Shake-Down Cruise

We finally put the canoe in the river for the first time since we moved here. What took us so long, I wondered, as soon as we got out on the water.

Since it was a trial run, we didn't go for very long, just about an hour. The trolling motor was a bit cranky, so Bill had to get out the oars and get his aerobic exercise for the day. I forgot to bring sunscreen (!), so I took off my life jacket and used it to cover my legs so I didn't cook completely.

It is so quiet on the tributary, and so full of natural life. Here's a view (far off in the distance on the left) of Devil's Nose from our new perspective:



There were turtles perched on every log and snag:


















And a Green Heron in the trees:



















The good news is that the canoe didn't leak very much, and we had an hour of peaceful communing with nature. Now that we know what we're doing and the canoe has been proclaimed water-worthy, we'll plan on another trip, (with sunscreen this time), soon.