5/20/07 Assateague Trip Day 3
Last night all I could here were the waves crashing on the beach, so when I woke up this morning I was not sure if it was the wind or waves.
Awake around 5:00AM, still late for me. Dad is up and moving around. I don't even put my boots on right away. I drink a cup of coffee, and we talk about all the ticks in camp and how both of us were awaken by them. Pretty buggy down here at Pine Tree. Birds are constantly scavenging for bugs.
After coffee I throw my boots on and start packing up. We want to be on the water by 8 this morning. I throw my gear in the kayak, gather up all my camera equipment and water. I still have 4 liters of water left. I use one to put the fire out and the other I just dump out. Now I am at a good weight for rough seas.
So we make it in the water by 8. The wind has died down quite a bit. Very few white camps in the bay. This should be an easy paddle back.
No signs of the colt and his parents this morning. There is a huge Bald Eagle sitting on a hunters blind, a good photo opportunity, but the bay is too rough. He flies off with a black bird chasing him.
Paddling is easier today. I have a lot more energy then I did yesterday. We make it down to Tingles in no time. The narrows are calm as can be. Couple ponies grazing in the distance. Egrets everywhere and a pair of Oyster Catchers stay close to their nest.
Through the narrows and the wind has picked up again, looks like rain. We pick up the pace a bit trying to avoid the clouds quickly approaching. We make it back to Ferry Landing. Before the rain hits we are packed up and on the road. We should be home by 12:00PM. This was a good trip. Click here to see map.
5/19/07 Assateague Trip Day 2
Woke up late this morning, I think it was around 5:30am. Dad is already up and has a fire going, it is kind of chilly. The wind has picked up again. The birds are singing with the sounds of waves crashing on the beach.
It is going to be another rough day on the bay.
We are slow getting moving this morning. It is high tide and the ponies have moved out to a little Island between the coast and Tingles Narrows. I didn't hear the ponies at all last night.
I think both of us were exhausted from the trip yesterday. We stay around camp for quite a long time this morning.
We pack up are gear and start to head down to the launch site around 1:00PM. My kayak is a little bit lighter today, but still to heavy. We launch into the rough waters. The wind has died down a little compared to yesterday and the bay is a little bit calmer. Two and a half miles to Pine Tree Camp. We talk about heading down 7 miles further, but decide if the wind keeps up it will make for a long trip back on Sunday.
We around down to the camp around 3:00 pm. Exhausted, I do not have any energy today. We unpack and set the tents up.
The wind is blowing, but it is warm out. I grab my pfd and sleeping pad and lay down for a bit. Dad has the same idea. Somehow I fall a sleep and wake up to a cool breeze a half and hour later. Dad is knocked out.
I decide to go do a little exploring out in the marsh. I walk down to the launch site and there are a pair of Tri-colored Heron. I knew we had them around here, but never been lucky enough to see one. To more species of heron to find. I snap couple photos of the pair, they fly off quickly.
I head off in the direction they flew, I find one in the marsh and try to sneak up on him. I get a few more shoots off before he flee's. So much for that, I don't think I got any good shoots.
When we were coming in early I saw a pair of ponies in the marsh about a 1/4 mile away. I decide to try to find them. With the tide so high the marsh is flooded. I spot the ponies fairly quickly. It looks like there may be one laying in the grass between the two. I spot them with my lens and to my surprise it is a colt. I approach them slowly and cautiously. The colt looks very young, maybe a week or two old. The stallion approaches. Luckily there is a 4 foot channel between us, I still decide to back off a little.
After about 15 minutes the Mare and colt start to move in a little closer. I snap off a few shoots as they approach. The colt stays close to the mare as she grazes. A few more shots before I head back. I wonder if the colt is the first of the season.
Back to camp and Dad is up and moving around. He says the cold breeze has woken him. I let him know about the colt so he can get some shots. So we head back.
Back to camp again. It is around 5:00PM now and it looks like rain clouds off in the distance. We start a fire and prepare for the worst. I throw all my camera gear into my tent. A few drops fall from the sky, and looks like it is pouring north of us. Pretty lucky.
The wind has died down again. I grab my tripod and camera and head back down to the marsh. The sky is beautiful. Reflections of clouds decorate the marsh pools. I set up for a few shoots. The mosquitos are eating me alive. Back to camp.
