Moose Morning 2022
While we were up in NH one morning this summer I got up and out into my kayak before sunrise. I quietly made my way diagonally across the lake to the opening of the back cove. Lorraine likes to say that I look like a submarine with a periscope when I am in my kayak! Lol I set up my tripod right in front of where I sit and bring the paddle in close to me in order to take easy smooth strokes to keep the camera and tripod in the kayak!
I love starting my mornings at this spot because this cove lights up beautifully with the first rays of the morning’s light coming up over the mountain behind me. The morning did not disappoint! As soon as the cove lit up a beautiful Great Blue Heron flew in and strutted across the back edge of the cove…
and then suddenly flew right at me and then turned to my left and flew up and away! Believe me that will wake you up! Lol….
I then paddled by the mountain laurel that was just coming out… and then decided to turn back and hang out in the cove. As soon as I turned my kayak towards the cove again, I could NOT believe my eyes!! A moose was just coming out of the woods directly across from me!! OMG!!! My heart was once again jumping out of my body… honestly, I would love to know my heartrate (or maybe I wouldn’t!) when encounters like these happen!!! I immediately started to fire away and stay as still as I could. Thankfully, the lake was like glass - but I did still drift. As the quiet current was trying to take me deeper into the cove I would occasionally have to paddle as quietly as possible to keep myself pointed out of the cove… the moose was moving along the outside edge of the lake right along the woods. She was so busy eating her breakfast salad that it really did not care that I was in my orange kayak as bright as can be firing away!!! Truly unbelievable!!! As soon as I moved the paddle for the first time to correct for the drifting, she looked right at me! I held my breath… I did that often during this entire encounter! 😊….. I kept wondering …. how fast could that moose swim to my location? I honestly could not believe when she put her head back down to begin eating again… phew!!! So, of course I kept taking photos and on and on it went with her totally comfortable with my presence…… for a little over 22 minutes!!!!!!
I never saw her again this summer…. what a gift she was…