What I did today.....

[johnday]

Well, after sharing some PM's, riding a couple miles on me bicycle, and eating, can't forget that. Jan and I took our kayaks down the road to Otter Creek. Besides the photos, we also saw an osprey. This photo is me

 

[johnday]

This one is Jan.

 

[johnday]

The next two are photos of the American Lotus, an endangered species. First one the flower.

 

[johnday]

The seed head.

 

[johnday]

Think you have swallow troubles?

 

[johnday]

Some Snowy Egrets.

 

[johnday]

And lastly, a view of some the Lotus beds.

Thanks for lookin', and enjoy. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[johnday]

OOOps, one more /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif. These are hisbiscus that grow wild in the swamps of lower Michigan. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Mith]

Crikey John, done a bit much today aint ya! That looks too much like hard work! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I love kayaking, the freedom of the open water, swallowing gallons of green water when some fool inevitably thinks its funny to capsize you /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif, losing your beer overboard and being unable to outrun it to catch it /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif, the mad panicked rush as you fight the losing battle to escape the sucking waters of the wier /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif, the pain as you come out the bottom of the wier alive and the kayak smacks you on the head /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif, the embarassment of people laughing at you from the bridge over the wier /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif and the annoyance as the only piece of land on which to empty and correct you kayak is really slippery rocks with bird excrement on it and you keep falling over much to the hilarity of the unhelping onlookers /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif. Yes I love kayaking. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif I have had better experinces than that one though. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Looks like you had a nice relaxing day there John. And getting in touch with the wildlife too. Them swallows are real nice, dont half make a mess though /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Some of us sat in the rain at home all day. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[johnday]

Oh Mith, always a source of entertainment. One of these days I'm gonna make a book of your posts, and sell it. Oughta make a million on it! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifLOL

Actually, Kayaking is pretty easy. They go thru the water without much effort. The ones we have are sport models. 8'9" long, and about 45#. You can see in the photo, mine has a tendency to take a little more water than Jans. Can't figure that! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif With the short ones like ours, you can get into some pretty tight areas in swamps and such. Never dumped one yet though. IMO, once you try a yak, you'll shy away from canoes. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Mith]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( once you try a yak, you'll shy away from canoes )</font>
Well John I definately can Yak, infact I Canoe stop talking /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[johnday]

Oh Lord, What hath we wrought? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[thcri]

Looks like a real relaxing day john. them are the best where you have no worries and just enjoy mother nature.


murph

 

[shoppintractors]

Otter Creek is a beautiful place. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Nice Pic's. I enjoy the water bike I use. It combines bicycle riding and Cat'in. It has dual pontoons similar to a Hobie "Cat" just smaller. I enjoy the smaller crafts for getting up close to nature without scarin' them away. The waterbikes are built locally in Adrian, MI.

Don

 

[johnday]

Shoppin; Yeah those waterbikes are nice. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif With the yaks I can put two of them in the back of the truck, and lock the cap. I think the waterbikes are just a little too big our use. I didn't know they were made in Adrian, small world. We've used our yaks up on Isle Royale, in Lake Erie, and Lake Huron. Big fun when you're in around 2-3' waves! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[shoppintractors]

Ya, The water bikes would be a bit more cumbersome to put in the back of a pick 'em up. You'd have to break 'em down. They go about 12 mph. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif smokin'!

They're made by the Meyers Boat Company Are these the ones you're thinking of?

Don

 

[SnowRidge]

Otter Creek? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Looks more like Otter Lake. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Nice calm body of water. I don't see any wakes. Are power boats banned?

 

[Mith]

Sounds like you bin some pretty nice places in the kayaks of yourn. As to yours taking on a little more water, maybe you should lay off the water intake, or atleast wait till you get back onshore! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
John, if you aint dumped one yet you either arent trying hard enough or your wife is too considerate to help you over.
Have you ever done sea kayaking. Apart from being the most utterly mind-crushingly boring thing you will ever do its actually rather fun. As you said the blast from riding a huge wave to where you just spend all that effort paddling aganst the waves to get to is huge. Did it a little while ago on the Isle of Wight. They even had drink holders (PUI, paddling under the influence /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif) and for some reason I became the target for capsizing. Needless to say I masted the art of fast travel quickly /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif. It was either that that made it fun or the fact that prevously we had been doing climbing and I felt that getting wet and cold was the lesser of the two evils /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Your canoes dont sound particualrly short to me /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Have you seen those ones for vertically challenged fold, I think they call them stunt kayaks /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Seems like a yet more effective way to cause bodily harm /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

While were on the watersports theme have you ever tried surfing, definately a must-do. Great fun, you meet lots of cool people and make a complete fool of yourself infront of them all in one day. Marvellous /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[johnday]

Yes, thats them. I've seen them on some inland lakes. Looked like they may be fun. Nothing like quiet on the water. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[johnday]

Snow; Powerboats are allowed as far as I know, but it's very shallow and wide in this area, not much current. Just downstream from where we put in, there are some decent sized marinas with powerboats and sailboats. The creek lets out into Lake Erie. But in this section, when paddling I've even struck bottom. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif