Odessa - Burris Ditch to Sand Run

Weather and work have kept the Red Kayak docked this past week but my trip today was worth the wait.

Today's adventure was on Odessa Wildlife Management Area. I put in at the Burris Ditch ramp then paddled to the Sand Run Access and back. This time I brought my map (in its high-tech waterproof gallon-size zip lock) and was glad I did. While I didn't exactly get lost, let's say I explored a few extra places along the way.

The weather was gorgeous and the trees are bursting into full foliage. The usual birds were out and about: wood ducks, geese, coots, blue-winged teal, turkey vultures, gulls, wood peckers, tree swallows and bald eagles.

The highlight of the trip was definitely the bald eagle nest. It's easily visible from the water, but hopefully far enough off not to be disturbed. I didn't have binoculars (still being a novice kayaker, I don't take along much extra gear) but I could clearly see the white head of one of the parents above the top of the massive nest. The adults weren't flying around so they must be faithfully tending eggs or eaglets.


A few more motor boats were out on this beautiful Sunday afternoon for pleasure and fishing but I saw less than a dozen.

The round-trip journey took just under three hours (about 8.5 miles). I highly recommend this route - it's pretty easy to find your way with a map in hand and you get to see both backwaters and bit of the more open water.


Actually, I just recommend that you get outside and enjoy spring.

Indian Slough Wildlife Area

I had so much fun yesterday, I grabbed the Red Kayak and headed out again today. The destination for the day's paddling was the marsh at Indian Slough Wildlife Area. There was plenty of water because the Iowa River is still pretty high, but the parking lot is finally dry so I could put in off the structure levee to check out the east side of the slough.

Truthfully, since the Maiden Voyage had gone so well, I was afraid this trip would almost have to be a letdown.

Nope.

After crossing the open water past a dozen wood duck houses, goose nest structures and dozens of coots, I headed into the backwaters. That's where the fun began (getting out of the headwind didn't hurt either). I kept paddling down smaller and more shallow passages until I was pushing my way through grass and dead trees.

After passing some scolding geese, scaring up a few teal and accidently chasing a wood duck hen from a box, I caught a glimpse of a large white bird. With the luck I'd been having, I held out hope that it was a trumpeter swan. It turned out to be a pelican that must have had an injury since I never saw it fly but it did manage to hide when I got too close.

I kept wandering down an increasingly small ditch and even managed to float the Red Kayak over an old beaver dam and branches knocked down by the ice storm.

I sat for quite a while watching tree swallows perform their courtship dances (anyway, I assume that's what they were doing since I did see the culmination of the courtship) and spent a good bit of time seeing just how close the goose couple would let me get.

Today's wildlife list: coots, carp, wood ducks, geese, pelican, blue-winged teal, turkey vultures, cormorants, tree swallows, egrets, great blue herons and a bald eagle nest (too far away to tell but I've heard the eagles are tending young ones there). Also, plenty of unidentified birds.

Number of people seen: zero.

Another great day on the water.

The Maiden Voyage

I set out in the Red Kayak for my first adventure today in the late afternoon. I was excited to head out on my own but also a little nervous since I had forgotten to take a map. My strategy (which proved to work pretty well): stay to the right on the way out and the left on the way back.

I put in at Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge and made my way through Odessa Wildlife Management Area (aka "Lake Odessa") to Snively Campground.

As I rounded the first corner, two turkeys flew across the the narrow passage, carp were wallowing in the shallows and dozens of coots were scooting out of my way. When I paddled to shore to inspect the carp, a couple of deer bolted just a few yards away from me.

I could see that it was going to be a great trip.

In my 7 mile trip (3.5 each way) I saw: turkeys, deer, coots, carp, blue-winged teal, turkey vultures, wood ducks, painted turtles, egrets, great blue herons, canada geese, many unidentified birds and even a bald eagle catching a fish. I'm also fairly certain I heard a pileated woodpecker.

What I didn't see or hear were many people. There were a couple fishing on shore and I did see two boats. In two hours.

I am hooked. Lots of wild critters. Beautiful views. Peace. Quiet. The cell phone turned off (but still in my dry hatch - I'm not that confident yet).

I think the Red Kayak is going to see a lot of time on the water. Good thing we've got plenty of places still to explore.