Paddling the Flow

Yesterday's planned ADK paddle was delayed due to rain and we had other things planned for later in the day, so we didn't go.  So this morning we went out onto the Flow instead.  I knew we had an air quality alert due to the fires in Canada, but didn't really notice the effects until we were out on the water.

  That "haze" is actually smoke and it is thick enough we noticed a slight odor.  After the paddle we decided the insects had abated enough that we could spend time on the deck, for the first time this summer.  We ate lunch out there and I was sitting there reading when I forced myself to come inside so I can go downstairs to sew on my latest quilt.  I was very surprised to discover my chest was quite tight after going upstairs.  Apparently I should not be outside without a mask.  What a bummer.

Walking the Rail Trail

We have been walking a lot recently.  We walk our road when we don't have time to go elsewhere.  One time this week we walked on the Deer Pond Loop trail for 2 miles round trip.  There were LOTS of mosquitos and deer flies but insect repellant and the deer fly patches on our hats controlled them enough.  And since we are at an intersection with the rail trail when we get veggies Saturday mornings, we have been walking there sometimes.  This morning we headed from Route 86 toward Lake Placid.

There were lots of wildflowers along the trail, including lots and lots of milkweed coming into bloom.

And we saw the largest aspens I've ever seen in the park.  They were at least 12 inches in diameter.

Paddling the North Branch of the Saranac River

We decided the North Branch of the Saranac River would be a quiet place to paddle on a holiday.  We were correct, except that a large group of people with several cars and tents completely took over the campsite below the bridge, blocking our normal put-in.  So we were forced to put in below the steep sandy slope upstream, but we managed.  There were lots of blooming swamp laurel around.

Unlike last year, there was a lot of recent beaver activity.  We managed to get around or over all the new small dams, but later in the season it could get quite tricky.  We didn't get as far as we did last year, stopping at one of the larger dams instead of trying to go farther.  We managed to pull out on a sand bar near the dock to stretch our legs.  Here is the view from there, showing how shallow the water was by this point.

We paddled a little over 4 miles round trip. 

Paddling the Raquette River from Axton to the Crusher

Today we paddled from Axton to the Crusher, but this time under very strong winds.  It was in our face a lot of the time, so it must have taken us longer than usual.  It was good we were going downstream with a fairly strong current.  We never would have gone out in a lake today with that wind, so the river was a good choice.  There were 12 of us on the paddle, with the usual set of boats.

Paddling Upper Osgood

We had a nice 8 mile round trip paddle on the Upper Osgood today, though we were very tired at the end.  The winds picked up so we were paddling upstream and against the wind.  We put in off White Pine Road.

We saw an eagle just as we were setting out, then saw one loon on the pond.

I'm noticing the difference in the sky in these pictures from the photos I took at Rainbow Lake.  The Canadian wildfire smoke is upon us again.

I like all the different greens.

Paddling Rainbow Lake

We were thrilled to have warmer temperatures, sunshine, and blue sky today after a week of mid-40's temperatures and rain.  That was perfect for our first paddle of the season.  This was the traditional Memorial Day paddle to Rainbow Lake followed by a picnic with friends.

There were turtles everywhere.  I guess they were as happy to see the sun as we were.

We stopped at the usual place for lunch and the lady slippers are just starting to open.

To Camp for the Season

We drove to camp today.  Due to construction in Syracuse, friends recommended we take a different route.  So we tried the one suggested by friends who live in Keene Valley over the summer.  We took 276 east to Rt 1, to 295 into to NJ, then Bear Tavern Rd and Harbourton-Rocktown Rd to Rt 31, stopping for a break at the QuickChek at the corner.  Then 31 to 202 to 287 to 87 north.  We got off 87 at Warrensburg the way we used to and stopped at Oscars before heading to camp.  That is a much more scenic route into the Adirondacks than via Cranberry Lake.

Quilt 80

 This one is a mystery quilt which I did with a number of my Adirondack quilting friends.

Franklin Institute

We went to the Franklin Institute today, mainly to see the Body Worlds exhibit of the full-body palatinates.  It is so easy to go to Philly by train, and the parking at Wawa is still free on weekends.

Back Home

We packed up Monday, drove to Sanford for the train yesterday (which took less than an hour), and are finally home after the 2 1/2 hour drive from Lorton, VA.  The train was on time and service was fine.  We even got to eat in the dining car at 5:00 pm since we checked in early enough.  The only complaint is still the hard mattress, which made sleeping difficult.  And I'm having some vertigo issues again today, presumably just needing to get my land legs back after the motion of the train.

