Me and my paddle…

 …cruising down my old familiar creek. 

Today the weather was perfect, the water was perfect, and my hips decided to play along. It doesn’t get better than that!  

 I went to Irondequoit Creek, a mere 1-1/2 miles from home. Put in a bit clumsily, but stayed dry. (Thinking I really should take a lesson at the local paddling center to both learn and practice how to do this better.)  As usual  my cell phone stayed in my dry bag, so no pix of mine.  I did see some really great birds today: mama Mallard and her 3 little ducklings sitting on a log.  They actually stayed there as I floated by, probably only 3' away.  Mama & papa swan and their cygnets; 3 in the water and 2 or 3 more catching a ride on mama's (or maybe papa's) back.  They were a bit more wary of me, but still I got probably 8-10' away.

As soon as I got in, I realized I had forgotten to do what I intended, which was to slather my hips-at least my right hip-with Biofreeze before I left home. I even got it out of the medicine cabinet and STILL forgot to put it on. 

Anyway, once in the kayak it was clear to me that it would be a decent hip day. So I took a fork in the Creek I don’t usually do, and paddled for 2-1/2 miles, just under an hour heading upstream. 

The red dot is where I started, the blue circle is where I turned around, taking the left fork at every choice.  BEAUTIFUL!

At that point both hips started grumbling, so I turned around and headed back to the put in. It was a GREAT paddle today. YAY!! ❤️🛶💕

On the water

Yesterday was the absolutely perfect day to get on the water.   Sunny, temp in the low 70s, light breeze.  So I put aside the to-do list and loaded the kayak.

I decided to go to my 2nd favorite kayak location, Black Creek, on the Scottsville end, where I'd get lots of twists and turns and plenty of trees.  Plus a handicapped-accessible loading dock that's a breeze to use.  Since the water is high, I wouldn't have to worry about the MANY underwater tree trunks this creek is loaded with.

I set out, happy as a clam.  After a short time I came to one of my favorite sights, an old double-bridge.  How beautiful is that?!  

As a rule, I go through the right side heading out.  Kind of like staying to the right on the road.  Hah!  I got about 80% of the way through and it was clear that unless I was willing to lay down backwards on the boat and somehow simultaneously work against the current, I wasn't going to get through. 

There was definitely not enough height to either turn around or back paddle my way out, so pushing on the 'ceiling' with my hands, I backed myself out without too much difficulty.  I backed up in the creek, deciding if I would risk the other side of the bridge, try to explore some of the other side-shoots of the creek (where I'd never been so had no idea where the dead ends were), or be sad and call it a day.  I decided to try the left side, and made it through without much trouble.

I paddled upstream for about 30 minutes and my hip was not just mumbling, it was grumbling.  Much  as it would make for a short trip, I figured I had to turn around and go back to the dock.  I took another photo of the bridge heading back, and it's really easy to see what was going on earlier.

Now, I've seen people fishing in rowboats with small motors on this creek in the past, and they've made it through the bridge.  The water is just high.  Everywhere.  This is apparently the 3rd wettest spring on record in our area.  I am NOT COMPLAINING!  I know lots of places are really hurting for water.

I wonder where I'll decide to head next week?