High Water Adventure

It's not very often we get high water on the rivers in August, especially at these levels. I took advantage of the rare opportunity and headed out to Indian Slough Wildlife Area.

Though I have to say that I was afraid it would be kind of a let down because after a summer of paddling and watching wildlife on Odessa, I've got pretty high expectations.

It was absolutely awesome!

I parked on the road (parking lot was under water) and slid the kayak into the water on the west side of the road. Actually, ON the west side of the road. Then I headed out from there.

First I paddled up under an eagle nest and got a good look at that. Then I watched a kingfisher fish, dragonflies mate, eagles soar, carp suck, turtles bask, herons wade, swallows swoop, ... well, you get the idea.

I also paddled under trees and over grass and next to the tops of buttonbush. I can't even say exactly where I went because I just wandered from one little pocket of water to the next. At one point I thought maybe I was going to end up in the Iowa River (I didn't and I don't think I was ever really very close).

After several hours of paddling I ended up right where I started - completely by accident. It was fun wandering around without a map - a bit of an adventure not knowing exactly where I was and how I would get back. My two guideposts: the sun and the eagle nest.

This trip will be worth repeating in the high waters of spring. And always in the high waters of late summer.

Odessa Water Trail

I've got a guest blogger today. Angie Sanders just moved to Louisa County from Illinois to be the director of Louisa Development Group. She's an outdoors person but new to paddling. I think we've got her hooked though. Read on ...

The Odessa Water Trail and Iowa State Extension Sesquicentennial project for Louisa County brought out over a dozen people to Odessa today. I joined one other kayak and a canoe on the North Water Trail which meanders through Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge. We set about to map out waypoints along the way, to take in the sights and have a good time.

Even with the recent rain, we were able to see the path fairly well. But I could tell that if another kayaker got in after the water level had risen, that signs would be a good idea. The North Water Trail definitely has some bends and curves, which adds to its mystique and beauty, before it juts out straight along the shore and south towards the rest of the Lake. But that’s what I liked about this Trail. It had variety.

The first section looks like some other put-ins I know, but as you start to wind down the waterway, it can look like a mini-rain forest. The hundreds of lotus flowers and lily pads add to the ancient feel. The jumping carp – that was fun! We saw several birds, of course, not the least of which was a Great Blue Heron. But that was just the tip of the iceberg.

After a few turns, which took hardly any effort due to the relaxing nature of the water and the day, the Trail led to a near straight away with a wide expanse. Before we knew it, the other kayaker asked me what the white bird was up ahead. Egret? No, a pelican! And it’s joining about 500 of its friends on the eastern shore. We were too far to get any sort of close up view, but we saw several groups, about 20 at a time, swoop in from the south. They had a magical angle to their flight – a sort of dance that came in waves, ending with their landing.

Our group was mesmerized and surprised we had already come to join the others at Schafer Access. It took about two hours when all was said and done – and that was at a generous pace.

One section of Odessa Water Trail down, four more to go.