Monday, October 05, 2015

Late Trip to the Lake

October is late to be headed to the lake with my raft.  I had no idea what the water level would be.  It's not really a lake, but rather, a reservoir behind a dam and right now, they're drawing levels down to keep the river below it running.

I wanted to go, since the weather was to hit 80 today.  So I went.

The water was shockingly low, however.  Boat ramps high and dry too.  I probed for a place I might be able to get my raft down to the water.  It's too awkward, long and heavy to carry by myself.

I have a little two wheel cart I can strap to the back, but its extremely dysfunctional.   I have meant to do something about its design flaws.

I took this from the water of the Calkins boat ramp where I usually launch.  Those are the docks, usually mostly floating, now high and dry.  The boat ramp ends between the two vertical poles of the docks.   



Calkins boat ramp from a distance.


Stumps everywhere exposed in the water and on shore.

The exposed shores are stepped, for stability I guess.

That's my dinghy I tow.  Ship to shore, I tell people.  Since my raft is not a raft at all---it's a yacht!  With a yacht, one must have a dinghy.  

North shore boat ramp also high and dry.

The area around Calkins is mostly narrow canals of water now.

Distant Dam

Sorry about all the bird flock photos.  Birds were everywhere.  Some seemed a little self conscious about it, I imagined, taking over the lake that way, and uh oh, here comes a human.






Canada Geese eyed me with what seemed like the looks a neighbor might give, should you trespass their property.  "What the hell YOU doing here, huh?"  That kind of look.



A Great Blue Heron strolling casually the shallows also eyed me.



Great Blue Heron tracks

Five Toe tracks.  Possum tracks.



I got very muddy, getting the raft into and out of the water.  Mud flats, still slippery and sucky, must be traversed.  Was not easy and I'm very dirty and so is my raft.  Worth it?  YES!

6 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:07 PM

    I guess the water level being low means fish can't go deep to hide from birds. The water must be getting colder now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. the water is so shallow now its warmer. I didn't swim. With water so low and so many birds using the lake, for pooping too,didn't consider swimming in it.

      Delete
  2. Wow, it is very low indeed.
    Loved the birds - and I am so glad you got another day out on the lake.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was fun, but very difficult to get my raft across rocks and mud to the water.

      Delete
  3. I'm so glad you succeeded! Great photos. It's amazing how much possum tracks appear like human hand prints.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, it takes one back to see those "hand prints" of the possum.

      Delete

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