The Wind the Sun, and the Tide

I put in at the far side of town. Yesterday was a long drive in the car and I didn't feel like spending any more time behind the wheel than was required. It is mostly blue sky, sunny, 80F with low humidity, and somewhat windy, windy enough that a small river in the trees would be ideal. But, that would require a drive.

The tide is dropping for two more hours. I claw my way upstream and across the river, and it is a slow crawl with 2mph of current and 10mph of wind stacking up on me. I head up to the islands - Carting, Peacock, Long and Pope's, ducking into the first channel that I get to. There are several Egrets, an Osprey, some Mallards, Yellow Legs, and quite a few small Sandpipers that are working over newly exposed mud. I head up the narrow channel between Peacock and Carting, but run out of water before getting to the top. I quickly pole myself out of there as the water is still dropping and in a few minutes, it will become a grim mud waddle. I much prefer staying in the canoe. 

The islands are exceptionally lush right now, with the spartina tall and in seed

The inner channels are just too bare, so I head around the east side of Carting Island, which gives me some shelter from the wind. Then, up to the power lines, where three Osprey are circling, cross the river and return.