First Mate Clover

Elemental Vegan Kayaker Map

Crimson Clover  bravenet.com

Aurora 

3D 

Six o'clock in the morning
You're the last to hear the warning
You've been trying to throw your arms
Around the world
You've been falling off the sidewalk
Your lips move but you can't talk
Tryin' to throw your arms around the world

-U2

The first election where I went out and canvassed door to door was the Dukakis and who was he running against? When Dukakis lost, I remember telling a friend of mine that things would be okay. How much damage could a one-term Republican do? In four years we can throw the guy out and start over fresh, I said. I seem to recall we did just that. When the 2000 primaries rolled around I switched party affiliation as did many others to vote for John McCain so that George W Bush would not be the Republican nominee. Our attempts were well intended but futile against the Karl Rove spin machine. As well, I waited too late to learn more about Al Gore. I should have gotten to know the guy. I could have rallied harder for him and his lock box.

The first time I ever had a hard time staying awake in a class was 8th grade Civics. However, the day the teacher talked about the presidency and the unusual circumstances that might install someone into the office intrigued me. I never imagined, though, that I would ever see the choice of the people manipulated and controlled by a handful of... I'm struggling hard for a diplomatic word, here.

I believe there is enough evidence to show that the 2000 presidential election was stolen from the people. I don't want that to ever happen again. Americans have to be able to trust that the individual making the decisions for the rest of the world was chosen by a thoughtful majority. Without that trust there will be at the very least discontent; the worst, anarchy.

How much damage can a one-term Republican do? I know the answer to that question now. The world knows. Could it be that I am so completely behind John Kerry because George W Bush has made such a mess of things? I don't think it matters. The mess has been made. It needs to be cleaned up. I believe that John Kerry is the one person on this planet who has the experience to do the cleaning that the world requires. Mr. Kerry doesn't merely have a broom or a mop and bucket. He's a professional. He will tackle the job and do his very best.

I think about the job Mr. Kerry faces. To say it won't be easy is an unnecessary understatement. The time and energy I've committed to getting Mr. Kerry elected can now be used to assist in the endeavors of the new administration. I don't know how I can help yet, but I want to help.

My polling place opened at 6:30 this morning. I got there at 6:40 a.m. There are between 700 and 750 registered voters in my precinct. I've never had to wait in line before. I did today. My hand shook as I carefully marked the oval on my ballot. That was 12 hours ago. I gave my opinion. I'm counting on the rest of America to give its opinion, too. More than that, I need to know that each ballot, no matter what it says, is counted properly with the intentions of the voter.

October Moon 

A business is murdered by its creator...

Last Rites, Last Meal

As is the custom...

Vegan Doors Close, Waiting for the Window to Open

This date marks the end of an era - the closing of the local vegan café and grocery shop. I’ve been in a quasi-state of denial that this day would even come. I’ve been angry, too. I take events and choices so personally, and the closing of a business that I completely support and, in turn, supports me, is such a personal affront, I can barely speak on it. Since 1984, my identity has been that of someone who doesn’t eat animals. In 1989, I progressed into a vegan life-style. Style of Life. The vegan doesn’t shut off, ever. I live in a vegan watershed. My veganness is connected to everything else. And now, the establishment that rescued me, lifted me, nourished me is no more.

There are, of course, many joys I take with me – delirious joys. More importantly, though, this place has caused my path to intersect with other souls, such beautiful souls*. I hope that just because these doors have closed we might find other ways to make connections.

* Brothers J~ Where ever you go, what ever you do, may your lives be touched by peaceful, vegan blessings.

Polygonum amphibium (Buckwheat Family) 

Delaware State Park revealing sun rays. 

Delaware State Park, Ohio

There are no Castor canadensis (beaver) in Hancock County, though every school student here is very familiar with them. I have often wondered why this is.

The weather was slated to be spectacular. Norm was headed to Colorado, (no reason to hang out for the weather report). I had the day off and the weekend to recuperate. With all the planets in alignment, there was no reason for me not to take a drive, camp, and start a new day with nothing to do but kayak. My late departure time meant I couldn’t claim Lake Hope State Park, but settled on Delaware State Park instead.

