Today I did my first Sunday morning jaunt of the year. On nice Sunday mornings, while Valerie does school-related work and the boys sleep in, I slip out and do a quick paddle from Columbia Island Marina, usually to Fletcher's Cove and back (about 10 miles round trip). These are usually solitary outings, as not too many people are interested in being up and at the marina at seven o'clock Sunday morning. I was surprised, then to see Pastor Pete pull in while I was unloading my boat.
I must digress and say that I have three kayaking friends named "Peter H.", and so I have chosen to refer to them by occupation. Only two figure into this story, so you won't find any mention of Peter H the Proposal Cost Volume Book Boss, which is just as well, since that's a lot to type.
Pastor Pete and I know each other mostly through the online paddling world, but we have kayaked together here and there in the past. It's surprising to see him on a Sunday; as you might expect, it's usually a work day for him. Today, though, he's left his flock in others' hands and is at the marina to participate in an ACA training certification class with Mike Aronoff. I know Mike, too. He's one of the best instructors in the area - so good that his company is successful even though Mike has chosen to give it the unpronounceable name of CKAPCO, which stands for Canoe, Kayak and Paddle Company. Mike spent his career in the military and clearly picked up it's love for acronyms.
After Pete and I chat for a bit I hit the water. Last night was some kind of super moon (the moon was closer to the earth than usual) and this morning's high tide is HIGH. Not flooding high, but high enough that the Boundary Channel, which can be a muddy, impassable ditch at low tide, felt like a river. I have written before of my love for this little bit of urban wilderness. This morning I see a pair of ospreys hunting for fish, a night heron, and some wood ducks. Wood ducks are like regular mallards made cuter. They're smaller and simply beautiful in color. I also had repeated interactions with the world's stupidest duck. He took off when I got near him, flew a hundred feet, then landed in my path. When I caught up with him he did the same thing again. And again, before he finally flew off in another direction. The blue herons I flushed later in the trip were smarter; they flew around for a while and let me go by before landing again.
It started drizzling a little, which did nothing top diminish the awe of the spot where the Boundary Channel hits the Potomac. As you come out of the channel the river opens up before you. To your right is the postcard view of the Lincoln Memorial with the Washington Monument behind it. To your left, through the bridges, you can see the Kennedy Center and Georgetown. Striking. I headed upriver between Roosevelt Island and the Virginia shore.
The river was teeming with two things: rowers and more wood ducks. It's a little unusual to see wood ducks and I have never seen so many on one outing before. I literally gasped when I saw one with ducklings trailing behind - so cute! The crew boats are less adorable. As I have complained in this space before, they assume right-of-way on the whole river; I hugged the shoreline to stay out of their way (also, the better to see the wood ducks!). At one point five eight-man racing shells came by me at full tilt, followed by their chase boats. It is a pretty impressive sight up close.
I had trouble finding a spot for my coffee break; the water was so high that the little beachy areas along the shore were all submerged. I finally found a place to pull out right above the Fletcher's warning buoy. As I stepped out of the boat I was momentarily startled when I spotted a freaked-out looking red-eyed fish staring up at me from the water - until I realized it was an abandoned fishing lure. Stepping around my fake fishy friend, I took out my Thermos and the Washington Post and enjoyed a cup of coffee and an article or two, alone on the river except for the occasional passing rower.
On the paddle back I went around the east side of Roosevelt Island but again took the Boundary Channel. As I passed under the bridge which carries the bike trail over the channel, a cyclist stopped to look at me. By amazing coincidence, it was Peter H the Architect, out for a bike ride. Peter H the Architect has the same CLC wooden kayak I have. It's an unusual boat and so he immediately knew it was me when he saw me. We chatted a bit, then I headed back to the marina where I found the CKAPCO group just hitting the water (Pastor Pete had come early to do some practice on his own before class). It turns out that Pete and Mike were not the only familiar faces in that group: my friends Nelson, Peter F, and The Other Jesse were there as well.
I didn't even bother to change before heading home. After a quick stop at the marina rest room (which, at 10 AM, was already active) I hit the road. Back home, both T&V were perplexed to find me there, asking if I had decided not to go kayaking today after all. They were surprised to find that at 10:45 AM I was already back after having kayaked for nearly three hours.
