Paddling the Shannon River

 Our first paddle of the year was in early June and really, the first sunny warm day we had in weeks.  We packed up the kayaks and hit the road heading towards McGill Lake which is a favourite lake that we go to once or twice a summer.  Along the way though, Terry thought he might like to have a look at the Shannon River which has a cool "launch site" that we have driven to no less than 5 times and each time, it is bone dry and there is no way you can get your kayak anywhere near the river because of it.
But today, look at what we found.  Cool, deep, blue water.   we were both very excited to explore!

Rapids... I was too chicken to go down these, I knew
I would never get back up them!  Imagine, this was
before I paddled the damn Shubie

Beaver house... 

big rocks.  Looks like turtles

The afternoon was perfect with just a tiny wind, enough to keep the bugs at bay.  We came upon a small bit of rapids and I was too scared to go up them.  Going up rapids in a kayak is pretty darn difficult, and not for the weak of arm.  Terry got up them pretty easily but I tried 3 times before I gave up. Each time I stopped paddling, I was shot back down the fast moving water and had to struggle to keep my kayak straight while drifting down the waterway.

The most amazing experience though was while we were carrying our kayaks back up the gravel road to the car, one at a time.. we crossed paths with a big yellow  butterfly... on the way up the path, and again on the way back down the path.  Then... with the second kayak... the yellow butterfly fluttered by again.. and they this time, we were getting a little curious.
Now.. in my heart, I figured this big yellow butterfly just knew I was a special person who once raised two sets of yellow butterflies, so I must be a kindred spirit of some sort...
But, alas, Terry figured it out... it was not just one butterfly that was going back and forth, but it was several flying to a destination not far from the path.

We followed a particularly UN-graceful flutterer and came upon 9 identical butterflies, all gathered on a sunny little span of muddy forest.  They stayed their vibrating their wings for well over 20 minutes while we sat close by eating out lunch.  Don't know why, or what they were doing.. but it was pretty darn cool.. and a great way to end a perfect Paddle.