Wednesday April 23, 2014 Jenner CA.
Spring means more wind in Jenner
When I put in today, the wind was about ten miles an hour, which isn’t too bad and it wasn’t a cold wind. Spring time is wind time in the Jenner area and it continues up until the first part of August. However, there are lots of times when there is little wind or no wind, but there is certainly more wind during the spring time. You know, kit flying and all during March? The saving grace is the wind is usually not cold, just a bit cool.
I crossed over the river to Penny Island and went through the little channel on the east end and across to the south shore and on up.
This is my view as I paddled along.
These nice looking cormorants where on a log as I went on by sunning themselves.
I worked my way up to Rat Nest Beach and sat there for awhile, before crossing the river to the north side. The wind was low in this area as I paddled along this shore line. I paddled over to Paddy’s rock which you see to the left in the river.
This was my view just as I rounded Paddy’s rock which you can see on the right, looking down towards the town of Jenner.
On the other side of Paddy’s rock were these cormorants. We are down to four now, where there was two or three hundred of them in this spot just a short time ago. There are more scattered around on the river, not the numbers there were earlier. I’ve seen a few of them heading towards the ocean with nest building materials in there bills flying along.
There were also these merganser ducks getting some sun there too. One drake and three hens.
Just down the river from them a ways, I approached some geese on the shoreline. They have some little ones with them in the grass. They honked a bit when I approached, so I didn’t get too close. They sure are noisy when they honk.
A place out of the wind
I paddled back down the river where the wind had come up to about twenty miles an hour, so I pulled into the little channel on the east end of Penny Island where the wind doesn’t blow and sat around there for awhile.
The little channel on the east end of the island where I sat around taking it easy.
This pair of Mallards was also there taking it easy. The female is preening and the male is keeping an eye on me.
Up above my head, a bird landed, a flicker. A pair of flickers have been working over the eucalyptus trees for a couple weeks now. The east end of Penny Island has a bunch of eucalyptus trees on it. They are what help to block the winds from the little channel I’m sitting in.
One of the Flickers.
After awhile, I ventured out into the river on the north side of the island where the wind was blowing fairly good. There were some nice waves out there, so I went out and maneuvered around in them for awhile. Spending a little time in the wind and the waves is the best way to get used to them and feel comfortable in them and it’s sorta a kids thing, you know, like in playing. :O)
Eventually, I started down the side of the island towards the river’s mouth, but as I pulled into this area, I changed my mind and headed back in for the day after hanging out in this spot for a bit.
As I pulled up to the boat ramp, I could see the waves slapping the cement pretty good. This means I have to land quickly and get out of my boat before a wave comes over the side of the boat. As long as the boat is in the water floating, that’s not a problem, but once the boat is grounded, it doesn’t float, so waves come over the side.
I hit the cement fast as to glide up onto it a little. Made sure the boat was mostly grounded and stood up and was stepping out of it, as a wave came over the side of my boat. A little water in the boat, but not on me. I had a rag in the car to take care of the water, which I used to get it out and also clean the boat up a bit from all the foam I was in the other day.
Nice day.