Tuesday
June 9th 2020 a summer daylong awaited for – sunny, a high of 87 predicted and what better way to spend the day then snorkeling? I enter the waters of Star lake at 10:40am, water temperature a fortifying 66 degrees. Working my way down the shore to two small islands I checkout what activity might be photographed around a large red pine that had fallen down and out into the water. Unpredictably nothing … no fish, no bugs no frogs in the tangle of broken trunk and limbs so I photo the limbs reflection on the underside of the surface when I notice a rock turn and look at me?
That’s no rock – it’s a snapping turtle – a large 18 inch long shelled snapping turtle – that is showing no fear of me – I name him Old Snappy.
Notice the size of those feet and claws and look at that face … Old Snappy has the regal look of wisdom, placidity and mostly don’t mess with me I’ll eat that camera and your hand for lunch.
I say good bye to Old Snappy and I work my way out from the shore and out to the islands and discover that the lily pads have just started to come out.
I also come across some freshly hatched out of the nest bass fry (the black spots) and if you look closely you can see the parent fish coming out to shoo me away.
After close to three hours of snorkeling I head back to where I put in and as I’m just about there a tadpole crosses over me – just another day if you take time to notice it.