So you know, camping on a weeknight at Delaware is only $11.80, not $22 as quoted on the Ohio State Parks Camping Web Page. I arrived just before 10:00 p.m., when quite hours start. Self-check-in was confusing, and there were no envelopes for payment and claiming my spot. The campsites have been improved and are very nice considering one is shacked up next to a bunch of strangers.

I awoke just before my alarm, packed up the Element, and (within the 20 m.p.h. limit) rushed off to the marina. The entire lake and pre-sun-revealing sky was mine. Well, I did share the water and shore with cormorants, gulls, muskrat, deer, fish, frogs, herons, egrets, and a host of insects – but no humans.

I paddled north with several lake maps at hand. The maps greatly enhanced my journey. For example, when I heard gunshots, the map explained that there was a firing range nearby.

Much to my surprise, there were fresh beaver sign in the form of girdled cottonwood trees. I didn’t actually see any beaver. Perhaps if I had gone out the night before…

To avoid complications, she never kept the same address. In conversation, she spoke like Baroness.
No, that wasn’t what I was going to say. Oh, yes. The lake is extremely beautiful when you are the only one on it. However, to avoid most of the humans and view lots of wildlife, which is what I prefer, I recommend putting in north of Ohio State Route 229. Just east of Delaware Lake on SR 229, there is a pull-off. It looks official enough from the water and would be easy to launch from.

From this spot by SR 229, I could see three great blue herons and two great egrets. Delightful. There were plenty of kingfishers around the corner, as well. This area isn’t as noisy as the lake portion. US Route 23 and a very busy railroad line were just this side of barely tolerable.

Thinking of things that are barely tolerable, I had to stop at the Ohio Biological Survey HQ to pick up their new publication on Spiders, by Rich Bradley. You should have one, too. Columbus, Ohio traffic, even at 1:00 p.m., is barely tolerable. I need a chauffer. Pay is lousy. Destinations are fantastic. Vegan shops, world-food vegetarian restaurants, wilderness outfitters, Trader Joe’s, the list is endless! Promise, we will not pass go or collect $200 if it means having to go to Crap (GAP), Cold Navy (Old Navy), Abercrombie & Fink (A&F). Of course, Ethical Consumers wouldn’t be caught dead shopping at stores that sell sweatshop-labor made products owned by companies that clear-cut virgin redwood forests for new California elite housing as the lumber is being turned into outdoor furniture sold by Home Deposits (Home Depot). Chauffer applications should be sent to: Baby, You Can Drive My Car.

Bring your own vegan victuals when camping at Delaware.

NORM!alize your day!

Elemental Camping

The Mirror Project

The Mirror Project is an extremely cool photographic endeavor. Check it out.

Specchio

Mull Covered Bridge

Wolf Creek at Mull Covered Bridge

How I was fooled by Maumee Bay – or – The beguiling waters of Lake Superior

I haven’t been kayaking on Maumee Bay or Lake Superior, yet, but I was reminded of them both after paddling around White Star Quarry, a parkland of Sandusky County.

The water in the watershed of my birthplace appears in various shades of silt: light silt or flood silt. Fish and turtles can be seen when they come to the surface. The only time one can see to the bottom of the Blanchard River is when there are only a couple of inches of water above the bedrock. Otherwise, one has to become a good guesser as to who or what lies beneath. This non-transparency is what I’m used to.

An interpreter’s gathering was held at Maumee Bay State Park a few years back. We had been released for lunch, and a small group of us was in the parking lot looking for a place to settle down and tuck into our brown bags. From where we stood we could see the Maumee Bay building, the golf course, a huge plot of phragmites, and a freshly plowed farm field. “Where’s this Bay people keep talking about?” I wondered. To my horror, I realized that the bay was what I had mistakenly thought was a brown-soil farm field. Stunned, I approached the area as if it were a virus. The bay was brown: a dirty, yucky, smelly, advisory-posted, silty, mucky brown. I actually mistook a body of water for soil.

