October 9, 2006

Clearing the fog

I launched from the rocky side of the Roosevelt Island put in. Being a bit lazy I didn't want to carry my kayak over the bridge to the small beach on the other side. I paddled across the narrow channel and met Amigh as she put her kayak in the water.

We paddled upstream from D.C. in a thick fog, spying what we could in the way of wildlife. It amazes me still to this day that you can find wild animals this close to Washington D.C. A few geese, a giant turtle we thought was a branch sticking out of the water, a few wood ducks that let us get close to name but a few.

The sound of water cascading down through the rocks caused us to stop now and then to find the waterfalls hidden behind the trees. From time to time we would catch sight of a rowing shell silently cutting through the fog as it zipped by us.

At Fletcher's Boathouse we walked over to the restrooms on the other side of the C&O canal, and on returning found the fog gone. Like someone wiping the moisture off a window the sun was out and the trees sharply in focus.

We paddled further up to Chain Bridge and Amigh explored near shore while I went up to play in the currents near Little Falls. On returning we let the currents carry us along for a bit before putting our paddles back to work.

All too quickly we were back at Roosevelt Island. What seemed like an instant had consumed all of the morning and a bit of the afternoon. We chose to take out both boats across the rocks. A bit precarious for glass boats, but managed without incident before loading our cars and heading for home.

Pictures

Woody