AHHH - BACK ON THE WATER

click photos to enlarge

The water in Douglas Lake has risen 40 feet since January.  Its a slow process but, its getting deep again.  The scenic aspect is improving also.  If the water touches the green grass on the shoreline - I may consider launching my personal boat.

The views are definitely improving.  This is more like it.  The mud banks are slowly being hidden with water.

Ah Oh!  I guess an ugly duckling can be improved with pretty clothing but, an ugly duckling is what it is - ugly.

Just when I was getting into the ride - junk and garbage appears just around the first turn in the lake.  It was everywhere.  Yes, I understand where it came from and why its there but, it totally ruins the ambiance of the moment.

The water skiers and jet ski boats will be in for a surprise on Saturday (tomorrow) unless they look before they leap.

This mud hole is disgusting.  All this junk is washed into the lake by rains and flooding far upstream.  I've already cleared limbs and boards out from between my lower unit and the transom (back of the boat.)  I just replaced the transducer (pickup) for the sonar unit and its junk like this hooking onto the motor and swishing around that breaks that unit off.

Its pretty bad when the highlight of your ride on the lake is the debris floating on it.  Oh boy! - I spotted a wheel that might fit my trailer.

 Darn it!  I need a fifteen inch wheel for my trailer.  This one won't fit.  

I'd just have to keep looking I guess.  The ole mud hole is full of surprises.

Theres something over there that might be useful.  Well, no - I guess not.  I have no need for a monster block of foam.
I gotta put up with this scrubby mud hole all summer.  I'll do my best with it.

The above shot is of a grebe.  They are a diving bird and prolific on the lakes of East Tennessee.  I only have the little Elph camera so I had to enlarge the shot enormously to get him to show up.  He's got a case of the blurs in the shot above.  Sorry.

Its been an interesting month so far.  I've had the opportunity to work on some unique fish habitat, assist in the installation of an electric gate to our work center and successfully repair the starter on my state boat.  The brakes locked up on the truck twice and had to deal with that.  Diversity I believe its called.  Today is the first day since the third of the month I've been on the lake with the state boat.  The water level has changed so much that I actually got sort of lost after awhile on the water.  Things look very different.  The bare mud banks I'm used to seeing are covered with water now.  The little coves and channels are now wide expanses of water.  I like it but, its still a mud lake to me.

The goose in the pictures above is either sitting on eggs or is about to lay eggs.  She lays flat when danger approaches in hopes of sliding under the radar.  I acted like I didn't see her and cruised right on by while softly whistling the theme to Lonsome Dove.  When the water finally reaches the edge of the forests - wildlife may be accessible to the camera.  I'll start taking the big camera with me starting tomorrow.  

I guess the lake will be full of wood every time it rains somewhere.  I haven't spent a summer on this lake yet so, I don't really know.  Its sure a mess now.

Yep - we're going now darlin.  Its time to head for the barn.  We'll stop for a couple burgers on the way.

The guy in the row boat, above, was the most interesting thing I saw all morning.  He was really moving in that thing.  I definitely can't paddle a canoe that fast.  The boat is a wooden boat and shouts quality in its build.  He knew what he was doing because I watched him maneuver around debris perfectly and never faltered in his rowing strokes.  I'm impressed.

I labeled the photos in this entry (lower right corner.)  I just wanted to see what the shots looked like with the labeling.  I don't like it.  I think its distracting and fractures any feelings that the pictures may have inspired.  Of course, on this lake there isn't much to get inspired about.  But, I'll not use the labeling process again unless I want to give credit to another photographer's photo that I use.


I'll be going to Chilhowee Lake soon on a mission.  I'll explain it later.  My gasoline bill is unbearable and I fear I'll have to cut my trips to the western pristine lakes in half.  Its a shame.  I am on a fixed income and I can't do three and four hundred dollar gasoline bills a month.  We'll see how it works out.  Thank you for your interest in this blog.  I appreciate it.