Kayak trip – Post dated entry

Last weekend (Oct 7) I threw my kayak into the black river where it meets Lake Erie and paddled upstream. It’s very wide and deep since they dredge it to allow ore barges access to the steel mill. I thought that this might be an ugly route but I really wanted to get out and this is the closest place. (Closest besides Lake Erie which can be very choppy and windy).

There is a brand new development on the waterfront I had never seen before. I kinda knew something was going up in that area but there were probably 50 or more units there. Accross the river is a new park that went up a couple years ago when they eliminated the taconite ore storage mound. (1000 ft barges on the lake would unload there and they would be reloaded onto 600 ft barges to move up the river). I was a nasty black site for many years. Now it’s a beautiful park. I hope they can accomplish even 10% of what was done on the Burlington VT waterfront. It will be beautiful. Maybe I’ll purchase one of those condos and have a place on the water

So, I threw my kayak in the back of the Taurus wagon – a trick I copied from my FIL, Fred. My 12 footer sticks out about 2 feet and visibility is only impaired a little. I drove to the marina attached to the new condos and found an empty dock to throw it in. I’m not sure if this is allowed so I need to check out the boat launch on the other side. I hope they won’t try to charge me $5 to launch a Kayak!

The day was sunny and about 60 degrees. Needed a sweatshirt for the first quarter mile then shedded it. The route was very nice with flat water, little wind and almost no other boat traffic. Only small sections of the steel mill are visible. I can’t believe how massive those things are! I checked out Google Maps when I got back and found out I only covered abut half way up their property and it took me nearly an hour each way. I saw about a dozen great blue herons – the most I’ve ever seen on a single day. There must be plenty of fish and, since there are no homes, few people to disturb them. I took my binoculars and stoppped often to admire the scenery.  Now that I know the route I’ll plan for an entire afternoon and make the entire trip. Should be fun.

Peace and love to all.