A Paddle, a Hike and the Harbor Seals are Still Munching Salmon

Monday October 12, 2015 Jenner CA.

I was off to Jenner this morning. There was a light haze in the air from water moisture, not thick enough to be called fog and the sun was out and the wind was down. Great.

I put my boat in the water and decided to go up the river to the muskrat nest area, but first I paddled over to this little channel on the upper end of Penny Island where I sat for a good while just enjoying the day.

I made my way through the channel and out the other side and crossed over the river to the south side where I went by these resting cormorants on a submerged redwood log.

New cattle

Across the river from me looking north, I could see these cattle resting up on top of the ridge. Apparently the guy that was running cattle here before has been replaced as he had mostly Herefords and these are now mostly Black Angus cattle. I see the Herefords have moved to another ranch just up the road from this one.

As I paddled by this spot, Eagle’s landing I was thinking it would be a good day to go for a little hike up the hill from here, but first I would paddle up to Muskrat Nest Beach which was just past this spot about a quarter mile or so. I’ll stop by this spot on the way back for that hike.

Muskrat nest area

I worked my way up to his spot and sat for a good while, even napping a bit. As you can see I’m not far up the river from the town of Jenner where I put the boat in this morning.

Lone seagull

Eventually I started back down the river where I saw this lone seagull sitting out in the water. Was there a seal with a big fish? I’m headed over to the big trees on the left side of the photo.

Big fish

I watched as the seagull flew over to this spot and shortly after it landed, I saw this splashing. Yes, the seals have a big fish and are eating it.

There were several harbor seals trying to get in on some of that big fish, likely a salmon.

Still salmon coming in

Even thought the river’s mouth is closed, there still seems to be some salmon getting into the river, likely over the top of the sand with the big waves that have been breaking there the last few days. I saw several seals eating salmon today.

This seal seemed to be getting the most of the big fish.

But these others seem to be getting some of it too. The one seal is trying to get it down it’s throat, but can’t quite make it yet, but shortly it was successful and it was all over.

Hike up the hill at Eagle’s Landing

I continued on to Eagle’s landing where I went to shore and started up the steep hill, trying to remember where the trail was that went up the hill. Half way up the hill, I veered off and decided to try another animal trail that looked like it might go up the hill under some big trees. The trail was good and I made it up to the ridge top.

Here’s my view looking back down and up the river.

Lookout point

I followed an old road or what was left of it to this point which I call lookout point. I’m looking across the river to the town of Jenner. That’s Penny Island there in the middle.

I sat there for a good while taking a break before heading back down the hill to the river. There’s lots of poison oak in this area, so it’s not a hike for just anyone.

I got back in my boat and headed down the river along it’s south edge.

Preening egret

I went by this egret preening. It looked at me and checked me out, then went back to preening even though I was only about thirty feet from it.

There were also some cormorants sunning close by. Here’s a few of the cormorants. Some of them took off as I went by, but a lot of them stayed.

I paddled back through the little channel on the upper end of Penny Island and went on in for the day.

Strawberry plants

I needed a little nap when I got home, but then walked over to my brother’s garden as I wanted to get some of the strawberry plants he was going to turn under with his tractor as he replants new plants each year. I wanted some of the plants to stick in my blueberry and potato plot as they all grow well together. Most of the plants were dried out and dead, but I found some that were on runners that were still mostly alive, so I dug up a bag of them. I looked around in his garden for something to eat and found some nice yellow type carrots which I munched on.

I went back to my yard and planted the strawberry plants in my mulch bed. Hopefully some will survive and produce some berries for me to eat next year.

All that work tired me out, so I hit the couch and that was it for today.

Nice day.