Each year, when Kay and I are back home for the summer, we always make sure to take at least one day where we get up early and haul our Wilderness Systems tandem kayak down to the Au Train River access in order to float down the river before “the amateurs” wake up and get out on the water. The Au Train River is a popular canoeing and kayaking destination and because it is a shallow, slow moving body of water, it attracts a large number of people who are somewhat inexperienced paddlers and are often very loud making it very hard to see wildlife. Every time we we are able to be the first people paddling down the river for the day, we are able to truly experience the tranquility of the river and we have always been able to have some amazing encounters with wildlife.
This year we had a beaver rise up immediately next to the kayak and swim along with us. I didn’t want to make any sudden movements and startle it, so I wasn’t able to put down my paddle to grab my camera - so, there was no chance to get a picture . However, it swam next to us, within touching distance for well over fifty yards.
This doe white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and its two fawns entered the river about about 75 yards in front of us and proceeded to make their way across. We stopped paddling and simply let the flow of water drift us toward them, while I was able to get this picture of their beautiful summer coats contrasted agains the lush greens of the mid-summer vegetation.