With the River’s Mouth Closed the River Is Like a Lake At Monte Rio

Thursday October 22, 2020 Guerneville CA.

Kayak day

The best way to avoid work around the place is to go down to the river and go kayaking for the day. Since it was such a nice Fall day off I went around noon to Monte Rio boat ramp to put my boat in the river at the boat ramp.

Closed mouth makes it nice

With the river’s mouth still closed down at the ocean the water level here in Monte Rio is high so it’s like a lake and easy to paddle on up the river going under this bridge. I’ll be paddling up to the summer dam and bridge crossing just below Guernewood Park as that’s about how far the river gets backed up from the mouth closure.

Reflections

There’s not usually much wind up in this area especially this time of year so one gets some nice reflections.

I think I saw more mallard ducks along the way than any other critters.

A merganser and a pair of mallard ducks resting on this log. They are wild but fairly trusting in this area.

I continued up the river about a mile here moving along slowly enjoying the day.

Hawk ahead

Just up ahead I saw a hawk land in the tree on the right so I slowly worked my way up to it and it didn’t fly off.

It looks like it might be a red shouldered hawk just sitting around.

Summer bridge

I made my way up to the summer bridge crossing. The dam that was there is out for the year as winter is coming.

I paddled on under the bridge.

Turn around point

And pulled in behind this cone. When something breaks the water like the cone is or a rock, it sucks the boat right up to it and holds it there so it’s a good place to stop for a rest and look around. This is as far as I’m going today, maybe a mile and a half or so up the river from Monte Rio.

Eventually I started my slow trek back down the river going by these mallard ducks feeding in the weeds. It seems you can get closer to wildlife around Monte Rio than anyplace else I’ve been.