Hunting the Illusion

 I put in at the end of the quiet forested cove. It is warm and still and I share the space only with a single fisherman.  I head out to the main river and when I get there one of those decisions made on nothing but a whim takes control and rather than heading down and around the point into another river, which is my usual route, I head up the Housatonic following the east shore.  I guide the canoe in close to the forest, this side being undeveloped full grown forest on a steep and rocky hillside.  I follow the sweet spot - where the canoe is under the farthest reaching tree limbs.  This lets me peer deep into trees, a motivational curiosity that I share with sled dogs - always wondering what is around the next bend or over the rise.  This edge between forest and river is where the life is. It is where you will find animals and interesting flora, it is where the Hawks and Eagles and Herons and Kingfishers and mink and beaver and otters are most likely to be found.  The edge of the forest hides at least a part of me from the built world and I live in the illusion of wilderness.

I take a short explore in the cove just below the four-span steel bridge.  I've ignored it in the past.  It goes deeper than I had guessed and gradually narrows until it becomes a small creek tumbling from the hillside. It was worth the trip.

Tulip Poplar Blossom

I continue upriver and head off into another cove that I've always ignored.  It is on the west side of the river and it too goes in farther than I expected.  It is, unfortunately, a bit too developed for my purposes, but now I know and I can pass it by in on future trips. I'm a bit glad that they tucked the houses in here out of sight from the main river.

I head back down following the west shore.  The heat of the day is starting to come on but I'll take out before it gets too hot.  My timing was good today.  I have had the river mostly to myself. In four hours I have seen only four boats.