Paddle Log — 2021
LAUNCH SITE DATE WHO DISTANCE COMMENTS
Athens Mar 23 Both 12 Clear early, light cloud cover late, warm. Many ducks, mostly mergansers & buffleheads. Eagle nests at SMG & NH are viable. A mysterious pair of eagles sat on a branch at Brickyard Bay. Is there a new nest nearby?
Vandenburgh-Dunsbach Ferry Mar 27 Both 9 Wagers Pond, Erie Canal & lunch at Town Park. Muskrats, painted turtles, gbh's & a new eagle nest at Krause's.
Vandenburgh-Dunsbach Ferry April 4 Both 9 Wagers Pond & lunch at Town Park. Access to Erie Canal blocked by a fallen tree. Access ramp to Vischer Ferry posted "do not use." Many gbh's at the pond & a muskrat dined on devil's heads at the launch site late.
Athens April 7 Both 13 Head-to-wind in the morning, few photo ops, the Naval Militia at the put-in was the highlight.
North Germantown Landing April 8 Both 10 A multitude of eagles present around Inbocht Bay & ospreys nesting on #116 again. Either a fox or coyote appeared briefly on an island in the Roe Jan. A pleasant day!
Round Lake April 9 Both 5 Very high water, Anthony Kill marsh area completely flooded. Many high strung geese & impatient male rwb's.
Stuyvesant Landing April 10 Both 13 Bright sun, no wind, pleasant paddle. Some eagles, some ducks & a peregrine falcon. Lunch at SMG.
Coxsackie April 17 Both 9 Cool breeze under a lowering sky. Stiff current on Stockport Creek. Lunch at SMG.
Athens April 24 Both 13 Ospreys nesting on HA, an eagle threatened a goose near Stockport Creek but refrained from attack, map turtles taking the sun. Lunch at top of Brickyard Bay.
Vandenburgh-Dunsbach Ferry May 9 Both 6 Wagers Pond & Erie Canal. Much wildlife, including a black-crowned night-heron & a woodchuck.
Vandenburgh-Dunsbach Ferry May 13 Both 5 Repeat of preceding cut short by a sudden drop in water level & strong downstream current. Someone opened the dam! Much wildlife again, highlighted by many snapping turtles.
Ticonderoga State Boat Launch May 15 Both 18 Exploration of flooded East Creek marshes (97.1 feet) to the source & a docile La Chute. Surprisingly sparse wildlife actiivty. Many loud unseen gallinules.
South Bay State Boat Launch May 20 Both 14 Marsh exploration on a hot day to The Narrows of Dresden. Ospreys at 24, 26 & 28, a bowfin at Chubbs Dock. Water level 96.6 feet.
Athens June 1 M 12 Many eagles present. An interesting convergence of two ospreys & two eagles below Gays Point to prey on a minnow. HA ospreys still building their nest.
123rd Street June 5 Both & Cindy 7 A pleasant paddle to C-1, off early to beat the wind & heat.
Coxsackie June 6 Both 12 Stockport Flats paddle with two catfish sessions, one involving kleptoparasitism. Many other photo ops.
Peru State Boat Launch June 12 Both 11 Circumnavigation of Valcour & Garden Islands, ravens on former & big gulls on latter. Splendid paddle.
Coxsackie June 17 Both 13 Pleasant day, sunny & calm until the end. Quiet paddle. Lunch at RR village.
North Germantown Landing June 20 Both 10 As usual eagles ever-present around Inbocht Bay. Also cormorants nesting on IB. Another pleasant day!
Athens July 4 Both 13 Cloudy & breezy early, clearing somewhat in the afternoon. Great egret at SMG.
Coxsackie July 5 Both & Tony 12 Reprise of last year's paddle. Fog early, cloudy & breezy late, fair in between. Many eagle photo ops. Lunch at Priming Hook.
Coxsackie July 7 Both 12 Repeat of previous. Water level lower, more mud flats exposed, five young eagles gathered on one. An SMG chick left the nest, status of other unknown. Also a young falcon on SMG, and a river otter crossed near HA. Lunch at Priming Hook.