We are still trying to assess the success of the vacation.  Our paddling trips were great but we did too much driving.  It would have been so much better if we had been able to stop at Sanibel for a while on our way south.  This was probably our last trip to the Everglades.

Cape Canaveral National Seashore

 The crowds on the beach this weekend are quite impressive.

So we decided to drive to the southern end of the barrier island to Cape Canaveral National Seashore.  We assumed there would be fewer people there, and we were right.  Most of the folks we saw were fishermen.  And for a good reason.  We had forgotten that the beach there is very different.  Instead of the beautiful flat expanse here, it is a steep beach with coarse soft sand which was difficult to walk on.  We walked for about an hour and that will be our exercise for the day.  We were hot and exhausted by the time we got back to the car.

Another Paddle in the Indian River

We did another paddle with the Marine Discovery Center this morning.  This time we started from the Center north of the northern causeway.  We paddled a lot farther this time so we really got a workout.  This pelican swam nearby and we saw lots more at a rookery with pelicans, great egrets and snowy egrets.  I saw another yellow crowned night heron and we saw a couple more dolphins.

Paddling the Indian River Lagoon

This morning we took a guided paddle with Marine Discovery tours.  We put into the Indian River at the Indian River Lagoon Park just a mile from Ocean Trillium and took a slow paddle around the lagoon.  It was too slow for my liking but it was a very nice paddle.  The tide was out so the water was very low some places, with neat oyster beds sticking out.

This one has both red and black mangroves growing out of it.

I finally saw a yellow-crowned night heron, but didn’t get a good photo.  We also saw brown pelicans,

 

a little blue heron, and a tricolor heron walking in the shallow water.

 

And then on the way back to the dock we saw two dolphins that swam near us for quite a way.

Relaxing at New Smyrna Beach

 Today we did laundry, walked on the beach and relaxed.

Drive to New Smyrna Beach

Today was the 5 hour drive to New Smyrna Beach where we will stay in unit 504 at Ocean Trillium Suites.

The beach is as nice as we remembered.  But I had forgotten about the speed limit signs they put up on the wide beach for the cars that drive along it.

Anhinga Trail

Today we head for our last stop - New Smyrna Beach.  On the way we stopped to walk on the Anhinga Trail.  We saw the usual alligators

Cormorants, and of course anhingas which I didn’t bother photographing

A nice cardinal bromeliad

Some great blue herons

And this black skimmer that sat on the sidewalk the whole time we were there.  I figured it must be injured but we couldn’t find anyone to ask about it.

 A nice 

Paddling Buttonwood Canal

We kayaked Buttonwood Canal this morning - paddling a tandem sit-a-top kayak for about 1 1/2 hours.  The only wildlife we saw were a few tri-colored herons flying by.  But it was a neat explore among the mangroves.

Eco Pond and the Coastal Prairie Trail

This morning we drove to the trail around Eco Pond and did the 1/2 mile walk.  We were surprised at our surroundings.  We had been there before hurricane Irma hit in 2017.  Now it looks totally different.

After walking around the pond, we drove through the campground to the Coastal Prairie Trail and walked a bit on it. There is a lot of land known as the coastal prairie, formed when storm surge from the hurricane killed the mangroves.  Now the land is covered with low plants that can grow in the salty soil that was left.

This afternoon we took the backcountry boat tour.  It was much more interesting than the bay tour.  We saw a 14’ crocodile swim in front of the boat.  It headed for the docks and we saw it again after the boat ride. 

The most interesting part of the ride was the canal into Coot Bay.  We saw a young night heron and a couple more crocodiles.

Taking a walk

This morning we walked west on the Guy Bradley Trail toward the campground.  We were going to walk around Eco Pond but it was hot and we didn’t bring water, so we headed back to the lodge instead.

On the trail was this amazing tree - it is a palm tree completely surrounded by a strangler fig.

Florida Bay

We took the boat ride into Florida Bay this afternoon.  We saw pelicans, a reddish egret, caspian terns, and ospreys.  Mostly we just rode around the bay, which wasn’t very exciting.  The caspian tern is a new one for me.  It is similar to a royal tern but its bill is heavier and redder than the royal terns and have a dark tip on the bill.