Some of my favourite creatures to photograph live in shallow water habitats — ponds, creeks and, my favourite, marshes. Wearing my water shoes, I’m not averse to mucking about in those areas, but my entire world changed when I got my kayak.
The quiet propulsion of a kayak, combined with easy access to hidden, shallow, and narrow channels, afford the paddler much closer, more intimate encounters and observations of wildlife and, out on a marsh, amongst the reeds, the rare opportunity of seeing habitats, and creatures that are well-concealed from land. I’ve been fortunate enough to have had such interludes with Great Blue Herons, Buffleheads, Trumpeters and, most enjoyably, with “Freddie” — Blandings turtle, and friend to all paddlers. He positively shows off when a kayak draws near and, if you leave before he’s finished his antics, he’ll follow the yak for a good few minutes. Meet Freddie:
Away from the often well-trampled shorelines, a paddler can often find some rare, or otherwise difficult to spot, species. One such “discovery” for me was a good-sized clump of Tufted Loosestrife (Lysimachia thyrsiflora). We were in the midst of confirming the Blaney species (Vascular Plant Checklist) and no one had been able to spot them. Out on my kayak one afternoon I found some, on a piece of land inaccessible from the park, and was able to take a picture to confirm my sighting.
↑ Tufted Loosestrife (Lysimachia thyrsiflora) ↓
After merely my second outing on my kayak, my initial objectives had all been met — and some! But the real joy was entirely unexpected!
If one would reflect, let him embark on some placid stream, and float with the current.⭑
Something very special happens when I’m sitting quietly, mere inches above the water: liquid lapse of thought. The serenity of the marsh, combined with the cadence of the paddle strokes is akin to mindfulness meditation. Life’s stress and busyness have melted away, and I am the closest I’ve ever been to a transcendental state. Those of my friends who do not paddle, find this very hard to believe, but, that “oneness” with the water and nature is not to be scoffed at, believe me!
sublime, but ever calm and gently undulating⭑
Many thanks to Beth for this very creative challenge which, I for one, loved working on! Please take a minute to visit Beth’s post – enjoy her wonderful images and her narrative! You’ll be glad you did, promise:
Lens Artists Photo Challenge #395 – Looking back to #151 On the Water
’Til next time, y’all…
⭑H.D. Thoreau, journal entry “Sailing With And Against The Stream” — page 42, Nov. 3, “1837” from “The Journal of Henry David Thoreau” — full text below:
SAILING WITH AND AGAINST THE STREAM
Nov. 3. If one would reflect, let him embark on some placid stream, and float with the current. He cannot resist the Muse. As we ascend the stream, plying the paddle with might and main, snatched and impetuous thoughts course through the brain. We dream of conflict, power, and grandeur. But turn the prow down stream, and rock, tree, kine, knoll, assuming new and varying positions, as wind and water shift the scene, favor the liquid lapse of thought, far-reaching and sublime, but ever calm and gently undulating.
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