Amazing trip!

Not bad for an old fart!