Wednesday, May 9, 2012

The Roots

I love this section of the Nippersink.  This is why I started canoeing.  This section of Nippersink Creek winds through Glacial Park.  I dropped in at Pioneer Landing and headed up stream into the park.  This is a very popular area and most people go with the current from Keystone Landing to Pioneer.


Since the last time I was out on this section (last season), conservation started a wooded area rehabilitation and cleared a lot of undergrowth and it seemed like a lot of trees.  The area looked a lot different than I remembered.



It didn't take long before I started seeing wild life on this trip.  I watched a muskrat swim by almost right at the launch.  Then I saw a raccoon run under some exposed roots and there was a total of 4 deer on this trip.    It was pretty exciting.



The water felt like it was towards the higher level.  It was moving pretty strong and there were a few spots that I really had to fight to get up current.  There were a lot of large stones and fallen trees just under the surface in some spots too.  I passed over one large tree trunk with just milometers of water under me.  I was expecting to feel the back end bump over it, but it didn't.  I am also pretty sure I bumped a fish with my paddle. I felt my paddle hit something and then there was splashing a muddy water everywhere.  The carp were all over the place, so I think I may have startled a fat one.   


There is a little inlet that I have not noticed in the past.  It is right after the bike path bridge if you are headed up stream.  The water was deep enough to enter and it was very very calm water.  There were 4 drainage pipes that led under a path.....and the canoe technically fit in the largest one.... but I didn't feel like exploring too hard.  I tucked the front in for the heck of it and then pulled back out to the creek.


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