I took the train to the Twin Cities, Minnesota, some years ago, and went to Duluth from there. In my 35 years of life I’ve laid eyes on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, but this was my first glance at Lake Superior. I couldn’t believe what I saw: the water was clear. I sat on a rock and simply stared at the lake water for about an hour. How could it be, I wondered, that my identity includes the notion that water is supposed to be brown and opaque? The water was so beautiful in Minnesota. I contemplated moving.

Fast forward to last week… I was getting my daily dose of WX from Norm. He was showing some of the new weather tools being implemented at NBC24. There are three Doppler radar at their disposal and a fourth if needed. (Awesome!) The base map for which all weather is discussed from is now a satellite image. Norm zoomed in on Sandusky County to show some large spots on the map and explained that those areas are quarries that are no longer in use.

Now, around Hancock County, most quarries are off-limits to the public. There is a marvelously huge hole in the ground on the west side of Findlay, but only hot-air balloons have dared dip themselves in that water. Perhaps, though, other counties aren’t so exclusive with their quarries. Indeed, Mr. Van Ness (Norm!) confirmed that White Star Park in Sandusky County was open to small watercraft. The Sandusky County Park System’s web site offered some good ideas for a nice 1/2 day trip. On the agenda was a packed picnic (vegan victuals), a paddle and bike ride around White Star, actually finding the Mull Covered Bridge this time, and checking out the canoe launch at Wolf Creek Park.

I’m one-quarter “Mull”, so I’ve been really interested in seeing this Mull Covered Bridge that is nearly impossible to find from SR 12. It is easily accessed by taking SR 53 to CR 9 and heading west. Scott and I plan to return when there’s been a really good downpour.

The canoe access point into the Sandusky River at Wolf Creek Park is excellent. A cement ramp goes right into the water. Camping is available at the park as well. More on this when I actually navigate this portion.

Now, back to White Star Park’s quarry. It is a relatively small body of water. It has a seasonal swimming beach and quite a scuba following. But here’s the thing. The water is clear. It was rather a startler being able to look through the water. I’ve never navigated clear water before. I could feel my brain trying to come to terms with the concept of depth. I didn’t paddle much at first because I was absolutely mesmerized by the transparency of the water. I asked Scott as he rode his bike past, “Where can we go that has a ton of clear water like this?”

“Not even Biscayne Bay is this clear, but we could go to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.” A former co-worker of Scott’s in Miami has, until recently, been working in this area of Lake Superior. Why didn’t we jump on that job?

Okay. Sign me up. I need to educate myself about the area. I only got a quick glimpse of the Lakeshore on the way back from Duluth. Lotsa water up there. Lots of water and pasties. (Is there such a thing as a vegan pasty?)

It took me 35 ½ years to figure out that I belong in a kayak. Mercy, it would be a shame to spend the next 35 years in only silty waters.

And, in the same regard, it would be a shame not to spend my working hours finding ways to clear up the water we have around here. Shouldn’t every child know what clear water looks like?

Cirrus at White Star

The Shadow of Your Kayak

Otsego Great Egret

Otsego Canoe Livery - Wood County, Ohio

Otsego Canoe Livery
http://www.woodcountyparkdistrict.org/
Canoe Livery 419 823-4524
(Saturdays, Sundays & holidays only 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.)

The Canoe Livery offers:
Canoe rentals by the hour
Self-guided downriver canoe trips (1 1/2 - 4 hour duration)
NEW - Kayak rentals! (sit-on-top)

You are provided with:
Life jackets
Transportation to the drop off site in Grand Rapids for downriver trips
Canoes and paddles

Cost: (including tax)
$8.50/hourly rental per canoe or kayak
$26.50/downriver rental per canoe (1 1/2 - 4 hours)
$12.00/downriver kayak rental
Visa & Mastercard accepted on site.

Otsego Park gives visitors one of the most beautiful vistas of the Maumee River in Wood County. Located at the intersection of State Routes 65 and 235 (West River Road and Otsego Pike), Otsego is a 10-acre park consisting of wooded shoreline and a series of four islands.

Midwestern Flora Identification

Midwestern Wildflowers Group is organized to help with identification of flowers, leaves, seeds, galls, and other growths of native and non-native flora found in the Midwestern United States.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/midwestflora/

End of summer moon... 

