Camping on the Bog River Flow • click to embiggenI mentioned previously that we had camped at our favorite canoe wilderness site on the Bog River Flow. We really like this site for a number of reasons.
It is a relatively easy paddle with 1 portage - or "carry" as they are called in the Adirondacks - and, once at the site, Lows Lake is another relatively easy out-and-back day-trip paddle away. The site itself, which forms a little peninsula flanked on both sides by little inlets - is uncharacteristically large and open and it comes with a wonderful pine needle carpet. The river is also quite wide at this point.
At the river side of the site there is a moderate bluff that overlooks the river and is a perfect place to pitch a tent. From the bluff the forest floor drops into a depression before rising up a steep hillside - the perfect place to pitch a tarp because it is sheltered from the wind. A properly aligned tarp is open to the East and the small inlet which is perfect for catching the morning sun. On the West side of the site - again facing a small inlet - there is the aforementioned little strip of open shoreline that has a beach of sorts - the perfect spot for swimming and/or afternoon sunbathing.
Add to all of this the fact that this stretch of river is home to the friendliest loon on the planet - he has allowed me and the wife (with dogs) to approach very closely (at times a mere 8-10 feet) - and you have an incredible wilderness site. The loon and I have paddled together for up to an hour - he right alongside the canoe preening and generally showing off.
On our latest trip he showed up again and Hugo was treated to an up close and personal loon-display including a very loud treat - a loon in full cry which is awesome to experience a mere few feet from the bird. Hugo was wide-eyed and smiling from ear-to-ear. He declared the experience to be "very cool" and when queried he even opined that it was, just maybe, better than playing Play Station games.
FYI, Bog River / Lows Lake is home to the largest population of nesting loons in NY. This year not a single baby loon survived. This could be due to many factors but one likely suspect is this summer's unusually high water level - loons are very very awkward on land and it is not uncommon to find one stranded near water but unable to walk/waddle to it. Consequently, they build their nests right at the shoreline which makes the nests themselves as well as any babies susceptible to high water, waves (especially boat wakes), and predators - eagles, osprey, fox, coyotes and the like. And, then there is the danger of mercury/lead poisoning (toxins build up over time) from acid rain - thanks to our coal-burning "friends" in the Midwest.
Bog River / Lows Lake is classified by the state as a Primitive Area so no motorized boats of any kind are allowed which eliminates that particular threat. Eagles and osprey are fairly common to the area and are an ever-present threat to the young loons. The acid rain problem has resulted in fish eating restrictions here in the Adirondacks and fish are the mainstay of the loon diet. And, as mentioned, the record amount of rain this year has resulted in water levels way above normal.
So, the loons are in a bit of tough spot in general but this year in particular. Unfortunately for them, all of their nearly insurmountable problems are man made. Needless to say, I am not at all amused by the morons in government who like to spin these issues in the cause of defeating environmental protections because it will "cost" too much.
Fuck them and the horse they rode in on - well, maybe not the horse. These bastards should be required to eat 3 meals a day of fish from, say, Indian Lake (NYSDEC advisory - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of all species) until they clean up their act (not to mention the air) and do the right thing.
Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 02:42PM 
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