During my vacation this week, I spent a lot of time kayaking alone (unlike the hundreds of folks paddling into Macon County as I'm writing this with Paddle Georgia 2008), but I wasn't alone for long on Wednesday at Whitewater Creek Park just north of my hometown of Oglethorpe. While paddling through the marshy areas like this one pictured, I bumped into a branch sticking out of the water. I didn't notice until the very last second that there was a very large wasp nest on it. It was one of those noooooooo moments where I could see it about to happen but couldn't stop it.
I spend most of my kayaking time watching out for water moccasins and alligators, of which I've seen plenty. But now that I, and my stinging arm, know wasps don't like being hit with a big red kayak, I guess I'll look out for them, too.
As for Paddle Georgia, thank goodness they're bringing attention to the Flint and fighting Reps. Lynn Westmoreland's and Nathan Deal's efforts to screw it up by damming it so that overgrown mess known as Atlanta can get its hands on more water.
3 comments:
Funny!
I'm with you kayaking alone is the best! Truly relaxing.
I don't know if I would be brave enough to kayak with the water moccasins and alligators in Georgia though.
Here in Vermont the wildest beast you might find kayaking is a large swimming moose. So far Loons are the most dangerous creature I have encountered.
The moccasins can be a aggressive, but the gators generally just escort you out of their area. They're very territorial. And I know they probably don't want to eat me, but you know when you're kayaking your hands are awfully close to the water, and I don't want getting curious and taking a bite out of my hand.
Haven't seen any large swimming moose, mooses or meese here. Did see a whitetail deer with swimmies on, but that's different. But as a journalist, trust me, I've encountered more than my share of loons.
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