The whip-poor-wills start singing there songs. A mouse scurries thru camp as we eat a late dinner. I am tired tonight and head off to bed early.
5/18/07 Assateague Trip Day 1
I take 1/2 a day today, off at 10:00am, and rush home. Meet up with Dad at 11:00am and we are off. We stop at a little place just outside of Assateague to have lunch. Pretty good meal, wish I could remember the name of the place.
We make it down to the Ranger station to pick up are backcountry pass, the only reason that I, and probably most, consider this backcountry is that there is no fresh water near by and if you run out you could get yourself into trouble. So we are signed in and warned that "there is a small craft advisory", we both nod and head down to the launch site.
We are about to launch when a pair of yellow lesserlegs land on the beach right next to us. The male is putting on a show for the female, something amazing to watch. I don't get my camera out, even though I want to, the noise may startle them. Off we go 1:00pm and we are in the water. We make it out about a 1/4 mile and hit shallow water, 6 inches deep. It is a struggle to get thru, I even consider getting out and walking, but the thought off wet boots discourages me. Seems like it is a half an hour before we make it through, probably only 5 minutes.
So we finally make it out to the bay. The wind is blowing 15 to 20 and bay is filled with white caps. I start to feel that my kayak has been pushed to it's weight limits, as I take waves over the stern, nearly 25lbs of drinking water and probably 40 lbs of gear. I am soaked. We paddle down and decide to stop at Tingles only 2.5 miles, but it felt like 15. The wind and waves have taken there toll on both of us.
After catching are breath we make some coffee. It is around 55 deg's, but being wet and having a 15 mph wind blow past, really gives a man chills. The coffee warms us up enough to set up camp. We gather some fire wood, and prepare for the evening.
I look out into the marsh and there is 3 Ponies, I grab my camera and quietly walk out to meet them. There is a small gathering of grass and pushes that I crouch behind. I snap off a few shots as she approaches. Beautifully marked, she makes her way closer. I back off a little, I know that many people approach the horses and feed them, I don't want too startle her. She approaches Dad, almost as if to say get out of my way. She jumps a small channel and heads off.
Dad heads up to the Ocean while I explore the Marsh. I meet up with a herd of ponies, many stallions and mares. I sit and watch them as the feed and court one another. A few images capture to remember them by. I head back to camp to see if Dad is back, not yet.
Heading down to the water I see a couple Kites fishing, some Lesser's, Egrets and Cormorant's. It is cloudy and windy, but the wildlife is abundant. Looks like it may clear up.
The wind dies down around 6:00PM. We have a fire blazing and about to eat. Darkness falls with the songs of Whip-poor-will and ocean waves crashing. It has been a good day.
5/13/07 Nassawango Creek
I am up at 4:00am this morning to let are new puppy out. It is raining out and kind of chilly.
So I am debating to head out today. Working Saturdays makes for a very short weekend, and I have a lot to do. Around 6:00am I check the radar to see what is going on. Looks like it may be clearing up out to the west.
It is 9:00am now and my wife is up. She wants to head out to some stores. So much for getting out to take some photographs today.
We head out around 10:00am and are back around 1:00pm. The sun is shining.
Dad comes over to check the puppy out. I ask him if he wants to head out tonight around 5:00pm. He is up for it.
We head down to the creek and are in the water by 5:30pm.
Everything is so green. The lily pads are already everywhere. Flowers are starting to bloom and the trees are filled with song birds.
We head down about a mile and we see a Bald Eagle fly off. Looks like he flew up around the bend. This may be a good opportunity to get some shots of him fishing. We come around a couple bends in the creek and I see something big fly up into the trees. I think it must be that Eagle. I slowly come around the bend and I can barley see him thru the leaves. I grab my camera. As we make it around the bend I see that it is an Osprey, and off he goes.
I am surprised that the Eagle has gone up so far, somewhat unusual, maybe he headed down to the Pocomoke.
The creek has really widened now. We are about a 1 1/2 miles from the Pocomoke. Around another bend, there he is. The Eagle sitting with his back to the sun and us. I can see him looking for some fish. Slowly I take out my camera, not making a sound. I snap off a couple pictures, and he turns his head. A few more shots are fired, and he hesitates for a second. Off he goes, down the river again. I hate to interrupt his hunting.
