"You don't take a 75 degree day and NOT go canoeing," says Gary. "That's common sense."
Only once before were Gary and I able to canoe on a March day in Wisconsin. Back in 2007, we were able to do so on March 26. That makes today a record.
There are certain rules for canoeing. The first thing I must do is buy a foot long sub sandwich. This is the easiest meal to take and simplicity is what I like. The canoe goes on top of Gary's van and I follow him to our final destination. In this case it was the River's Edge Resort on Highway F west of Nichols. I parked my car there and together we rode in his van to the boat landing on Highway 156, also called Clintonville Road. The boat landing is at a little bayou on the edge of the Wolf River. Unfortunately, it was still encased in ice.
Just over the Highway 156 bridge was the edge of the Navarino Nature Area with another parking area. This was on the edge of the river, which was free flowing. We put the canoe in there instead.
We found that most of the tributaries leading into the Wolf were still frozen, but the big river was fine, except for occasional ice chunks. We discussed the Titanic, but the ice bits were no thicker than a quarter of an inch, and unlike icebergs, there was nothing underneath to crash into our canoe.
10:30 a.m. We set off. The sandhill cranes in the marshes around us set up a cacophony of warning cries. Flickers called out and pecked on their favorite trees. Those two sounds along with the honking of geese would follow us throughout the day. A red-tailed hawk cruised overhead.
The water temperature was about 40 degrees, still too cold to bring the turtles out of their winter mud to sun themselves on logs. We were over ten degrees away from the sturgeon spawning. But the warmth of sun on our backs was exactly what we wanted.
We cruised past one of our sturgeon guard sites where someone ingeniously turned an old wagon into a movable gazebo. If the weather stays this warm, sturgeon guarding won't be far off.
I soon leaned back, setting my paddle aside. Gary worked with the river current. I said I would paddle if necessary, but that would mean the trip would be faster, and who would want that? A day like this almost makes winter worth it.
10:55 a.m. A herd of white tailed deer crashed through the marsh. We estimated twelve to fifteen deer. No deer shortage here, despite hunters' complaints.
Trees downed during the winter stretched across the river, but we usually could navigate around them. At one point, however, we had to bend way down in our seats to go under a horizontal tree. We barely made it.
11:49 a.m. We heard the first kingfisher of the year chatter as it missed its prey. Shortly after a mourning cloak fluttered by. The mourning cloak can be seen as many as eleven months out of the Wisconsin year, but it still is lovely to see a butterfly in March.
The Wolf River meanders so much so that when you see some interesting structure in the distance, you know that if you follow the river for fifteen minutes, you will come to a bend and the river will take you back for a closer look.
More tomorrow.
Only once before were Gary and I able to canoe on a March day in Wisconsin. Back in 2007, we were able to do so on March 26. That makes today a record.
There are certain rules for canoeing. The first thing I must do is buy a foot long sub sandwich. This is the easiest meal to take and simplicity is what I like. The canoe goes on top of Gary's van and I follow him to our final destination. In this case it was the River's Edge Resort on Highway F west of Nichols. I parked my car there and together we rode in his van to the boat landing on Highway 156, also called Clintonville Road. The boat landing is at a little bayou on the edge of the Wolf River. Unfortunately, it was still encased in ice.
Just over the Highway 156 bridge was the edge of the Navarino Nature Area with another parking area. This was on the edge of the river, which was free flowing. We put the canoe in there instead.
We found that most of the tributaries leading into the Wolf were still frozen, but the big river was fine, except for occasional ice chunks. We discussed the Titanic, but the ice bits were no thicker than a quarter of an inch, and unlike icebergs, there was nothing underneath to crash into our canoe.
10:30 a.m. We set off. The sandhill cranes in the marshes around us set up a cacophony of warning cries. Flickers called out and pecked on their favorite trees. Those two sounds along with the honking of geese would follow us throughout the day. A red-tailed hawk cruised overhead.
The water temperature was about 40 degrees, still too cold to bring the turtles out of their winter mud to sun themselves on logs. We were over ten degrees away from the sturgeon spawning. But the warmth of sun on our backs was exactly what we wanted.
We cruised past one of our sturgeon guard sites where someone ingeniously turned an old wagon into a movable gazebo. If the weather stays this warm, sturgeon guarding won't be far off.
I soon leaned back, setting my paddle aside. Gary worked with the river current. I said I would paddle if necessary, but that would mean the trip would be faster, and who would want that? A day like this almost makes winter worth it.
10:55 a.m. A herd of white tailed deer crashed through the marsh. We estimated twelve to fifteen deer. No deer shortage here, despite hunters' complaints.
Trees downed during the winter stretched across the river, but we usually could navigate around them. At one point, however, we had to bend way down in our seats to go under a horizontal tree. We barely made it.
11:49 a.m. We heard the first kingfisher of the year chatter as it missed its prey. Shortly after a mourning cloak fluttered by. The mourning cloak can be seen as many as eleven months out of the Wisconsin year, but it still is lovely to see a butterfly in March.
The Wolf River meanders so much so that when you see some interesting structure in the distance, you know that if you follow the river for fifteen minutes, you will come to a bend and the river will take you back for a closer look.
More tomorrow.
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