Time

Rounding the point where one enters the Shephaug, I check my watch.  It is habit.  The first thing that I do when I set out is to check my watch.  Then, when I get to some significant geographical feature along the way, I'll check again.  The thing is that I can never remember what time it was when I started.  I might have started at 10:15, but it might have been 10... hard to say.  But, it is of no consequence.  That is one of the true beauties of the canoe.  Time is dawn, dusk, the wind arising, the tide, too tired to go on, or thunderstorm on the horizon.  Such are the important times to watch.

At the wide spot where I sometimes see Eagles, I scan the forested hillside - something like 300 ft of elevation - no Eagles.  Then a large splash to my left between me and the shore.  A mature Bald Eagle flies up out of the water after a failed fishing attempt.  It flies out ahead of me and perches, probably to shake its feathers, then it flies back to a perch over the spot where it was fishing.

The water is near mirror and without any chop the canoe speeds along.  Smooth water is fast water.  I note that the water is almost swimming warm and still clear enough that I can see bottom at 10 ft.  The other notable thing about the water today is that there are no motorboats.  I imagine the boat drivers to be hung over from a stormy Memorial Day weekend where they were trapped indoors with "nothing to do".

I spot Great Blue Herons every quarter mile or so. 

I spot my first brood of Wood Ducks for this summer.  The mother feigns a broken wing and flops off to the left.  Her brood, a double batch of 15 or so swims into the cobbles and does a good job of disappearing.  Wood Ducks often lay their eggs in another Woodie's nest, so a mother duck might find herself tending 15 or 20 ducklings.

In good time I reach the cascades and stop for a short rest before turning back.  On the way I pass another brood of Wood Ducks - maybe 5 ducklings.