Monday October 21, 2013, Jenner, CA.
A nice fall day kayaking Jenner
When I arrived at the Jenner boat launch this morning there was a big yellow bus in the parking lot. That meat there were about 35 kids kayaking today. Seventh graders from a science class were doing their annual thing. They go out, break up into groups and play biologists for the day and have a great time. Since they were going to be in the lower river, I decided it would be a good day to go on up the river, just a bit, where it was nice and peaceful.
Here they are all lined up and just ready to launch, as I headed up river.
There was a little breeze, but not too bad. As I approached the eagle’s landing area, it was out of the breeze and real calm, looking like this. A bit of fog.
I took my time paddling up the river, I was headed to seal heaven. As I started to pass by the Willow Creek entrance, I decided to go on in the creek as it was high tide and I should be able to get back in there a ways, about a quarter mile, or so.
This is what Willow creek looks like, just as I went under the bridge. Turned out, it was breezier back there than out on the river, so I didn’t stay long.
As I re-entered the river this bird popped up near me. Looked like some kind of grebe with something in it’s beak. Looks like some weeds and a little fish. It couldn’t swallow the fish because of the weeds. It finally dropped the fish back in the water and dove for the fish and came up with just the fish and swallowed it fast.
Seal heaven is just above that area, so I continued on up there. this is the view as I approached seal heaven today.
There weren’t any seals there today, but there were some birds, mostly cormorants and a great blue heron and a white egret took off before I took this photo.
I took a break in this area for awhile and then headed back down the river at a very leisurely pace.
This is the view as I approached the eagle’s landing area as I headed down the river. A bit of fog and it was cool today too.
There were some geese resting near Paddy’s rock as I passed.
I continued down river and turned into the channel that goes down Penny Island’s backside.
Lots of these mud hens or coots where in my path, at least several hundred.
They look like just a big flock of birds sitting out on the water, but if you look close, you can see there are always some of them diving and resurfacing. As far as I can tell, they come here in the fall to eat all the dead vegetation under the water.
Feeding mud hens.
Just past those mud hens were some more geese resting near the shore.
I paddled on down to my slot near the west end of Penny Island were I rested for a bit, then went to the west end of Penny Island were I decided to go on in for the day, which I did.
I came on home and worked on packing some canned goods into my old van as I’m getting ready to go up to the Oregon coast for some kayaking on the rivers up there. Most of what I need is already in the van, except for the food stuff and maybe a little more rain type gear.
They are fishing for salmon and steelhead up there and I plan to paddle around, just watching.
I have a few more things to accomplish and hope to be on my way this weekend.
Another nice day kayaking Jenner.
