Wednesday, April 5, 2017, was our last full day at Usery Mountain Park. We decided to revisit Saguaro Lake with our kayaks. Last Monday, we kayaked around the lake. This time, we decided to leave the lake and head up the Salt River. Here's Kathy catching a sip of water as we set out on our paddle:
Shortly after we left the Butcher Jones Beach, we found a pair of cormorants sunning themselves. They kept a wary eye on us before eventually flying away as we got too close:
We faced a pretty strong headwind, so we kept close to the bank in an effort to avoid both the wind and the numerous speed boats. This monument marked the point at which we had ceased paddling upstream on our prior trip and crossed to the other side of the lake:
However, this time, we stayed on the near shore of the river and paddled upstream in search of new adventures. It didn't take long. Yikes! That rock looks like it is about to roll down on top of Kathy!
This area of the Tonto National Forest is know for having wild horses. We kept an eagle eye out, but never did spot any. There were lots of cormorants though! This little guy let us get very close before fleeing:
The force of the wind and waves carved several tunnels in the cliffs along the river banks. Here, Kathy slipped in to explore one of the larger tunnels. Don't get lost in there!
After paddling for three miles, we decided that Ship Rock would be our turnaround point. Here's Kathy coming around the far side after circling the rock:
Since Ship Rock was our turnaround point, we searched for a suitable lunch spot. A nearby shallow cove provided a nice quiet venue:
The return trip showed the rocks in a whole new light. We did not see this double arch until we turned around and were headed back downstream:
On the way back, we took some time to explore several side coves. The shallow water reflected back a lovely green color.
As we were making our way back to Saguaro Lake, we were passed by the Desert Belle Tour Boat. The tour is 90-minutes and includes narration on the history, geography, geology and wildlife native to the Sonoran Desert. Had we know there was beer and wine on board, we may have opted to let someone else do the paddling!
The last inlet led us to Willow Canyon. It looked very inviting. We could just leave our kayaks on shore and hike right up the canyon.
More cool rocks!
We saved the best for last.
Tomorrow we are moving to Tempe, Arizona to prepare for our flight back east to see our grandson for Spring Break. This may be the last blog for a while. Until then, stay thirsty my friends.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.