We Got A Canoe!

This week we bought a canoe in Eugene and brought her home safely with straps buzzing like a P-38 Lightning.  Today, we took it out for the first time, going to Beaver Creek, about 40 minutes from home.

We got a tried and true Old Town Discovery. I remember sending away for the Old Town Canoe catalog when I was around 12.  60 years later we finally have one!

It's blackberry picking time, and man are there blackberries to be had! 
 

Gail came up to the house this morning all out of breath and so excited. She was walking our trails after her jog, and by our swimming hole, now called Baboon Beach, she saw a large flock of cedar waxwings bathing in the river. She stood behind the vines observing and along came a belted kingfisher. Then she heard some splashing, and right before her eyes was the family of four otters. Since they didn't notice her just 15 or 20 feet away, they went about their play, caught and ate fish, huddled together for a few moments when something startled them, then went on their way over the rocks and up the river. Talk about good timing!  Otters often cover several miles a day.  We've seen this group briefly from a distance 3 or 4 other times over the last five months and usually for just a few seconds.

So I staked myself out on the river with my good camera for about a half hour but didn't see the otters. I did see this Northern Red-legged Frog and took a picture with my cell phone.

Back To The Canoe

 Here we are starting our maiden voyage up Beaver Creek today.

 Soon we saw a beaver.

 There were some very large water lilies.

 Osprey nest.

 After a couple miles or so, the creek narrows down and we were among cows and calves.

 Cows and calves.

 We called this Limbo Bridge, as the canoe barely cleared the bottom of it.  That's Gail in a full crouch.

 Then it was my turn to lie in the bottom.

 Another beaver.

Just before we got back to the boat ramp, we heard what sounded like two eagles.  Sure enough, Gail spotted this one high  in a tree. 

We're looking forward to more canoe trips! We also need to practice loading and unloading the canoe out of the public eye.  That thing is a beast to lift on and off the car!