I spent a good part of yesterday afternoon paddling around a local lake at State Park. The water was sooo smooth and surprisingly, the water was also quite warm. I immediately headed over to my favorite little area, usually full of waterlilies. It proved to be a very interesting afternoon because the lilies have yet to come up. Oh sure, there were a few lily pads poking up (did you know they are pinkish/red when still closed and so new?) but for the most part, I could see right down to the bottom of the lake. The water in that section is much more shallow than I would have imagined, but then again, I've never been in that area without an overabundance of plant life. There were two pairs of mallards on the water and several Canadian Geese.....two sets with babies. They were on the shore and they allowed me to get incredibly close to observe them. I'd say I was no more than 2 yards away from them. I had a great view as I was down in the boat and they were up (about 8 inches) on the grass. The babies were so much fun to watch...all fluff and not a care in the world. As long as I sat absolutely still, the adults didn't seem to have a care in the world either. I also found 3 small turtles sunning themselves on an old stump. They were very skittish and incredibly fast! They slipped off that stump in a big hurry when I was nearby. It didn't take them long to come back and it was a nice treat to have found them. Most likely I will go back today but this time I'll have my camera! Overall, it was a nice time on the water. I got a little bit of color, high school kids were splashing about in the swimming area (even though the fencing was still up and the lake patrol guy came and asked them to leave) and 4 boys were fishing on the other side of the lake near my put-in point. Only 1 other boat on the water....a nice quiet lake with lots of space to poke around!
Question: What kinds of wildlife have you seen while kayaking? What's your favorite to sit and watch?