Canoodling in Canton
Canoe the Little River
The Little River meanders through the southern section of the town of Canton. A car top boat launch by the wooden bridge on County RT 27 just outside the village limits of Canton is a good access point. From there you have the option of paddling upstream through the many oxbows or head downstream where it drains into the Grasse River.
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The wooden bridge is just around the bend headed upstream from the boat launch. After taking a photo I turned around and headed to the Grasse River. The trip to the Grasse is short, it took me about 20 minutes of lazy paddling and drifting.
Why so slow? Spotting a Great Blue Heron pretty much stopped me in my ‘wake’.
These are pretty shy birds that don’t like anyone getting too close. I let the slight breeze push me slowly towards it.
I never did get close, thank goodness my camera has an 18x zoom.
Turtles are even more wary of big green logs floating by with a wiseacre on it. I don’t know why they’re so shy. They keep their shells on while sunbathing so it’s not like I’m going to see their naughty bits.
After disturbing the wildlife with my camera it only took a couple of minutes to sight the end of the ‘road’ where the Little River empties into the Grasse River.
Looking downstream on the Grasse River. The Miner Street bridge is just beyond the houses in the distance.
It was time to turn around and head back. Here’s a photo from the mouth of the Little river looking upstream.
I took my time going back too. There were a number of wildflowers to check out. Pickererweed, Arrowheads, Joe Pye-weed, Turtleheads, Cardinal Flowers, Swamp Milkweed and others lined the shore. Even drifts of Forget-Me-Nots had bloomed where the water had receded. But it was the Bullhead Lily I was after. They had yet to be added to my trophy list and I was determined to get some good photos of them.
Bullhead Lily – Nuphar variegatum
To really appreciate the flower you need a close look and a peek inside the cup like bloom.
A older flower has lost it’s yellow stamen like petals but has attracted a bug collection of some sort.
Anyone find my little excursion on the Little River ribbiting besides this guy? But then he’s sitting in muck ready to eat flies.
I only hope you’ve got better taste than that. If not you’re welcome to join him. Here’s a Google map to help you find the way:
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August 20th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Yes, WiseAcre, that was, indeed, a truly ribbiting journey. Thanks for introducing me to the Bullhead Lily. I never even heard of it before.
Do you ever get over to Potsdam? I graduated from SUNY back in the good old days of the ’60′s and have never been back. I’m going to be going through there in September, and I wondered if I’d be able to find my way around.
August 20th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
A delightful trip, great sights, pretty flora, neat wildlife. And I like the map that locates it all for me. My back even aches from all the paddling, that’s how immersed I got in your post.
August 20th, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Firstly, I thought you went to China, to their Canton. Well, as your pictures show, you don’t need to go so far to see a beautiful river, plants and birds!
August 20th, 2010 at 11:51 pm
I do not have any experience in canoeing. It is very fun to follow through your photos and writing.
April 11th, 2011 at 5:12 pm
Great post and adventure. Love your photo of the little prince, and the post before too.