Friday, July 21, 2023

Cottonwood Lake Kayak Paddle

I took my kayak out and paddled all the way around Cottonwood Lake and partway up Cottonwood Creek until it became too shallow. It was beautifully calm today. I wish there had been more sun and fewer clouds, but at least it was warm, around 60 degrees with no wind. I tracked my distance at 4.69 miles over about 2 1/2 hours.  It was very quiet with only a couple of jet skis who didn't stay out very long. I had a look at the outlet stream towards Mud Lake. It is part of the 7 Mile Canoe Trail. But it looked fast enough that I wasn't sure I'd be able to paddle upstream if I ventured out there. I'd like to do the whole trail with a friend who could leave a car at the Wasilla Lake end so we could just do it in one direction. I also looked at the portage from Finger Lake to Cottonwood Lake. It looks a little steep for me to drag my kayak, but I could probably do it because I understand it isn't very long. I hear the biggest obstacle is going through the culvert beneath Seward Meridian Road. I'm not sure I'd like to portage across that busy road if necessary. But today I just paddled the lake and followed the inlet creek until the current got too fast and the creek too shallow. I enjoyed seeing lots of birds. Happy ducks and one very unhappy merganser when I got too close to her and her baby. I took a quick video and moved on. 

It was nice to be out on the water. I really missed my co-navigator, Baby but I just imagined her being on my lap as she always was in the last couple of years. She would always bark at any dogs and people she'd see on shore. So today was a little lonelier and maybe a little quieter. But it was still lovely.










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