We live in a residential area right near the lagoons and in the past 20 years I have seen two coyotes and one wolf (which admittedly I may have mistaken for a coyote with very long legs). Strange but true- but it is infrequent.
Anyway, give me a break- I'm trying to build Illinois tourism :).
By the way- I left out foxes. They are occasionally out in the open in daylight. Also, depending on the time of year, there are hundreds (or thousands) of coots in the Skokie Lagoons.
Neches River, Texas A trip that would easily meet your criteria (if you are a little flexible on the gator thing) is the Neches River in Texas below B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir. The entire segment is in the Big Thicket National Preserve.
It is a lot like paddling down a jungle river–in some sense it is paddling down a jungle river. There are ample sand bars to camp on. You won’t regret it if you give it a try.
Agree… I think I’ve bumped into a seal or two while coastal kayaking in the 4 plus years here in MA.
Last week, I surfed with seals at Moss Landing. At Santa Cruz, there will dolphins surfing the same waves as folks. Way cool! Seals, sea lions and otters were common sights. Thankfully, I didn’t see the sharks that were sighted further north at Davenport…
Cache River - Illinois I was reading about the Cache River - it’s supposedly the “only river to flow in both directions” depending on prevailing water levels elsewhere. Sounds like a wonderful wildlife area. Also liked the description of the Chicago River - that could be fun, and there is apparently some wildlife to be seen there, too.
Why "Downeast" The coast of Maine actually curves over significantly east as it goes further north. That’s why the downeast part. But it’s agreat, kinda raw coast.
Another consideration to not paddle unguided in Maine - the fog can come in very fast. We’ve experienced visibility dropping from half a mile to about 30 feet in half an hour. You want to be with someone who knows the area.
Down as in down wind My understanding is that, in the days of sailing, the wind direction on the coast of Maine usually took you east when you were going downwind.
Guided yes I paddled the South Shore of NS last year, where folks speak with a Maine twang and the geology is identical. I was shocked at how quickly I became disoriented by the myriad islands, channels and similar-looking shore features. A fog would have been the capper. Loved it. I have since collected maps, charts and waypoints for the area.
the Carolinas Maybe I got lucky, but three times I have taken off from beaches in the Carolina’s, and three times I have seen and played with dolphins. Twice in outer banks of NC, and once off Hilton head. All three times were in the fall. Cliff
Yes, I sighted many this morning Often, they will just come right up and crush themselves against you. If you’re lucky (or unlucky depending on your point of view) you may experience “humansong” followed by begging for cash. The other night a particularly grungy male appeared, jabbering the language of his species. He then proceeded to screech his violin until somebody coughed up some cash. This type of wildlife can be found in abundance and is unique to the subway environment.
Who knows what wonderous wildlife I will see on my way home tonight…Lou
Actually , it is… You may have seen a fox, coyote, or dog and mistaked it for a wolf, but there are no wolves, besides in zoos, in the Chicago region, and probably the entire state of Illinois for that matter. Even small wolf packs and loners need large wilderness areas for survival, and the metropolitan Chicago region does not qualify. This is a great place to paddle in an urban environment with wildlife that is well adapted to an urban environment, but you’d have to head pretty far north or west for a wilderness inhabitated by wolves. No need to sell llinois on something it’s not. There’s not too many other places you can day paddle from a prairie stream, through a great collection of skyscrapers, and in a Great Lake.
You may want to look at the Florida Bay Outfitters site on the internet. These are great people with whom to discuss destinations and trips for both beginner and advanced kayakers. They are the sponsors of the Bogey and Bacall kayak race in February. Their web site has an
"E-News" category for trip feedback from areas other than Florida, as well.
On Florida's gulf coast, east of Marco Island and south of Naples is Collier-Seminole State Park. The park has kayak and canoe water trails, hiking trails (not near the water trails) and camping. One can register with the rangers before going out on the water. The water trail for kayaking meanders and the trip can be short or very lengthy leading all the way into the Gulf of Mexico. The birdlife and exotic flowering bromeliad plants abound, manatees are also here. On the water you can feel miles away from civilization. It is a beautiful and peaceful place. Once on the water trails, 16+ miles long, there is no place to get out of the kayak until you either paddle all the way to the area leading into the Gulf (a long paddle) or return to the put-in. Boats for the blackwater river can also be rented here. Florida in Spring and early Fall means mosquitoes. Of course, a fellow paddler already forewarned of Fall hurricane season and the winds which effect the mangrove streams that feed into the Gulf or the Ocean.
A more local paddle for you is Pymatuning Lake which borders Ohio and Pennsylvania. See "Places2Paddle" here at Paddling.Net, select Pennsylvania to read rkmdo's destination review on Pymatuning Lake. For beginners, this is a nice place to paddle on good weather days. Once you get up to speed, you may want to take a drive to Presque Isle in Lake Erie to paddle, not too far from Pymatuning. The historic two masted U.S. brig Niagara vessel and the Erie Maritime Museum are in Erie. This can be an interesting historical side trip if you are interested in the Oliver Hazard Perry's final naval victory of the war of 1812 and the Battle of Lake Erie which ended in what is now lovely Put In Bay, Ohio.
Another local paddle is the Juanaita River in Central Pennsylvania. This is a gorgeous River for all levels of paddlers. Dennis McIlnay's book Juniata, River of Sorrows, One Man's Journey Into A River's Tragic Past gives details on a trip on this river. Don't let the title deter you. The book traces some civil war incidents on the river via a modern day exploration paddle. At one point on the river, for the past two summers, a black bear crossed the Juniata every day at sunset. It's not the Keys or Alaska but it is a lovely weekend or weeklong paddle spot. Hotels, motels, private camping, and Pennsylvania State Park and Army Corps of Engineers park camping are all available in the area of Raystown Lake that is fed by the Juniata River.
There are also beautiful lakes in the Adirondacks. See the Mini-Guide under "Places2Paddle", select Adirondacks to read writers Nelson and Forrest's report on the locale.
A thought for future travels for summer and experienced paddlers is the abundant wildlife area of Homer, Alaska (Kachemak Bay). There is absolutely beautiful kayaking but cold water. In May there can be snow and in September there is almost always snow. It is wonderful in late July and early August. The lakes in the area are also lovely for beginners. There can be grizzly bears in the lake areas.
Once again, check the "Places2Paddle" area here at Paddling.net. The Paddle.net founders trip to Southeast Alaska out of Sitka on the inside passage abounded with sea life. Another area on the inside passage that has great wildlife includes the San Juan Islands west of Vancouver, Canada. However, neither one of these areas are for beginners.
Great place to see wildlife There’s a remote area in the Allegheny Mountains that has yet to be developed for nature tourism, but a lot of people from the region enjoy paddling down the Allegheny River from Warren, Pa. You can see what it looks like at http://www.drlareau.com/allegheny_river14.html