Well no shots of that guys fishing today, the sun is starting to set. I hope that Bald Eagle gets his meal tonight...
Back up the river we go. Maybe we will get lucky and see a couple of Racoon's on the way back up. Half way back I think a Green Heron flew off thru the trees, hard to say though. The sun is playing tricks with the lighting as it sets. Didn't see much more on the way back home...
5/5/07 Pocomoke River
Today my Dad and I are heading out to the Pocomoke River. I think it is his first time out this year.
Its kind of chilly at 5:00am, Once again I go out not prepared for the weather, luckily it is going to warm up quick. I hope it warms up soon.
For some reason I am thinking of Night Heron today. I think I saw one once down at Blackwater, but I was not sure.
We head down the river, It is amazing how much it changes from day to day. Everything looks so different, spring is definitely here.
We are about 3/4 of a mile down the river when we see something fly from the trees, a Black Crowned Night Heron. I grab my camera and realize I am missing my film, thought I checked before I left, it will not happen again. Dad loans me his, so I paddle ahead.
The Heron is sitting in the trees, the lighting is horrible. I have to take a few shoots, might not see one again in a while.
We continue down, pretty amazing how things kind of work out. We paddle down to Fall in Landing, Dad named it for the first time I fell into the river. I call it Fox Landing simply because after drying off, we walked up the hill and saw two fox out in the field.
We get out and walk up the hill hoping to see some more fox, 4 deer on the edges of the woods in the distance, but there are not any fox.
It is around 9:00am now, we start heading back. See that little Heron again on the way back, still sitting in the trees......
4/28/07 Upper Nassawango Creek
I was up at 4:00am this morning, what a beautiful day. I get my gear together and am ready to go by 4:30am. I get a call at 5:00am, it is my Dad. He is not going to be able to go this morning.What to do? I make a pot of coffee and work on my page for a while.
I call one of my friends and see what he is up to. He tells me to come over so I leave the house at 10:00am and arrive around 10:30am. We chat for a while, I tell him I am getting ready to go and he suggest that I launch from the back of the house.
I am on the water by 11:30am and I start heading up the creek. I come around the bend and there is a 4' corn snake sitting on the bank. Startled me for a second.
I head up about a 1/4 mile and come across a huge cypress down. I am going to have to portage around it. As soon as I land I see two deer. One runs off and the other just stares at me. I patiently wait to get out. The dear returns to graze and I slowly get out, she does not see me. I grab my camera and sneak up on her. I get off a couple shoots and off she goes.
I continue up the creek to the bridge and do not see anything else. I stop off on a little Island as I return and have a snack and drink. I am there for a 1/2 an hour before I start back.
The rest of the day is pretty uneventful...I return around 5:00.
4/15/07 Lower Nassawango Creek
4:30am and 26 deg's, I am up and ready to get going. The sun won't be up for another hour and a half.
I make a pot of coffee check my mail, then start getting ready. Dressed and ready to go at 6:00am, 32 deg's.
Down to the creek at 6:30am, 34 deg's. I start heading up, first time going any distance up the creek.
The first bend and I hear something in the woods, I stop to take a look. Wild turkey, I only see one, but I can hear the others. He is off pretty
quick, no chance to get any shoots off.
I didn't really dress well this morning I hope it warms up quick. The creek is really moving out today.
The Nor Easter must be really affecting the tides.
The wind is starting pick up a little bit, but it is warming up quick.
I continue up the creek about 2 miles into the trip I see a pair of Barred Owls, must be a mating pair. I sit and watch then until they fly off, hopefully I will see
them again around the next bend.
A lot of portaging going up the creak, but I don't mind. I have seen quite a few wood ducks today, not much chance of
getting any shoots of them, as soon as they see me there off female squawking.
I am up to the bridge around 10:00am, its so quite. No site of the two owls, I was kind of looking forward to seeing them again.
Heading back down is a little bit easier, seams the tide has gone down a lot and the portages have been reduced. I make it back down by noon. Only 5 miles today, and not much out.
Good trip though.