Lake Katherine Day Three

I was up early once again Friday, day 3 of my Wisconsin vacation, taking this bald eagle picture at 7:26 CDT.

On my way to the Hazelhurst Canal. Which now is just a ditch, which I planned to portage to Lake Tomahawk. I knew not to walk in the center of the former canal,

Where deer hoof prints go deep in the muck. I soon discovered even the green areas are shoe stealers, sinking and losing an aqua sock. I sat on a log, put it back on, and continued. But the ground became squishier, so I put the kayak down, walked ahead without it. Closer to Lake Tomahawk, the terrain was even less stable, so I turned around. Saw a shoe, or maybe aqua sock liner. Hmm. took of my sock-no liner. Put the one on the ground back in its rightful place. Back on the water, into the main body of Lake Katherine. Our vacation home was on the center of the west lake shore. I had paddled south and east, had not explored much to the north. So I paddled that direction.
I'm not sure if the above rock bar is natural, artificial, or both. These ducks are real.

So is this eagle. I landed at 9, as Aidan watched his Dad outwit the fish.

Back inside, I had to record the completion of a long worked on puzzle.
This is turning into the Aidan Tales, as he plays cards with sister Anna and Grammy.

I went for another walk on Bearskin Trail, this time walking north for a mile.

After the turn, I saw a chipmunk on the left, west side of the trail. Like birch trees, chipmunks aren't found in Florida. Then, in the woods on the other side, a tawny brown color. A deer, buck. I tried to get closer, but it, and at least two more deer ran deeper into the forest.

Back at the cottage, I enjoyed the view from a swinging chair after my 2.5 mile stroll.

I could not sit long, as Anna had a frog to show me.. One of many caught, and released, by her and her cousin, Jack. Next on the agenda, a trip to the town of Lake Tomahawk, to see if the 2 local bait and tackle shops still display the weeks best fish in coolers. Captain Hooks, the former Bucks, (I think) had two large small mouth. One caught on Lake Katherine.

Mom, Larry, Monica, Anna, and Clare in this Norman Rockwell scene. I think Aidan is behind his Mom.

I wonder if jumbo leeches are in the chili?

100 year old mail sleigh at the Chamber of Commerce.
Back to the cottage for another paddle on Lake Katherine.




The comeback of bald eagles in Wisconsin, in my lifetime, is wonderful. I had seen only one bald eagle before 1989, when I moved to Florida. As Yak Tales readers know, I see them fairly often in the Sunshine State. In 1999, I spent Labor Day weekend at the Narrows with Pete and Jackie. The bald eagles were back. I found some 35mm pics I took a decade ago. There are more now, it was hard to go 15 minutes without seeing one.



In Florida, anglers mark fishing spots by putting a beer can on a branch. I wonder if this stone pile serves the same purpose.

The bald eagles were great, but what I really wanted was a loon photo. Something that, along with chipmunks, birch, and daddy long legs, I don't see in Florida. There were plenty on Lake Katherine. I had seen them from the dock, while in Pete's boat on Lake Tomahawk, and heard their call. I paddled about, hoping to find some. Not here, ducks.
Or here, more mysterious pyramids.
But then, there they were.

Three loons.

I floated behind them for 10 minutes, snapping away.

Back on land, the hot tub welcomed me.

We, we being Mom, Monica, Pat, Tyler, Mike (Tyler's friend), Jack, Clare, Larry, Aidan, Anna and I, had a traditional Wisconsin Friday night fish fry at a little tavern called "The Edge" . Delicious.