NYCkayaker Trip Report: The Basher Kill 12-17-2006

[sandy sobanski]

Perfect name for a location to shoot freakin'
fish...Hope they had a big enough gun and the right
ammo.   How macho.  It would make such a great Xmas
card...
--- Mo  Fridlich <mofrid at optonline.net> wrote:

> Last Sunday, with temperatures nearing 60 degrees,
> it was perfect winter conditions to do some
> kayaking. Since all of my kayaking friends declined
> to join me, I made a last ditch effort to enlist
> some company on this list. It was of no success,
> most likely due to the proximity of the Christmas
> Holidays and fact that I did not give enough notice.
> 
> Not to be discouraged, I had decided to make my way
> up Route 17 to the Basher Kill just south of
> Wurtsboro. It is a wetlands and wild life management
> area that encompasses over 3000 acres. I had been
> there several times before but this was the first
> time in Winter. The water levels are fairly shallow
> and most of the time the water is frozen this time
> of the year. In Spring the area is covered with
> wetlands plants and a deeper channel winds through
> the lush green vegetation. By late Summer the weeds
> and algae take over and it is often difficult to
> maneuver through the tangle with a kayak.
> Getting there this time of the year I was astounded
> by the stalk difference. The lush marsh vegetation
> was all but gone. 
> Due to the beautiful weather there were quite a few
> other people enjoying the outdoors. While getting
> the kayak ready I met a couple riding their horses,
> another out for a walk. Later I talked to a
> fisherman showing off his catch and a guy with duck
> decoys and a shotgun. There were no signs of any
> ducks and I implored him due to my colorful drysuit
> not to mistake me as one. In contrast to the other
> seasons there were very few birds. Only ones I saw
> were a few seagulls and an osprey.
> Then I came upon two guys in a canoe. The one
> sitting in the front also had a shotgun. He suddenly
> got up and took a shot into the water and his buddy
> pulled out a sizable catfish. It was the first time
> I ever witnessed someone catch a fish with a shotgun
> (I do think this is illegal). 
> There are a few islands in the marsh and I decided
> to climb the tallest one and have my lunch there.
> The day was very relaxing and peaceful and went by
> much too fast. When the sun finally dropped on the
> horizon it was time to pack up and go home.  I
> enjoyed taking quite a few pictures. I have put them
> in an album for those that are interested. To show
> the difference in the seasons there are two
> sub-albums "Spring Time in the Basher Kill" and
> "Winter in the Baser Kill". Just click on the
> picture to open the album and choose [slideshow] on
> the upper right for easy viewing.
> 
> Here is the link: 
>
http://www.mofridlich.com/gallery/view_album.php?page=1&set_albumName=Basher-Kill-Seasons
> 
> Mo 
> 
> >
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