
We met at 06:15 at my house, tied down the boats in the truck bed, and got on the water just before 06:45.

Arrived at the put-in 06:37

Boats ready – still need to park the truck

Kayaks patiently waiting for their occupants

Sam paddling toward the regeneration dam
The water was still – no ripples or waves. The air was still.
Drifting away from the put-in was soooo peaceful with only the song of birds.

The regeneration dam spillway

A little stand of cypress
We did some serious bushwhacking – Joe Coker would have been proud.
The sawgrass cut my hands and I cracked one of my paddle blades while poling with it in the weeds.

In the weeds stalking Egrets in the trees
Reflections

Sam reflecting with the rest of the scenery
We saw great blue heron, egrets, red-winged blackbirds, turkey vultures, two bald eagles, a belted kingfisher, two red-shouldered hawks, a cormorant, some swallows, and I heard ducks in the reeds, but I didn’t see them.
The take-out looked very much the same as the put-in, but with fewer clouds.
LESSONS LEARNED:
Bring leather work gloves if there is any chance you will be bushwhacking.
Where we went

Please see photo album DeGray Lake (Lower) Waterfowl Refuge .