Perelman Park - 71: March 8, 2025

What follows is a random discussion of a Saturday, March 8 float from Perelman Park in Manheim Township to our house, a 4.1 mile, 2-hour paddle.

I love when I see people on the river doing what they do. I’ve seen muskrat trappers, fisherpeople, people hanging out smoking hookahs in their picnic-best - all sorts. Sure, if you are trapping muskrats or fishing, the river is pretty key, but for the rest of it - the running, the sitting, the hookah smoking, it’s the river that puts one’s experience over the top. I’m sure that was the case for the gentlemen on 3/8 who chose the Conestoga River at which to pray. Why wouldn’t a beautiful spot add that little extra to one’s appeals to the divine? 

I’ve done this float a handful of times and aside from the Lancaster Country Club, it's a pretty nice stretch. Even the spillover/waterworks off of 23 are kind of cool. I don’t especially like having to take out and portage, but whatever. 

There is a collection of houses along the way and these, for the most part, are pretty wild: big, great views, nice set-ups. One even has a pontoon boat, though it does seem like something from the Heart of Darkness. 

One massive house is in the process of going up and I’m sure their views of the river will be fabulous after the dozens of trees they have cut down. I guess they were just following the example set by the country club which cut down dozens of their own last spring or sometime. 

The country club section could actually be pretty cool. Throw some willows down on the bank and let 'em go. The whole thing can’t be a barren wasteland, can it? 

Although there are some houses (and the golf course), the vast majority of this stretch is undeveloped and Conestoga-wild. You know, not like Western Montana-wild, Conestoga-wild. One of the nicest spots is down from the Water Works until the bend where N Conestoga Drive meets the river. The river is a bit wider in some of this stretch and with the shallower water, the uneven, rocky bed creates a bit of turbulence and makes the surface shimmer. Super nice in the early afternoon as the sunlight sparks around.

Other bits I could write about but will just list out here: lake-like conditions under a couple of roads (30 and 23), one rocky drop off but totally doable, most graffitied stretch (don’t mind it), usual mix of shallow spots and rocky bits where the elevation dips, the usual awesomeness as far as the birds go, no people (come on, people!), so much lawn, property with tons of kayaks that looks like a cool place to hang out.

Property with tons of kayaks that looks like a cool place to hang out? Look me up. Let’s get out there!

Conestoga Wild

Ahh... Jeff!

Jeff and I went out on the river a few days ago, and while he isn’t in midsummer form, everything went well. He was pretty chill and didn’t run out onto the bow or think he was going to move from bow to stern and back again. Maybe he could sense that the water was too cold for that kind of foolishness. Neither of us wanted him to get wet.  

The day was beautiful and the first where the midday sun cut through the chill in the air. We have had plenty of sunny days lately, but it has been chilly, too chilly for Jeff. With a negligible percentage of body fat on a 5 pound frame, once he gets cold, it’s tough for him to warm up, thus the need for a little warmth in the air for our first day out for the year. 

Jeff is an awesome paddling partner. Sometimes he chews on the PFD that’s strung up on the bow, but only when he gets bored. Usually an increase in speed regains his interest. He generally is on the bow and while he sometimes stands, he loves to lay down or sit up there. When he sits his ears flick around and he is focused on the birds as well as the sounds and smells. 

We have a PFD for him since he does fall in from time to time and the handle on his jacket makes for easy retrieval. A towel is at the ready if I need to dry him off. 

Once he gets his sea legs as we move into the summer, he’s unstoppable on the boat. Not sure he’s a fan of the rocky part down at the end of our stretch as he gets slammed (mini-slammed) every so often as the boat caroms through the rocks. 

The water dog. Ahhh… Jeff!

#jeffontheriver

My Favorite, For Now

Fauna discussion disclaimer: I am not a naturalist and have no expertise in ornithology. I look at birds a lot, though. 

The big birds are on the river: eagles, red-tailed hawks, great horned owls, barred owls, vultures, geese, herons, ducks (a big bird? idk). These are year round. Of the big birds, osprey and great egrets show up in early spring. 

Everybody loves an eagle sighting, but I guess the osprey is my favorite. At least my favorite at this very moment, but you know how that goes. 

While it may seem that I am about to go into a list of birds I have seen (or heard - thanks, Merlin!), let’s skip that part and just say that there seems to be more and more bird activity as we get into March. Yes, it’s warmer and the days are getting longer so I guess one would expect an increase, but it could also seem like there is more bird action because of the bird desert that was this January (so cold!) and most of the winter. 

Writing about the return of the birds has me thinking about the eastern wood pewee and its hail-like call. 

That’s my favorite now.

Those aren't birds.