Thursday, June 05, 2008

On the water

I've mentioned looking at the marshy little islands as I cross Lake Washington on the bus, yes? Seeing the beaver dams and birds and interesting footbridges in spitting distance of the freeway bridge upon which I travel?

Well, turns out that you can rent kayaks at several places 'round these parts. Me and the girlie gave it a go in a two-seater last weekend. Now we want to
BUY ONE!!!

(for clearer photos with less pixilation, go to my flickr site.)



Houseboats on Portage Bay. Pretty. Crossing Portage Bay was, for me, the only sort-of scary part of the trip. Just wanted to make sure we got across "when the shipping lanes were clear"....we did.




There's a bald eagle on the left in the tree. There was a very determined raven trying to persuade the eagle that he really didn't want to be there. The eagle demurred. Marion spotted this one. (I'm so proud! She's a birder!)




Paddling down a neat little waterway clogged with seeds. Wood ducks sucking them up like a rare delicacy. Guess they are, kind of like early springtime skinny asparagus. Anyhow, the ducks were pretty and this shot does them no justice, but oh well.





Lots of what I suspect are yellow irises. There's a beaver dam to the right of this shot. I like the birdhouse.








And this is my adventure gal. She was game from the word go, put in a great first-days paddling, screeched with joy as we bobbed in the wake of the bigger craft coming through the Montlake cut, and was disappointed when we had to head back.

We're conspiring to take her grandpa out in a three-seater this weekend.....

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh I LOVE kayaking! I did it for the first time on our honeymoon, and I definitely want to do it again. There is however, the little thing of saving for a house. Priorities I guess.

So glad to hear the Girlie liked it. Maybe someday we can meet up for a kayak trip!

Suse said...

We bought a secondhand canoe (and then someone else gave us a kayak) when we first moved here and had access to a river.

Best thing EVER.

Anonymous said...

I love our canoe! We see alligators as part of our trips. They still freak me out a little bit.