It’s a whole different world from the seat of a kayak low on the water. People who view the scenery from land truly miss quite a lot. My friend Mary Anne kindly invites me to go kayaking with her on a regular basis, and I love the view from the water as we paddle around Rainberry Lake at our condo community.
Of course we see lots of birds on the shores of the lake as well as flying overhead. Many of the little houses surrounding the lake have docks where the birds like to perch. So the usual cast of characters includes the Great Blue Heron, the Great Egret, smaller herons and egrets, anhingas, cormorants, and various ducks. A resident osprey swoops down occasionally, and the pelicans dive-bomb into the lake for their fish dinners.
Great Egret Fleeing
We paddle along the shore with its protective rim of pickerel weeds and overhanging trees. These trees are the favorite hangout for many birds and also—my favorite reptile—the iguana. These are non-native and were largely wiped out in the Big Chill of 2010, but now they are back and seem to be thriving. I brought my camera on our most recent kayak outing and paddled very close to the tree where three iguanas were basking in the late afternoon sun. They reminded me of three thugs lounging around a pool. As I drifted closer and closer, they became increasingly agitated. One puffed up a little; one tried to climb over the other to get farther away. It was not my intention to upset them, but I was clumsy trying to manage paddle and camera simultaneously.
Three Amigos
Next we paddled down the little canals into a smaller lake. The canals are lined with houses, docks and a cement retaining wall, and the water level is about 10 feet lower than the ground level. The tropical trees and colorful bougainvillea make it seem as if we are traveling through a jungle. Sometimes we spot black snakes or turtles sunning themselves on docks along the way. My view from the kayak lets me confront them eye-to-eye. I must look up to greet dogs and people in the yards, and they are almost always surprised to see us gliding silently along the water.
2 comments:
I'm with you! When I kayak in Maine, sometimes a seal will come up for a look, and we're literally eye to eye. That's the best. The worst is worrying that a whale will decide to surface as you cruise over...
Oh, GB, I would much rather be face to face with an adorable seal than a slimey snake or shy turtle. Regarding the threat of a surfacing whale, be sure to wear your inflatable underwear at all times. (I got that bit of boating advice from Bob "The Fish.")
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