The drifting patches lift and fold...

I can gather all the news I need on the Weather Report.

Listening to NORM! really pays off. On Monday morning, Norm mentioned that there might be fog to deal with the next day. And, boy, was there. What made this particular low hanging cloud formation so spectacular was the full moon (left over from the night before) that illuminated the suspended water droplets. This is the stuff of pompous theatre and great kayaking sessions. Departure occurred right as 41° 1' N was turning toward the sun. The entrance of the big, pink orb might have well been announced with cymbals and tympani; though somebody put too much dry ice in the smoke machine, and the orchestra lost its way. I was the only person in the audience! Of course, the players were all there: gulls, cormorants, herons, geese, starlings (imitating meadowlarks and penny whistles), and very large fish. I wish that I hadn’t lingered so long at home.

NORM!alize your day: http://www.nbc24.com/ - weather

More WX: http://vegankayaker.blogspot.com/2004_01_01_vegankayaker_archive.html

Some days the fog in Findlay...

Plain, but nice

I was just sure that the City of Findlay reservoir would be as bland and sterile as the inside of an alcohol swab, but I was only partially correct. The giant bathtub made of riprap is indeed plain, but the simplicity is its beauty. The chop of the seemingly endless supply of water is hypnotic. The clouds and sky paper are mesmerizing. Occasionally a great blue heron, cormorant, or some other bird offers a distraction. The methodical paddling out to a certain marker, non-stop, and breathing steadily heals me. Tissues are being repaired, and muscle is being built with each stroke. My jaw is unclenching, and my brain is rewiring. I liken it to running a quick defrag on the computer. I’ve been out four times in the past three days. I’d have gone out more often if there hadn’t been a vehicle shortage. Of course, this morning, some motor-boater said to me, “I gotta ask…” (Do questions that begin with “I gotta ask” lead to deep, meaningful exchanges?) “Have you flipped it yet?” Well, no, I haven’t gotten around to flipping my kayak yet. I had planned to practice a wet exit sometime soon. Perhaps I should have done that before venturing out on the reservoir. He proceeded to tell me about some guy who flipped his kayak into the cold spring waters of April. Great. The wind was more persuasive this morning, and the chop was more definitive. The idea had been planted in my brain. I would probably wind up flipping. I looked up the article regarding the boating mishap. Waves of two to three feet were to blame. My pride is preserved, for now.

Vegan Eats: Head to Squeakers on North Main Street in Findlay to refuel. Call ahead: 419-424-3990.

Findlay reservoir boating rules

• Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Legal boats: Sailboats, canoes, rowboats, fishing boats, and approved inflatable watercraft.
• Sailboards/windsurfers are prohibited.
• Boat size: Minimum 10 feet long, maximum 20 feet.
• Maximum engine size: Reservoir No. 1, electric only, 6 horsepower maximum. Reservoir No. 2, outboard, 10 horsepower maximum.
• Boat driver must be 18 years old and have a valid driver's license

