Reflection Lake, Golden, BC.

Kayaking on Reflection Lake, just outside of Golden, BC.

It was a glorious day when I decided to take my kayak to the lake I had seen just outside of Golden.  I like to go early in the morning for a number of reasons.  First off, there is the low angle of the sun which produces long shadows which still retain details.  Then there is the general absence of people.  I do not mind sharing the world with others, but they can royally foul up a scene when they are there milling about.  Finally, I am an early riser anyway and would rather do something useful with my time.

Getting into the lake was difficult.  I visited the lake the day before looking for put-in locations.  There really was only one, and it either had not been used much or not used at all.  The access was narrow and the entrance to the lake was thick with cattails.  Once my boat was in the water I had to "paddle" through the choking weeds.  By "paddle" I really mean pole because the only way I was getting through all that vegetation was to pry myself forward.  It took ten minutes of forceful muck shoving before I hit open water.

Once I was free and clear of the thick ring of bullrushes encircling the lake I found myself to be in a magical world.  There were lots of birds including trumpeter swans, yellow-headed blackbirds, and ruddy ducks.  The Purcell Mountains were spectacular and the clear blue sky was broken only by the occasional cloud.  Best of all though it was quiet, with only the sounds of nature to lure my mind away from the glory before me.

I took the above shot with my full frame camera using a 28-300 mm lens set at its lowest focal length.  I had a polarizer filter on which helped enhance the blue skies and took some of the colour cast away from the vegetation, which is why it looks so wonderfully green.  I keep my gear stored in watertight bags until I am safely floating on quiet waters.  I keep them handy on my lap on top of the drybags in case a shot suddenly presents itself.  I have never had a problem doing this.

Once I had finished exploring I returned to the weed-choked place I had put in and pried my way back.  It was more difficult getting in because I had to guess at where the best path lay; it was clearer on entering.  After fifteen minutes of struggling I managed to land and quickly had everything loaded up.  I was tired, but it was worth every bit of energy I had expended.

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