Lake Katherine, Day 2

Wednesday, August 3, 2011, I woke with the ducks and was ready to kayak.

On the Lake at 6:30.

Paddled to the canal linking Lake Katherine to Lake Tomahawk.  Two years ago, it was dry.

Looks like it has a little water.  I did not enter, but made a mental note to come back with a longer and narrower kayak.
Meanwhile, I was wondering where the eagles were.

I mean, I had been out a total of two hours in two days and not seen any. Yet.

And a young eagle.

Loon

Back to the dock at 8:00.

Larry and Pat did not catch enough fish to feed us all, so we headed to Paul Bunyan's for breakfast.  Ate like lumberjacks.  I had one pancake, one French toast, a spoonful of scrambled eggs, several link sausages, some thicker sausage, biscuits and gravy, ham, donuts, potatoes,OJ , and coffee.  I said to the family, "didn't they use to have apple sauce?" and the waitress brought a bowl.  I wanted to take a picture, but I had forgotten to put a fresh battery in the camera. Not of the apple sauce, but the food laden table

Before we left for breakfast, I had called Chequamengon Adventure Company for another kayak and a stand up paddle board.  They were at the house when we returned.  I did not paddle right away, but went for a walk on the Bearskin State Trail

 The trail is about half a mile from the house.

 It took the second time walking past the above sign to realize the "Shortcut Via Lakes" means frozen lakes.

Back to the "cabin"

Where the paddle board was already in the water.

I did not see it when I got to the dock.  Neither did Jack's dad, brother Pat, so he drove to the HWY 51 bridge as Jack was headed that way.  Jack, with the confidence 9 year olds have, had no idea some were worried.  He beat the escort of his mom, Eileen, and sister Megan, back to the dock.

Where it was his cousin's turn to try the SUP.

Anna proved to be just as confident as Jack.  I'd rather sit, so I got in the Current Designs Kestrel.

I paddled to, and through, the canal linking Lake Katherine to Lake Tomahawk.

I had to take apart the paddle and push, twice. At the start, and under the bridge.

That just gave me time to admire the glacial rocks that form the bridge support. I had to get out of the kayak at the Lake Tomahawk end.

 I didn't spend much time on Lake Tomahawk,  windy and water skiers.  But, it was good to know I could get there.

This must be the remains of the boat lift.  There was wheel that you turned to lift your boat out of the lake and into the canal.

This dog, in a house at the end of the canal, barked the entire time I was in sight, and while I was on Lake Tomahawk, and when I came back, until I was out of hearing range.  I called him "Rufus"  But the real Rufus, my friend Tom G's dog, was much quieter.

Back "home"

Larry, Mom, and my sisters, Clare and Monica.

I went for a swim. Saw a few fish, no photos.

Monica's turn to try out the paddle board.

 Takes confidence to wear a hat.

Opps! But she got back on.

Contemplating adding paddle board yoga to her classes at Yoga Key West

Calmness and breath  control being essential in yoga and paddle boarding.

Mergansers applaud the effort.

More views from the dock.

Larry and Pat head out to fish, while Aidan sees what the paddle board can take.

Time for me to get back in the kayak.

Belted kingfisher

I don't see smooth glacial rocks and boulders in Florida.  Most of Wisconsin's 15,000 lakes were formed by glaciers.  According to the DNR.

I paddled to the south west end of Lake Katherine, under the Highway 51 bridge.  Even though it is near the road, traffic noise is minimal.  Eagle cries and loon calls are the sounds you hear.

Not sure if the flying eagle is the one above, as I write 5 days later.  Here's one on the other side of the lake.

 That's  a rock, I know.  I just like posting things I don't see in Florida.  Here, limestone occasionally peaks through, but it is jagged, not smooth, as the glaciers did not reach Florida.

Two young eagles.  Where were the adults.  I paddled north, and just as I saw one, Pat, bellowed, "Dave ! Dinner time!"  I figured Larry's famous sausage pasta would stay warm.

The pasta, and sausage sauce, did stay warm and I got bald eagle pics including the one that opens this Tale.  Desert was excellent, made by cake artist Megan. It  was her last night and she wanted to bake a cake for Larry's birthday, which was not until Sunday.

Birthday Family

A few of us, Pat, Monica, Clare and I, went for a walk after dinner, ending the first full day on Lake Katherine.