Kayaking on Coffin Lake. Blog #405

I met Joanie Christian in a store parking lot while I was admiring her kayak mounted to a roof rack. We talked a bit about kayaking and my needs. I settled on the same kayak her and her husband, Jim, have...an Elie Sound 120XE. Along with being a little longer, which eliminates some of the swishings back and forth with each stroke, the added length will be more suitable in ocean bays. 

We met at Coffin Lake, about 20 miles east of town, to launch our boats. I takes two people because we have to carry the boats down a fairly steep hill some 100 yards or so to the lake itself.

Joanie was good enough to take a short video for me.

Joanie teaches nursing and Jim is a biology teacher so I am covered if one, I fall in the lake or two, want some algae identified.

We were following a beaver as it cruised the lake. He would come up occasionally to slap the water with its tail in order to scare us away.

Traveled as far as we could down the outlet until a large set of logs blocked our way.

Technically we could have portaged around the barrier, but then we talked about whether it was legal? The land on both sides is privately owned...but not the water.

It is so beautiful and to be able to glide over the water quietly.

With no breeze whatsoever, the reflection is spot on!

While Jim was exploring near the shore, he heard loud snorting noises just behind the trees. This was explained to me that when a moose wants to come by the shoreline in order to eat or drink but there are people nearby, it will snort its displeasure by making loud noises. We set of shore about 50 yards to see if he'd come out, to no avail.

Near home, I spotted this enormous "anvil-head" thunderstorm moving up the valley.

Many thanks to Jim and Joanie for allowing me to join the trip.