Millpond and Kayak

I've wanted a kayak ever since I heard the work 'kayak'. I probably didn't hear the word until high school or the first year in college, but even so, that's a long time to want something. Not that I've been deprived or that I've felt deprived. I've always had access to the water. I've been canoeing a long time and I practically grew up on the water. Dad got a boat about the time I was 12 and we had summers with camping and fishing and skiing and boating. Later Dad and Mom had a place on the Bay River where they set nets, worked crabpots, even tried shrimping. That lasted nearly twenty years it seems.

But the kayak. The smallness of it. The simplicity. The ease of transport. The solitude. Those things appealed to me. l

The 23rd of June, 2007 I bought two of them. I found them at Sam's club. They appeared good enough. The price was right. Now I can carry one on my head or drag it to the millpond anytime I want. I don't have to plan ahead. I don't need any help. It's easy. I just decide and go.

I've been out on the kayak many times this past few weeks. Stella and I have been out. Daniel and I have gone out. Michael and I have paddled. I've been with Keith. He liked it enough that he bought his own. I've been out alone alot too. I always take my camera. I'm trying to get a picture of the geese coming in after sundown. I haven't gotten the perfect picture yet. I have gotten a few pictures of other things.

The other night I was waiting for another flock of geese to come gliding in. I noticed this storm of little fly-bugs swirling around my head. I shot a few pictures and when I zoomed in on these miniscule winged things, I was surprised to see that they were actually tiny people, with wings. Look at the pictures here and see for yourself. I saw them again last night.

In the daytime there were leaves floating on the pond. I saw this one with red on it. It may be a Virginia Creeper leaflet. That's what it looks like. They often turn red by late summer.

I can comfortably reach some places with the kayak that I might not have seen otherwise. With the paddles out to the sides it is harder than the canoe to maneuver in tight places, but once you get into a tight spot it is easier to turn around with the kayak because of it's shorter length. There are pros and cons with everything.

I am glad I bought them. I can do fun things alone and I can do fun things with people I love. Wonder if Mom and Dad want to give it a try?

The millpond is around 300 years old. When it was empty after the dam broke, I went to count the rings on a submerged cypress log. I estimated that it was over 900 years old when it was cut. They can live to be over 2000 years old I've since discovered. The old ones on the Black River near Wilmington have been proven to be in that age range. I saw them by canoe with my friend, Ron. It was an otherworldly place. I want to go back there and show them to You. If you don't get to see them in person, at least see my pictures at www.flickr.com/photos/crowdive in a set called 'black river'.

Here also is a picture of my dad and friends standing atop the dam at our millpond back in the late 40's or early 50's.