A riled reservoir can be risky

by J. STEVEN DILLON, STAFF WRITER, The Courier, Findlay, Ohio
Some days, Findlay Reservoir No. 2, east of Findlay, is as calm as bathtub water.
On others it can be as choppy as Lake Erie. It was like that Sunday.
Joe Phillips, 46, an avid kayaker, lives near the massive above-ground reservoir and frequently paddles on it and the Blanchard River.
He had ventured out on the reservoir that windy, cool afternoon, but stayed close to the shoreline, which he says protected him from the biggest waves.
He had made it all the way around and was calling it a day when he passed two other boaters. A male was in a plastic boat similar to Phillips'; a woman was in an older style wooden kayak.
While both had life jackets on, neither was dressed for the conditions.
"I told them to take it easy out there," Phillips recalled this week. "It seemed odd to me they were heading out toward the middle, but I assumed they were good paddlers so I didn't think much about it."
Before Phillips could get out of his dry suit, however, the two kayakers were in trouble.
First the woman's craft flipped, and began to drift away without her. The man attempted to help her, but found himself in the frigid water too.
Phillips quickly re-entered the water in his kayak and went to their assistance.
The male was able to get back into his boat, but the girl was not. Phillips threw her a rope and began towing her toward the nearest shore.
Finding himself heading into the stiff wind, he had to change directions. Eventually, they ended up on the north side of the reservoir.
The male, meanwhile, had capsized again and was clinging to the side of the boat -- about one-quarter mile from shore.
"I was thinking how hard it was going to be to go back against the wind" to reach him, Phillips said. "I could have done it, but it would have been tough. By that time I was pretty whipped."
Fortunately, a fisherman had witnessed the boats capsizing and called 9-1-1.
Within minutes, a ranger from the Hancock Park District, Findlay police and the city fire department's water-rescue unit were on the scene.
Firemen quickly launched their motorized boat and rescued the man. Both the man and woman were checked at the scene, and didn't require further medical treatment.
Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Hilty said the fire department gets called to the reservoir two or three times a year for water rescues.
"Usually we end up lending assistance," he said. "Generally, the person or persons are out of the water when we get there."
The 1,000-acre reservoir is a popular spot for fishermen and boaters, including those with kayaks, canoes, rowboats and even small sailboats.
But Hilty said the reservoir can be hazardous if someone ventures onto it without using caution and doesn't employ basic boater safety techniques.
"A person who takes boating seriously spends some time anticipating things that can go wrong and thinking about what they would do if it does," he said. "Unfortunately, not everyone does that."
Hancock Park District Director Tim Brugeman said rangers have relatively few incidents on the reservoir. But he said that body of water, which serves as Findlay's primary water source, can cause "real problems" for unprepared boaters. So can areas near several dams on the Blanchard River.
"Sunday's rescue at the reservoir went well primarily because of Joe Phillips," Brugeman said this week. "It could have very easily turned out differently if Mr. Phillips had not been there."
Brugeman said most of the problems on the reservoir result when people underestimate the power of wind and water and how they affect small watercraft.
Reservoir rules allow boats no longer than 20 feet and powered by no more than a 10 horsepower outboard motor.
"It can be deceiving," he said. "At times, it can appear very calm, but when you get out in the conservation pool, where it is between 30-40 feet deep, the waves can be two or three feet. That can be a problem for someone in a small boat."
Phillips, who has had his own share of "spills" on the water, said he could have ended up like the people he helped rescue Sunday had he not stayed close to shore.
"In conditions like that it doesn't take much to flip when you're in a kayak," he said. "I'm just glad I was out there where I could help.
"There is safety in numbers."
----------
Contact staff writer J. Steven Dillon at:
(419) 427-8423
stevedillon@thecourier.com

----------

Thursday, April 29th, 2004

http://www.thecourier.com/

A stretch away from civilization

Date: 17 August 2004
Water type: small river
Location: Blanchard River, Hancock County, Ohio
Put-in point: Blanchard Landings, Ohio SR 235. Steep, somewhat muddy, but tolerable.

Atmosphere: There is a bridge on the west side of the county that is closed for repairs and repairs they-are-a-doing. Loud, jackhammer-type repairs that rattle one’s jaw were on the work order this afternoon. However, shortly after 4pm the generators stopped, and the quiet began. From the Blanchard Landing river access point (near the bridge) to the next bridge west the river steers away from civilization. This particular part of the Blanchard River is far enough away from US Route 224 that the traffic din seems to be non-existent. As I approached the next bridge at Township Road 123, only four cars could be heard. This was my turn-around point. If you’re going further, the next bridge west is one of those rare aqua-green metal bridges from Dayton, Ohio, and is closed to through traffic. The river kisses US 224 along the next stretch and certain to be noisier.

Water: My time out on the water went from 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm. It seemed to be naptime for most wildlife until the crepuscular hour. Strong breezes can affect watercraft. There were only a few bits of trash, but nothing that will spoil the trip. Not too far upstream is a sizeable log jam across the entire river. Downstream toward the TR 123 bridge (no trespassing signs abound near this one) numerous erratics offer an easy obstacle course followed by a tiny shelf that results in a small white water experience. Going down was fun. I wasn’t strong enough or mathematically endowed enough to get back up with out dragging my vessel across the rocks.

