Sunday, August 31, 2014

I Love A Good Paddle in the Rain

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I love a Good Paddle in the Rain




It was the first time I paddled in the rain
as mid morning showers swirled around
my kayak in concentric circles and
bounced off the hard surface of my kayak.

Breaking the silence of the cove, high in
the treetops a bald eagle warns his mate
of oncoming potential predators and she
swoops down
                        SWOOSH,
SWOOSH,
SWOOSH,
A full wing span cuts through the air delivering
her to a nest of branches and her two fledglings.

The rain picks up and I paddle to the edge and seek
refuge under an umbrella of hemlock branches.
In the distance I watch a mother loon carrying her
baby on her back.  Suddenly, the dad pops up from
the depths of the lake and joins them. They swim
and bob on the waves made by an aluminum boat
 piloted by two old fishing buddies.

As I make my way around a small island I hear
screeching from high above.  Eagles. I look behind me
 and I see the family of loons close by.
I worry about the loon chicks, will the eagles
decide to attack and swoop up the little one?
the male loon breaks its silence and sends
an alarm with its signature tremolo.

I make my way to the other side watching
painted turtles swimming through the water
as if they were paddling in an aquarium.  Every
so often partially submerged driftwood, , looks like
a mythological wingless dragon guarding the
edges of the lake and daring a paddler not
to come too close.

Yes, I like paddling in the rain.
July 2014 draft 1

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