December 17, 2006

The Marsh

The water was out, but on a calm, clear morning we headed off for Great Marsh. Paddling past downed trees and crumbling sandy cliffs we inspected how the break walls were filling in and making a beach.

A lone Bald Eagle flew overhead carring something long and stingy. I thought it might be a snake. He landed on the shore and I forgot about him until he took flight again. He carried his prize out over the water and let it go. It wasn't as if he accidently dropped it - he simply tossed it into the water and flew away.

The object hit the water hard, and I paddled over to inspect it. Half a catfish with a clean cut through its mid section and entrails dangling behind it. We wondered if it had been hit by a boat and gone bad, so the eagle had thrown it back.

We paddled by the Heron Rookery. No birds in sight, but lots of nests. Around the point and up the eastern side of the neck. We entered the mouth of Great Marsh and watched as several hundred Tundra Swans took flight. The heavy beating of their wings against the water testified to the size of these large birds.

John paddled up through where the swans had been. We exchanged quick hellos then headed back toward the marsh, only to find it without much water, so we turned and looked for a place to have lunch.

Along the shore we spotted a place where sedimentation had left obvious layers in the soil. We inspected the layers and found a pile of shiny, very fine, dark sand in a small pile next to the layers. We wondered what could cause such an accumulation.

After lunch we paddled back to Mason Neck. The paddle back going too quickly.