I was driving home from work going over the activity options presenting themselves to me. It was a sunny, reasonably warm day and would be perfect conditions for a long ride. On the other hand, with fall colors in full bloom, it would be an excellent day for a trip to the East Branch Reservoir and kayaking. I’d burn more calories on the bike, but I’d gain more serenity from the kayaking. I chose serenity.
I reached the Reservoir and drove to the put-in point, a little cove off the main body of water, only to find that it didn’t have any water in it! I can only assume the summer’s drought is the culprit. The water is easily down five feet and maybe more. I parked the Jeep and dragged the kayak the extra 50 yards to the water’s edge, marveling at the colors exploding on the shoreline surrounding the water. My eyes searched the skies for any sign of eagles since there was a nest at the far end of the reservoir...my ultimate destination.
I paddled the shoreline with my camera around my neck, snapping picture of Great Blue Herons and Canada Geese, but with no eagle sightings. I’d been paddling about 15 minutes when I noticed that my paddle was sticking in the mud. I was shocked to see that there was less than 18 inches of water under my craft...and I was over 100 feet offshore! The East Branch Reservoir was created by the damming of the upper Cuyahoga River, which apparently had not cut a very deep trench in this area. As I moved closer to the bridge carrying State Route 322 over the far end of the reservoir, I began to realize I would not be able to reach it. The bridge marks the spot where the water conservancy begins and boats are not allowed, but it is from this vantage point that you can observe...through binoculars or the telephoto lens of a good camera...the eagle’s nest. It was something I would not be doing on this day and I was sorely disappointed.
I turned my kayak before becoming stuck in the mud and began heading back to my put-in point. I had only paddled a short distance when I noticed a large, dark brown bird heading my way. It could only be an eagle and I quickly fumbled with my camera and tried to find through my telephoto lens. When I did and tried to take a picture, the automatic focus and I disagreed on the subject. It must have been locked on a mosquito three feet from my nose because the eagle was a complete blur. By the time I’d switched over to manual focus, the eagle was 400 yards away and angling into the trees on the shoreline out of my sight.
I turned the craft back around and headed off in the direction the eagle had soared. When I reached the point I thought he’d entered the trees, I sat in the kayak and scanned the tree line, but without success. I was maneuvering the boat away from the area when finally I noticed him sitting high in a tree and watching my every move. I paddled closer and was almost directly under him when he dropped like a rock from the branch, swooping low over the water and snagging a fish from the surface before rising quickly again and flying away.
Damn...was that cool. I followed along in the direction he’d flown and was pointing my camera skyward and snapping pictures when a second eagle entered my frame. It flew upside down under the first for a moment before righting itself and flying next to the first. The shock and excitement of seeing two at once...and being able to photograph them...almost caused me to roll the kayak. I would later find that the movement of the boat and thus my hands and the camera, had led to a blurred, out of focus picture. The image in my head though, would remain for a lifetime.
Kayak Workout: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100-120.
Calories burned: 600.
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