Today was a gorgeous day for a paddle and the weather doesn't look good for the group paddle tomorrow, but we didn't want another car ride, so we just started from our place on the Flow, carried around the dam, and went upstream for a while, then retraced our steps. This is the view upriver.
The pickerel weed seems more abundant than usual this year. This is the view at the upper end of the carry.
The winds were forecasted to be too high for paddling so we went for a hike instead. We were hoping to do the entire Heron Marsh 3-mile loop at the VIC, but I had a sore ankle so we just went one mile then retraced our steps. But it was still a nice walk.
I finally did a long paddle with the group today with no ill effects. We put in at South Creek, which was as picturesque as usual.
It was a gorgeous, still day so even Middle Saranac was great for paddling.
I did most of the paddle, resting instead of paddling into Little Weller Pond, and went about 7 miles total. We had trouble finding a place for lunch since the campsites were full. Seven of us split from the group and managed to find a place to take out opposite site 81.
Today I did an "official" paddle on the Flow, or part of one at least. The group met at a member's house upstream from the dam and paddled downstream and carried around the dam. I paddled up from our place and met them there. We paddled down to the pump house where we had lunch. Then they returned the way they came and I paddled home. I even managed to get in and out of the kayak without help.
I've now been paddling on the Flow several times. As long as my pain pill has kicked in, I seem to do ok, so I'm working my way up to enough miles that I can go on a group paddle. My main issue seems to be that I am out of shape in general since it has been months since I have done much. But being able to paddle at all is wonderful. I did 4.2 miles today.
A couple of days ago we found this clear indication that we have otters, who love the fresh water mussels and seem to enjoy eating them on this log sticking out of the water.
An addendum to the last post. The seed level in our feeder, which is hanging by ropes from two trees, is hard to see in some light. It turns out that someone emptied about 1/4 of the seed from it. It certainly is not birds, because I keep an eye on it during the day and have seen very few birds. That raccoon must be the culprit. And her antics needed to get to the feeder must be impressive. The seed level was down further this morning. Wish I had a trail cam to catch her in the act. We will watch it closely this evening.
This raccoon appeared below our bird feeder today. She couldn't find much, because the birds haven't found the feeder yet so haven't been dropping seeds, except for a lone chickadee that comes occasionally. Clearly she is a female nursing cubs. Unfortunately I think she went up into the dying hemlock tree that we have contracted to be removed. I sure hope her nest isn't up there.
There were a couple of hot spells here before we arrived and the plants seem to have responded. This is a fuzzy photo of a very early lady slipper orchid in our woods. The fuzziness is because it is extremely windy. We are not used to their blooming before the first weekend of June.
