Road Trip 2013: Cincoe Lake

Saturday, 8/31

Today we took a trip to Cincoe Lake.  Cincoe Lake is not a lake in the traditional sense.  It is more of a backwater lake.  In most places the lake is only two or three deep, and probably 75% of the surface is covered with lily pads and wild rice.

Satellite view of Cincoe Lake.  Notice how much of the lake is covered by vegetation.

You get there by putting in at a dock on the Wolf River.  There were motor boats on the river, but the lake is too shallow for them.  With our canoe, we were the only ones on the entire 181 acre lake.  Cincoe hosts a huge bird population.  We spent over three hours on the water, combining bird watching and David's fishing.  He had a few hits, but struck out as far as landing any.

Channel leading in to Cincoe Lake

Wild rice everywhere.

Lily pads as far as you can see.

Wolf River

What first appeared to be a flowering aquatic plant turned out to be
air bubbles reflecting in the sunlight on submerged aquatic plants.

Intrepid (and tired) paddlers at the boat landing.

Here is a list of our plant and wildlife sightings at the lake:

• Sandhill cranes
• Blue Herons
• Wood ducks
• Mallards
• Violet green swallows
• Tree swallows
• Osprey
• Cardinal
• Sea gulls
• Turtle
• Muskrat
• Cardinal flower
• Wild rice
• Water lilies, both yellow and white 
• Northern pike that broke the line
• Multitude of insects

We had originally planned to go to a Jazz Festival in Stevens Point Saturday evening.  But, we were just too tired after spending the day on the water.  So we made a campfire in the backyard, grilled some pork chops, sipped some beer and wine and solved most of the world problems.

Sunday will be my last day in Amherst.  Looks like laundry and organizing the camper will be my projects for the day.  Monday morning Zoey and I start our four day dash to Mt. Shasta, California..........