Photography In A Kayak: Sonoma County

We were just getting ready to lower the two man kayak into the Estero Americano when I glanced up and saw the color beginning to form on the eastern horizon. Drop everything and grab your camera! The light will be very fleeting and if you are not ready, camera, tripod, settings - all ready to go - chances are you will miss the splendor. This light had just come on and it was gone within five or six minutes at the most. But what a great beginning to our first adventure down the Estero Americano!

Paddling down this narrow waterway you are treated to a unique perspective on the ranches in the area. It of course is very quiet with only the sounds of nature and an occasional cow bleating.

And then you come across these unusual sights that make you wonder just what was here fifty or a hundred years ago. Like this fence sticking out over the estero, as if it were a fence to nowhere. Yet it must have served a definite purpose back in the day before the water claimed the bank. It was a strange sight that sparked the imagination.

These little fences were all along portions of the estero as if they were intended to keep the fish from swimming out of the channel into shallow water. Who knows?

All in all this adventure to the ocean was a wonderful experience. My son in law- and rowing and shooting partner - Francisco Montes, captured images of birds in flight and of deer jumping into the water and swimming across to, obviously, greener pastures. Wow! Once to the ocean we had time to rest up for the trek back to the car. All in all it was about a nine hours from start to finnish with five hours on the water. And yes we were both quite sore the next day but every ache was totally worth it.

If you enjoyed these images you may want to see more of Bob's fine art landscape photography on his website, by clicking here.

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