Catching Up

When the Paddlefolk and I took our kayaks along the Barron Canyon, in early October, I already had it in my head that it would be the last time that I'd take my 360-degree camera with me. I knew—or rather, I felt—that it wouldn't be the last time that I took my Delta 12.10 kayak on the water, that the weather would hold out and I'd get at least one more paddle under my belt for 2024.

It was my last paddle video, not my last paddle.

DW, our Paddlefolk, and I went out in our kayaks one more time, on Muskrat River and Muskrat Lake, near Cobden, Ontario. The fall colours were still vibrant and it was a nice paddle.

A few weeks ago, I shared a few photos from that outing but I had taken quite a few. I didn't have my 360-degree camera with my but I had my smartphone, and captured lots of photos that day.

One of the things I've learned with my new smartphone, which has three lenses, is that it takes fairly decent telephoto images. But in a kayak, there's the added challenge of the movement on the water.

As we followed the northern shoreline on Muskrat Lake, I noticed a farm on the southern shores, and so I broke off from my group and moved to the middle of the lake. I didn't want to cross the lake entirely, as that would have put me more than half a kilometre from everyone else.

With the wind pushing me in the middle of the lake, I let myself drift while I got out my phone and aimed at the farm. There were trees in the foreground, so I waited until there was good spacing between the trees, the barn, the silo, and the farmhouse.

At 10-times magnification, I took this shot.

I had to paddle hard to catch up with everyone, who had decided to turn back. When I finally caught up with DW, she asked me where I went.

"I saw the potential for a photo, so I pursued it."

That's all she needed to know. If we're walking down the street and I have my camera on me, she knows not to worry if I suddenly stop, and she continues on her way, knowing that I'll eventually catch up.

If I stop, I stop for a reason.

Happy Friday!