Anyway, a nice, cool morning, surprising interactions with friends, ospreys, wood ducks, cormorants, and coffee. What's not to like?
I must digress and say that I have three kayaking friends named "Peter H.", and so I have chosen to refer to them by occupation. Only two figure into this story, so you won't find any mention of Peter H the Proposal Cost Volume Book Boss, which is just as well, since that's a lot to type.
Pastor Pete and I know each other mostly through the online paddling world, but we have kayaked together here and there in the past. It's surprising to see him on a Sunday; as you might expect, it's usually a work day for him. Today, though, he's left his flock in others' hands and is at the marina to participate in an ACA training certification class with Mike Aronoff. I know Mike, too. He's one of the best instructors in the area - so good that his company is successful even though Mike has chosen to give it the unpronounceable name of CKAPCO, which stands for Canoe, Kayak and Paddle Company. Mike spent his career in the military and clearly picked up it's love for acronyms.
After Pete and I chat for a bit I hit the water. Last night was some kind of super moon (the moon was closer to the earth than usual) and this morning's high tide is HIGH. Not flooding high, but high enough that the Boundary Channel, which can be a muddy, impassable ditch at low tide, felt like a river. I have written before of my love for this little bit of urban wilderness. This morning I see a pair of ospreys hunting for fish, a night heron, and some wood ducks. Wood ducks are like regular mallards made cuter. They're smaller and simply beautiful in color. I also had repeated interactions with the world's stupidest duck. He took off when I got near him, flew a hundred feet, then landed in my path. When I caught up with him he did the same thing again. And again, before he finally flew off in another direction. The blue herons I flushed later in the trip were smarter; they flew around for a while and let me go by before landing again.
It started drizzling a little, which did nothing top diminish the awe of the spot where the Boundary Channel hits the Potomac. As you come out of the channel the river opens up before you. To your right is the postcard view of the Lincoln Memorial with the Washington Monument behind it. To your left, through the bridges, you can see the Kennedy Center and Georgetown. Striking. I headed upriver between Roosevelt Island and the Virginia shore.
The river was teeming with two things: rowers and more wood ducks. It's a little unusual to see wood ducks and I have never seen so many on one outing before. I literally gasped when I saw one with ducklings trailing behind - so cute! The crew boats are less adorable. As I have complained in this space before, they assume right-of-way on the whole river; I hugged the shoreline to stay out of their way (also, the better to see the wood ducks!). At one point five eight-man racing shells came by me at full tilt, followed by their chase boats. It is a pretty impressive sight up close.
I had trouble finding a spot for my coffee break; the water was so high that the little beachy areas along the shore were all submerged. I finally found a place to pull out right above the Fletcher's warning buoy. As I stepped out of the boat I was momentarily startled when I spotted a freaked-out looking red-eyed fish staring up at me from the water - until I realized it was an abandoned fishing lure. Stepping around my fake fishy friend, I took out my Thermos and the Washington Post and enjoyed a cup of coffee and an article or two, alone on the river except for the occasional passing rower.
On the paddle back I went around the east side of Roosevelt Island but again took the Boundary Channel. As I passed under the bridge which carries the bike trail over the channel, a cyclist stopped to look at me. By amazing coincidence, it was Peter H the Architect, out for a bike ride. Peter H the Architect has the same CLC wooden kayak I have. It's an unusual boat and so he immediately knew it was me when he saw me. We chatted a bit, then I headed back to the marina where I found the CKAPCO group just hitting the water (Pastor Pete had come early to do some practice on his own before class). It turns out that Pete and Mike were not the only familiar faces in that group: my friends Nelson, Peter F, and The Other Jesse were there as well.
I didn't even bother to change before heading home. After a quick stop at the marina rest room (which, at 10 AM, was already active) I hit the road. Back home, both T&V were perplexed to find me there, asking if I had decided not to go kayaking today after all. They were surprised to find that at 10:45 AM I was already back after having kayaked for nearly three hours.
Anyway, a nice, cool morning, surprising interactions with friends, ospreys, wood ducks, cormorants, and coffee. What's not to like?
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