Friday, February 05, 2010

Iceboat State of Mind...

So, this weekend's fun is actually unusual. Not just another boring old paddle, but a road trip up the Hudson with a couple of friends to see what we can see.

And we're hoping that that includes watching some iceboating.

And I had to laugh this morning because -- well, you know how I said I couldn't imagine what it's like to be an iceboater & so dependent upon a certain very, very specific set of weather conditions happening for me to be able to get out & play?

I think I have at least got a hint of what it's like now!

I was listening to the weather forecast as I was getting ready for work this morning. We're going on Sunday. There's a big winter storm coming through tonight & tomorrow & it sounds like there's going to be a fair amount of snow.

I found myself thinking "Oh noooo! It's going to ruin the ice!" - and then having hope restored as the announcer continued with the information that the snow will be concentrated in & around the city & areas to the...

drumroll please...

SOUTH AND WEST!!! YAAAAAY!!!

Hey, speaking of sightseeing up the river - want to see a friend of mine having an amazing encounter? Click here!

Note, slightly later: Oh dear...

12 comments:

will said...

yay!! can't wait. and this time i AM remembering my camera. see you sunday once you figure out the time with you know who.

O Docker said...

Think I commented once before about the bald eagle we saw while kayaking in the San Juans. We were able to get that close to it.

I think they no longer recognize you as 'people' when you're in a kayak, but think you're some kind of fish. And eagles are just like Joe - they like fish.

Joe said...

Did someone mention fish?

Joe said...

I'm paranoid about getting close to Bald Eagles. When I was stationed up on Adak, we were constantly told not to go near the eagles. Did you know that it is against the law to pick up an Bald Eagle feather, at least that's what they (mean, red eyed government rangers) told me.

orion said...

The bald eagle pictures are awesome. They pass thru here (NC) in the winter for a short time, and then the osprey repopulate the eagles nests. Free home to good family!

bonnie said...

I wish I'd taken them!

Got a spare battery for my camera, Sunday should be lots of fun & I don't want my camera to poop out halfway through.

Good to hear from you! Getting out on Esso Bee at all or has this nasty winter kept you off the water?

Carol Anne said...

Bald eagles have made an amazing recovery. They're no longer on the endangered list -- although one still can't possess eagle feathers without a federal permit (Native Americans can get a permit to possess eagle feathers for religious purposes).

I've seen the eagles both at Heron and at Elephant Butte, and they're magnificent.

Dulce and I watched a documentary on PBS about bald eagles last week. They don't seem to be terribly disturbed by human activity. In fact, some human activity, such as the Iowa State Fish Hatchery, is most appealing to the birds.

Carol Anne said...

Off topic, but you might be interested ... my brother Jer at Muddled Ramblings and Half-Baked Ideas has offered to assist people who want to transfer old blog comments from Haloscan to another platform to keep them from vanishing into the ether.

Ol' Philosophizer said...

Last year I saw an eagle float by the Malden mini-park on an ice floe, and was amazed how regal and composed it looked. I'm glad I didn't have my kayak or I would have been tempted to try to get close, and getting close to big birds is not always a good thing for kayakers. Check out this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cV4FCwtTEo&feature=player_embedded

Have fun on Sunday on the great upper Hudson!

Dennis G said...

We are game for Sunday!! What is the plan?? Tivoli, Orange Lake, Bridge?? Super Bowl is late 6 PM ISH. And I don't really care who wins anyway.

Dennis G and DW

bonnie said...

oh my...Ol'P's video KILLED me! Too funny!

here, let's see if I can't get link to work...

Carol Ann, thanks! I'll take a look & see if I can make sense of it.

BTW I failed the over-easy egg thing but I was very close - think a thinner spatula would do the trick!

Dennis G. moonstruck, see you on Tivoli Bay (and I do mean ON the bay!)

bowsprite said...

trading in boring ol' paddling for boring ol' iceboating?? hey! what happened to your journey to Jamaica?
what fun, Bonnie, it was! with an eagle soaring overhead to top!

more soon...