Meandering on Memorial Day
As the days grow longer I have more time to enjoy what remains of the available light in a day after the kids go to bed. On Memorial Day I took advantage of the remaining half hour of sunlight by setting off in my kayak to explore one of my favorite spots in the lake. Leaving my phone behind, I attached a single 23mm prime lens to a camera strapped around my torso. I set off like a river going cowboy, paddling into the sunset.
In short, our lakes, like many in the area, are the remnants of a long defunct cranberry farming operation. Judging by my deed, the cranberry operation must have existed before the 1950s. The process for creating a cranberry bog is simple. Find a stream and dam it up in two spots to control water levels. The end result? Lakes.
Traveling upstream you begin to notice where the water that feeds our lake comes from. A spot which I (probably, incorrectly) call “the channel”. As I approach, a Bald Eagle takes off from the trees in front of me. The vast open space suddenly narrows with tall trees on both banks. What was an open lake quickly becomes dark, quiet, and noticeably cooler. I paddle another hundred or so yards upstream until downed trees and a beaver dam prevent me from going any further.
Protected from the wind, there is almost no current. I’m able to park my kayak and rest for a few minutes. Sitting, listening, and observing to make a few photographs.