Wildlife
Birds: willow flycatchers, great blue heron, great horned owl, cedar waxwings, Baltimore oriole pair.
Reptiles: painted turtles, soft-shelled turtle, map turtle.
Insects: damselflies, dragonflies, water striders, and an occasional nuisance fly.
Mammals: groundhog (or woodchuck for you other types)
Fish: some medium sized fish did make their presence known

Safety & Summary:
If the rest of your watering holes are fast drying up, consider a trip from Blanchard Landing, a sport access point maintained by the Hancock Park District. The quiet along this stretch is worth the experience. Solo adventurers keep in mind that this is an isolated location. Have a back-up plan and a means to call for assistance if needed.

Astronomy Log

Astronomy Log

Fox on the Run

Pout quietly or you'll scare away the fox

Date: 15 August 2004
Water type: medium sized river
Location: Sandusky River, Hancock County, Ohio
Put-in point: Heck’s Bridge, Seneca TR 28. Very steep, riprap. Flat, pebbled landing. No restrooms at this location.
Water Mileage: 3.52

Atmosphere: I had never been on this part of the Sandusky River before, but from the information available it seemed as if I would be in for some spectacular views. After all, the Sandusky is a state scenic river, and the part I was going to travel goes through Howard Collier State Nature Preserve. Don’t be fooled; the ugliness was a Category III: visually ugly, “olfactorally “ ugly, and audibly ugly. (Trash, old barn-rot smell, nearby motor speedway droned on like a swarm of houseflies.)

Water: Strong breezes can affect watercraft. My time out on the water went from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. I didn’t see much in the way of wildlife until my return trip. The most striking thing about this area is the astounding amount of downed trees. The corpses met their fate naturally from strong winds and storms. All the flotsam and jetsam tangled and strewn gave the impression of what I imagine a war zone must be like. The summer has been dry. In wetter seasons the river is navigable by much larger craft. Beware of holiday weekends when alcohol and inconsideration run rampant. Rocks, water logged trees, and junk made for tricky navigation in some areas. It was shallow enough that I couldn’t get upstream.

Wildlife: I was pouting on my return trip because there hadn’t been much to gaze upon except junk, flotsam, and jetsam. A red fox redeemed the area. The one pictured here was just a pup.
Birds: yellowlegs, great blue heron
Reptiles: painted turtles
Insects: damselflies, dragonflies, water striders
Mammals: groundhog (or woodchuck for you other types), red fox
Fish: some medium sized fish did make their presence known
Wildflowers: jack in the fruit, white baneberry in fruit, jewel weed in flower

Safety & Summary:
Despite the majority of this trip being a bust, I would consider giving it another whirl in another season. Mid April or mid October would be my pick. The drive to Heck’s Bridge is fascinating. The narrow road gently rolls up and down over the topography. Each house along the way is captivating. I’d be happy to claim any one of them as my own. Don’t miss a quick peek at the Wyandot Dolomite Quarry just west of Howard Collier.

Nearest Vegan Victuals: 10 miles away in Tiffin, Ohio.

Alum Creek

Upper Sandusky Reservoir, "Upper"

The Upper Sandusky Reservoir has girth and vegetation. There is a cement ramp for easy launching as well.

Vegan Eats: After a full paddle, fill up at the China Garden in Upper. Tip: tofu (bean curd) is NOT on the menu. The family who owns this business is very friendly and helpful. They asked me what I wanted, and they made it. I love tofu & veggies (sans green pepper) in a brown Szechuan sauce. This is what I got. 419-294-9388, 122 North Warpole Street. They take plastic.

There's a Mexican Restaurant down the street, but reviews on that one will have to wait 'til another day.

For the Ice Cream Vegetarian: I found it astonishing that there are at least 5 mom & pop ice cream shops along Warpole Street plus a Dairy Queen. Gads. You could have brain freeze all night if you want. Personally, I can hold out for the Soy Delicious at Squeaks, Kroger, and Meijer in Findlay.

Great Blue Heron, Upper Sandusky Reservoir

Eastern Fox and Painted at Shank Lank, Oakwoods Nature Preserve, Hancock Park District, Ohio