High Tide
It is high tide on the Broward. Most of the marsh birds are resting and waiting for the tide to turn to hunt. The sun glistens like diamonds in the ripples on the water. The sky is blue and there is not a cloud to be seen. A crisp cool breeze blows and refreshes the air. It is a picture perfect fall afternoon on the river. I look up river and see the sea gulls and terns swooping down like rockets to catch fish. I have a tough choice, clean my desk or grab my paddle and launch my Wavewalk into river. What is another day of a messy desk?
The pull of the kayak through the water is effortless as I lift one side of the paddle and then dip the other. Soon I am out in the channel with Royal Terns and Sea Gulls sweeping by, their eyes glued on the waters below. I pull over to the opposite bank to get the sun at my back and watch and wait. A Royal Tern abruptly turns, its eyes locked on the prize below. My new 7D Mk II captures the dive sequence almost perfectly. Too bad the poor Tern missed the fish or it would have been a real Kodak moment.
As I turn into the channel to the Secret Broward Hideout, white feathered fowl begin to glance in my direction. A low hanging branch blocks a bend before I can get a good shot. The branch snags the kayak and swings me around. Taken by surprise, a flock of Hooded Merganser ducks hiding in the marsh take off like a heard of frightened horses. I had no idea they were there. That is all it took for the hideout gang to take wing. Drats! So much for my quiet approach. I push the doohickey as fast as I can. A few birds circle back and land again in the hideout. Not wishing to disturb them, I leave. While gliding back towards the dock a pair of Great Egrets rise from the marsh and alight in the tree next to my landing. A slight turn of the paddle guides the Wavewalk into my landing by the tree and lets me capture the Egret's liftoff as I dock the kayak. There to greet me is my faithful Tricolored Heron friend waiting patiently by the landing. It jumps up on the stump by my landing giving me a nod as if he is glad to see me.
It felt good to have a "High Tide" afternoon. I need to get back on the river more often. I have spent enough time in the muck at low tide lately waiting for the marsh birds. Time to get out and explore the river a bit more while the weather is nice. Who knows, I might just catch that Kodak moment with my new camera too. Hope to see those ducks again too, only this time I will be ready. Be Blessed. Harry
A Royal Tern spies a fish below and does a Royal Tern turn..
Got my eye on you fishy!
The tern goes into a fast dive..
The tern misses and I miss my Kodak moment too!
The Secret Broward Hideout is full of white feathered fowl, they scatter when I snag a branch on my approach and spook a flock of Merganser ducks hidden in the marsh.
The wood stork grudgingly gives up its roost
A Black Vulture lands and then quickly decides to leave also.
The Snowy Egret takes flight then quickly returns to the hideout..
A tricolored Heron also glides back to the tree..I decide to return to the dock and leave them in peace
A pair of Great Egrets land in the tree by my dock…I have to swing the bow in their direction to land..
With angel like wings the Egret gently rises..
Graceful wings reach forward as it clears the branches...
Then the Egret puts the pedal to the metal..
It heads back to the hideout..after giving me "the look"
My Tricolored Heron friend greets me on my return with a nod of its beak..