Tuesday July 21, 2015 Jenner CA.
Headed up the river
It was a bit foggy as I put my boat in the water today at Jenner, but that was a whole lot better than the heat they are experiencing inland. I decided last night to try and catch up with the fish tracker biologist’s boat. I looked as I put my boat in the water but they weren’t anywhere in sight, so I headed on up the river hoping to catch up with them somewhere upstream.
This was what the river looked like as I headed on over to Penny Island to head up the river. The fog lifted some as the day progressed.
Squawking herons
I passed by this great blue heron which squawked at me as it took into the air and flew off. I squawked back as I like to hear the dinosaurish screeches. That got me a few more squawks from it.
Loon does well here
I paddled on up to Muskrat and still no biologists. This loon has been hanging around this area a lot and isn’t too skittish around me. It must be doing well fishing as it’s always just sitting on the water taking it easy when I pass.
There they are
Just above Muskrat, I spotted the tracking boat up under the highway one bridge, so I continued on up the river hoping to catch up with them.
They use an electric motor when they are tracking the tagged fish, so I had to keep moving and I was slowly catching up with them. I saw them over by Willow Creek here . It’s hard to see the boat, but it’s off to the right.
Catching up with the biologists
I think Bill must of saw me and slowed the boat down as I started to catch up with them faster and finally caught up with them. Alex a water agency biologist was with Bill.
Lots of questions
I had a bunch of questions for Bill about the estuary so I tagged along until they got up to the Markham hole. Of course I worked them both over about how important the beaver can be for the river’s water system for fish and helping the California drought situation. We also talked about why I think the rock jetty should be removed.
They had plenty of questions for me too so time went fast and we were up at Markham hole before I knew it. They continued on up the river, so I left them and went over and sat at the Markham hole here,looking up the river.
Lots to think about
After talking with these guys, I always have a lot to think about, so I thought as I worked my way down the river.
Seal Haven
I’m approaching Seal Haven where these big redwood logs are sticking up out of the water. Seals and birds like to rest on them.
Here’s some cormorants resting on the logs.
And some cormorants and other birds resting here. I think there is a harbor seal in there too. They blend into the logs real well and are hard to spot sometimes.
Just past the cormorants these four harbor seals watched as I went by.
And there were a lot of merganser ducks resting on these logs. They all pushed into the water as I passed.
I pulled in here at Dead Deer Gulch for a break. Not many boaters on the water, just the way I like it.
Spotted some river otters
I continued on down the river and spotted some river otters along the shoreline here. I could see them moving in the bushes, some adults with some half grown pups. I waited around, but they wouldn’t come out. They were at one of their favorite hangouts, just below the turkey vulture nest. Looking up at Buzzard rock, I could see the young turkey vulture up there near the peak on the right side. It knew I was there and was crouching.
I moved out further into the river hoping the otters would come out, but they didn’t so I continued on down the river and went in for the day.
Burned out
I’m pretty burned out from working on the van, so I just sat around the yard and enjoyed the rest of the day.
Nice day.