Henry Hudson July 16 Both 8 Eagle chick at Papscanee nest, other chicks at Bear Island, four mature eagles. Break at 214.
Coxsackie July 20 M 11 Water level up, fogbound early transforming into haze. There are three SMG chicks & two HA osprey babies. Stop at Priming Hook.
Coxsackie July 22 M 12 Repeat of previous. Very active wildlife. Continual photo ops. Stop at Priming Hook.
Stockport Station July 24 Both & Rachel, Eddie 5 Many egrets & the entire SMG eagle family, coming and going, also an immature little blue heron. Turnaround at top of Brickyard Bay.
Athens July 31 Both 14 Extraordinary osprey-falcon encounter near HA (both immature, neither got hurt) & many green herons. Lunch at SMG.
Athens August 3 Both 13 Slow beginning, lively return with much afternoon eagle activity on the river including a snatch. Lunch at Gays Point.
Coxsackie August 5 Both 12 Pleasant day, persistent thin cloud cover, quiet paddle. Stops at SMG & Gays Point. M launch #1000.
Coxsackie August 9 Both 16 Hot day, little activity, brisk current to MGF, tide slow to turn. Lunch at Priming Hook.
Athens August 15 Both 14 A little breezy, many birds in flight, an eagle snatched a fish directly in front of J. Lunch at Gays Point.
Athens August 16 Both & Cindy 10 Repeat of previous. Noteworthy events: a katydid hitching a ride on Cindy's hat, an egret on the causeway gormandizing on eels & a close-up SMG family feeding session. Lunch at east flat "development."
Coxsackie August 25 Both 12 Foggy early, turning hot, return against the tide. Excursion into west flat.
Athens August 27 Both 11 Early launch into mist, spellbinding tranquility for several hours. Eagles, ospreys, egrets, gbh's, green herons & a falcon. Off the water as the heat began to build.
Athens August 29 Both 12 Repeat of previous with completely different conditions. No mist, overcast, south wind early returning after lunch at picnic site #1. Fun chop on the way back.
Coxsackie Sept 3 Both & Jillian 11 Bracing morning unfortunately giving way to clouds. A nice variety of avian wildlife & activity. Lunch at Priming Hook.
Coxsackie Sept 4 Both 13 Repeat of previous. Thick fog early, discouraged crossing, eventual clearing. Intense eagle activity all day long. Lunch at SMG.
Coxsackie Sept 5 Both 10 Repeat of previous. Cloudy, at times blustery with periods of light rain. Highlight: a large yacht at Hudson Anchorage.
Stuyvesant Landing Sept 18 Both 15 Many eagles including the SMG pair near the mud flat engaged in a territorial face off against possible intruders. Lunch at Nutten Hook, too many mosquitoes.
Stuyvesant Landing Sept 19 Both 14 Repeat of previous. Clear skies, eventual brisk north wind, more spectacular eagle activity. Rest at SMG, no mosquitoes.
Ticonderoga State Boat Launch Sept 20 Both 13 Wildlife activity again sparse in East Creek area, gbh's excepted, La Chute almost clogged with turtles including a mystery specimen. A pleasant day.
Indian Lake State Boat Launch Sept 25 Both 13 Dead calm morning, wildlife presence limited to monarchs & a single loon. A few splashes of incipient fall color. Lunch at picnic area east side.
Athens Sept 29 Both 12 Clear, crisp day, calm AM, usual crowd of large birds in the area. Mats are disintegrating. Lunch at SMG.
Glasco Mini Park Oct 3 Both 12 Several interesting encounters – swans at South Bay, seal(s) in the Esopus & a peregrine falcon devouring prey on the jetty. Lunch at Tina Chorvas Park.
Stuyvesant Landing Oct 6 Both 13 Fast paddle downstream assisted by brisk current from runoff. Many eagles as usual & 100s of restless geese. Lunch at SMG.
Stuyvesant Landing Oct 11 Both 15 Repeat of previous toward evening. Still many eagles but no geese. Late lunch at Gays Point.
Stuyvesant Landing Nov 7 Both 15 Launch into chilly fog, soon lifted, becoming clear & calm. Later an eagle snatched a large goldfish from Brickyard Bay. Lunch at Priming Hook
 
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