There is a dying oak tree near the boat ramp at Lake Jacomo's north marina. This morning a dozen vultures were roosting in the skeletal branches; they watched me pass by, speculative looks on their narrow faces. I launched my kayak, the Stolen Moment, and paddled north into a slight breeze and calm water, taking my usual route around my favorite nearest lake.
Jacomo's north marina.
I reached what I call Memorial Rock in about fifteen minutes. This rock, formerly a chunk of the 10 ft. bluff on the northwest shore, has a wreath of faded plastic flowers tied into the sparse vegetation growing on its crumbling top. I have yet to think of a pleasant reason someone would place plastic flowers on such a rock. At this point, if I haven't already done so, I am reminded of my own mortality and put my canned air horn within easy reach (if you paddle shallow rivers or are just starting your paddling adventures, the air horn is to scare away lake monsters and vision-impaired power boat pilots, mostly the latter).
Memorial Rock
Signs of autumn around the lake: leaves on the water now, like minuscule red and yellow sails, cricket song is supplanting the summer's shrieking cicada soundtrack, and fewer fishermen are out.
Breakfast found me in a secluded cove, the bow of Stolen Moment nosed into a raft of smartweed at the shore.
I relaxed in the cockpit and enjoyed the morning while I ate a Clif Bar and drank my coffee. The water was clear; I could see scores of tiny clam shells on the bottom. On the shore, Sericea Lespedeza was conquering the narrow strip between the water and the woods. This invasive plant is on Missouri's Noxious Weed list and is crowding out native plants, somebody's experiment that went Frankenstein with great enthusiasm. Two mallard hens flew into the cove, saw me, and reversed course. I tried not to take it personally. Before I left, I rescued a snarled bobber from the weeds to add to my collection.
Sericea Lespedeza, a weed classified in the Seemed-Like-a-Good-Idea-at-the-Time category.
I paddled the lake for four hours, the last two devoted to a race and exercise pace. Back at the marina (now sans vultures) I scored the morning a successful paddle.
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