Fall is setting in fast, and today was perfect weather for kayaking. Desmond requested Swansea dam, so that is where we went. Being mid-day on a Wednesday, we were the only two on the water. With the sun shining down the water and great visibility, I decided to shoot in 4k today, which I haven't done all season.
Just as we arrived, the water was filled with 20-25 geese. Folks feed the geese here all the time, so they will walk right up thinking you have food. Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to get the GoPro out before something spooked them and they flew off.
Once we got going and made our way to the wider section of the river, it was quite a sight. Barely any wind at all made the water flat and we slide across the top like skates on ice. I took my time this trip, because the trip around the whole area is only about 2 miles. So you really have to pace yourself and find things to do if you want to extend this trip. Fishing poles are always a good option here too. We chose to hug the coast and explore all the inlets as we made our way to the dam at the far end.
It doesn’t take long to get to the second dam. Once you get there, you will see a few spots on your right where you can pull your kayak up and get out at the dam. Des loves this spot. Throwing pebbles over the falls is a favorite pastime of his. After that gets played out, we leave the kayak behind as we hike into the woods and do some exploring around the upper pond just above the dam.
There are extensive walking paths here, which we have not really explored much of, aside from the area around the upper pond. Today we walked about a quarter ways around the pond and sat on a hill leading down to the pond. We tossed some pebbles at a rock outcropping in the pond for a while before heading back to the kayak to grab a drink, and get ready for the trip back.
The trip back is only about 3/4 of a mile, so take your time paddling and enjoy the brook while you can. The water was quite clear and the turtles were soaking up the sun around on trees and rocks. The water is already starting to get colder, so the turtles are taking advantage of those warms days while they still can. We got pretty close to a few who didn't seem to care much about our close proximity.
As we headed back to the put in, we noticed all the geese were back at the dam, just as they were when we arrived. We got so close to them I thought for a second they were going to be brave enough to come to the kayak, but then one goose was spooked and the rest followed as they flew directly over our heads just as we pulled up to the truck. It was great, and Desmond loved how they flew so close to us.
If you’re in the area and looking for a quick trip, this is a great spot. It's very easy to find, and offered some great times and fun to be had. Check it out some time!
