The canoeing trip I took with my dad Yesterday was amazing. I woke up around 3am, left at my house at 4am, and met him there around 5am. We were on the water by 6:15am and watched the sun come up from our canoe. It was very beautiful.
There was a beaver on the river that was a bit shy at first but eventually let us get to within 15 feet of him as he floated in the water eating some kind of plant life. I've never been more in awe in my entire life. I remember exactly where we were and I intend to go back one morning and and look for him again. I didn't get any pictures, though. It was too dark and the lens I have just doesn't cut it. "Donate":http://revjim.net/donations/ some money or "buy a print":http://flickr.com/search/?q=forsale&w=37996577120%40N01&m=tags&s=int&z=t so I can buy "the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8″:http://www.adorama.com/SG70200DGNKA.html?kbid=62466
Due to misnavigating the canoe (I was in front trying to steer (which is very hard to do) while my dad has his camera out in the back) I nearly kissed a snake. I'm grateful he wasn't coiled up or he could have easily struck. He was a beautiful snake though.
We also saw many water birds including at least 3 families of ducks. Something bumped the bottom of our canoe more than once. We weren't quite sure what.
The worst part was at the end where our intended method of getting out of the water failed when we discovered that the road we ended to take didn't go all the way through. At one point, my dad and broke up — him in the canoe and me on foot — to find a way home. I ventured into some quicksand mud that had me afraid for my life. I was in past my knees, was sinking further with each foot, had lost both of my shoes, and was afraid that my cell phone wouldn't work covered in mud. Fortunately, I got out, recovered both of my shoes, and my cell phone still worked, but I was very afraid.
Getting stuck wasn't all bad, though. I did see these itsy-bitsy teeny-tiny frogs, about the size of my fingernail. Due to the circumstances at the time, I don't have any photographic evidence of this but, I assure you, they were quite small and quite cute. I'm sure they also gave me leprosy or something.
After eventually finding a way home, my dad stayed with the canoe and I walked to the truck and then brought it to the nearest location, about 1/4 mile away. Then we walked the 80 pound canoe and at least twice that much weight in camera gear and other belongings to the truck. I don't know how you "real canoers":http://kerplunk101.livejournal.com/ do this on a regular basis, but, I'd sure like to know a trick or two.
Are there any other canoers out there who would like to go on a two day trip? I'd love to set up a weekend for this on a secluded river somewhere. Email me, okay?
