Even though it rained on the drive to the Ash River dock, it was perfectly still and clear when we got on the water. We have been blessed by another perfect day for a kayak trip!
As soon as we got on the water, we had a great look at a loon in the water not far away.
Then we suddenly heard and saw a bigger bird crashing into a tree nearby. It was a very young eagle on one of his first flights. He obviously hadn't completely planned his exit strategy from this flight. His only option was this small tree with too many branches to take off again. It was easy for us to find this young eaglet, because he continued to squawk with displeasure at his plight.
Then we watched as a majestic profile made its way down the river. Just as quickly as the little eaglet crashed and began squawking, it silenced.
It was harder to keep track of him now, but he was working hard to find a stronger branch and get himself oriented for a flight out of this mess he had gotten himself into. We felt as if we were watching an adolescent growing up before our eyes.
But we have places to row on this last day of vacation, so we headed our paddles down the Ash River for the two-mile trip to the falls.
Because the water was coming down the falls towards us, there was no danger of going over the falls. We could row as close to the waterfall as the current would allow.
All that water moving over several levels of the falls resulted in a big frothy tub of bubbles at the bottom. Our guests seemed to enjoy playing in those bubbles.
This picturesque place brought out the cameras. Mark made an exit from the kayak to climb onto a rock in front of the falls for this Huck Finn pose.
It's not surprising that Mark would want to climb up those falls, and today he has a partner in crime. Steven exited his kayak as well so they could look for a way to climb up the slippery falls.
They made it to the top of the waterfall as Denisa took their picture. They just happened to be wearing matching shirts today. To take that picture, Denisa is paddling the kayak from her front row seat, trying to get the best angle.
As we headed back to our put-in site, we were supposed to be paddling with the current on the return trip. But the river is like a mirror this morning, so there is no current.
Because Denisa loves the little things as much as the big waterfalls, we include some little pictures of our return trip. Denisa can't help but take pictures of dainty butterflies enjoying even daintier flowers.
We ate wild rice soup at the lodge yesterday, and we know that it grows along slow-moving rivers in this area. It looks like it's a little early for harvest, but we found the plant growing here along the Ash River.
As many as we've seen in our new neighborhood, we still get a thrill when we spot a bald eagle nearby.
It looks like the pines are decked out for Christmas, with sappy pine cones that look like they're dripping icicles. If you look close, you can even see a spider web decorating this tree.
It was a great float on the river, and we think Connie and Steven are glad they bought their boat. We put it to good use. Now it's time to use those hiking shoes, as we headed up the Sullivan Bay Trail.
The end of the trail is the view over--you guessed it--Sullivan Bay.
That view is our background for another picnic lunch with a view.
We've watched these big pines glide by as we boated on the water, but they feel even bigger when we stand beneath them. Connie and Denisa feel pretty small under this great white pine.
Denisa is walking with her hiking stick, and trying not to slow the group down on this hike. She would be a lot faster if she would stop picking blueberries along the trail.
Our next hike of the day is straight up the Kabetogama Lake Overlook Trail. When we say up, we mean that there was some good elevation gain. But it took us to a nice viewpoint high above the Lake.
Denisa is caught again, this time picking raspberries along the trail. Between her ankle and her appetite for fruit, she is certainly a slow hiker these days.
The last hike of their trip was to the beaver pond. We were a little disappointed that we didn't see any beavers at work below. Just as the morning started with rain sprinkles, it started again as we made our way back down the path to our car.
And just like that, Connie and Steven's vacation was over! Suddenly, all they had to look forward to was that 19-hour drive home to return to work. Man, we're glad that we don't have to do that! So instead, we'll end with a picture we took the night before--watching the sunset from our dock on a perfectly still Lake Kabetogama. Denisa and Connie went to school together from the time they were second graders until they graduated from college with the same major. We've gone on lots of vacations together over the years, and we hope to do this many more times, as they meet us to wander more wonders!
Amazing! WOW!
ReplyDelete