You may not find this terribly rewarding unless you're included here, so this is a good time for casual and random browsers to turn back before they get too caught up in the sweep and majesty of the proceedings and can't let go.
More cat follies, and a near-catastrophe in the canal
An early morning start on the lake, very early August 2020 . . .
. . . and a later afternoon return
A determined Choupette: unfinished business with the feathered boa . . .
. . . quickly taken care of
Under the watchful glare of Pugsley and Wednesday, visiting from Tennessee
The White Cat has been spotted.
Pugsley and Wednesday in repose . . .
. . . and not to be disturbed
Passing Pradt's Point at the start of another rewarding bike ride
The evil fins on the back of a so-called 'wakeboard boat' -- with the fins extended, it can generate a wake high and fast enough that sporty young showoffs can drop the towline and essentially surf along behind the boat, on so-called 'wakeboards'. Imagine what those wakes can do when they hit the shore, or come up over your dock when you're sunbathing with an improving book.
A particularly patriotic pontoon boat
Choupette has discovered the subtle joys of dragonfly hunting.
Give it chance to recover slightly.
Then resume
Such innocent fun
Another torriential rain -- we're taking a customary refuge on the docked pontoon boat with another improving book, 21 July 2020
A brief excursion along the canal to see if the water level's been tampered with at the dam (negative) . . .
. . . followed by some mushroom hunting round Tomahawk Bay.
Bingo! Chanterelles.
Baby Leigh Island [No Camping!]
The canal in full spate
It has not escaped our attention that there are unexpected currents in the lake tending all towards the canal. Suspicious. (27 July 2020)
Sure enough -- someone has been at work on the spillway at the far end.
It's time to see the effect of such a current on delicate little hydrobikes.
No problems so far . . . going with the current.
Nearing the mid-lake
Nearly horizontal vegetation
There are some doubts arising about whether this is a good idea.
Into the farther length of the canal
There's no real need to pedal the bike anymore; the force is with us.
There's a bit of a roar in the air, not unlike at Niagara.
We dare to approach for a good look.
And quickly, seconds after this photo, one of the pontoons gets sucked into the next lake.
Backpedaling is not working at all, but we've got the pontoon temporarily pulled back out.
Abandon ship!
Hauling it out and getting it turned round is a two-man job.
Cycling against the current is feasible as long as the pontoons are pointed exactly straight ahead and the pedals are being worked vigorously.
Cousin Rob is recording the state of the spillway with one or more of its boards pulled out, and our lake level dropping.
Our little submerged tree turns out to be a major hurdle -- it's reducing the necessary momentum, the propeller can't clear it, and the hydrobike leaps backward with the current and turns broadside. Broadside, in a narrow canal, is bad.
Luckily, our crew includes the engineer who will now contrive to lower the impediment sufficiently that we can sail, more or less, right over it.
But it's not an easy task -- especially in three feet of mud at the bottom of the canal.
-- All right, try it now.
Oh no, company
Free at last
More ducks (the fleet number usually drops slowly throughout the summer)
Choupette watching for another dragonfly, to sport with
Melvin watching Choupette watching for another dragonfly, to sport with
The mysterious, so far unexplored creek into Tomahawk Bay
Mussent Point is at no. 12.
Dwight Peck's personal website
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