McDaniels Marsh, Springfield, NH

Today I kayaked in McDaniels Marsh. This was one of the most remote places I have paddled. It is approximately 500+ acres, but absolutely no house on the water. This is a very healthy ecosystem. There were many different types of birds, several duck species, and 5 beaver lodges that I could find. The water depth appeared to average around 2 feet in most places. I think that in the Summer, this place would be very weedy to paddle.

I was lucky enough to spy a couple of beavers outside one of the lodges. The male was not pleased with me being there. He kept trying to scare me away by slapping his tail against the water.

The Marsh does have a gravel ramp, allowing the kayaks to launch with minimal fuss. There is also a small parking area with no facilities. The only draw back I noticed is when I put the kayak on the car, I had to scrape off several leeches from the bottom of the kayak. Note to self: Do not fall in the marsh.

Radom pictures

Here are some random pictures from my last couple of forays to Turkey Pond. I am also including a picture of my new boat.

First Paddle of the Season

I went kayking with Joe Carew today in the Contoocook River. Joe has an absolutely sweet set-up. He lives right on the river. I would be in the water every day if I lived there.

The river current was a little stronger than we expected. The water level was also higher than normal. The temperature was around 48 but not too windy. Sky was a little over-cast. My only complaint is that it wasn't a long enough paddle session, but then again, none are long enough for me! It was good to be back on the water!

Spring is here

Kayak season is almost upon us. Just a little more ice needs to melt. Yahoo!!!!!

Season's Greetings

Good bye for the winter and see you in the Spring!

Its November and I am still paddling

I recently went back to Turkey Pond the other day to eat my lunch while kayaking because it was 58 degrees and sunny. This is November in New Hampshire so I figured that there wouldn't be many more days left to paddle. Heck, it could be snowing tomorrow, such is the weather here. It is again a warm day for November so I believe that I will enjoy my lunch on the pond again. As you can see from the photos, the colors have all but faded. The temperature on the water is considerably cooler than on land because we have had some very cold mornings the past two weeks. I will keep kayaking for as long as I can because I am not ready to put the boat away. Enjoy the photos and thanks for reading.

The colors have faded

I recently went back to Turkey Pond and was astounded to see how quickly the colors have faded and how many leaves have already fallen. It was only two weeks ago that I took such colorful photos of the same Pond. It was also very windy and cold, around 47 degrees.

Although the leaves have changed, I still located my friend "Hank" the Heron.

I also saw a small group of Canadian Geese stopping for a rest on their way south.

I think that I will soon be forced to put the kayak away for the winter. I am hoping to forestall that as long as I can. I guess I can dress in several layers and use gloves. Hope I don't capsize with all that weight! Thanks for reading.