Launched

It took eleven months, but the canoe we received last October has finally been launched. Tho' there have been many beautiful weekends this summer, somehow we just didn't get the canoe in the water. We even joked about bringing a pail of water back from rowing to throw on it, just to say it had gotten wet.
We're ok now.
We pushed off into the Seine River off John Bruce Road. Within minutes, my deltoids reminded me we had spent Tuesday in a wheelchair, but they loosened up.
The Seine is quite high for this time of the year, but there has been so much rain, all the rivers are high.
We haven't had a frost yet, but the leaves have started to turn colour.

The beaver have been busy. We wiggled and jiggled ourselves over their dam.
The geese are preparing to fly south, but they are enjoying their time on the Niakawa Golf Course until then. I wonder if goose poop is considered a golfing hazard?

We saw several deer. Nice to see, vexing for those people who find them in their gardens munching on the vegetables.
For this log jam, we had to get out.
After the log jam, the culture of the river changed. We found many shopping carts and bicycles dumped in the river. Maddening.
This little blue bike was small enough to fish out. It will undoubtedly serve as a donor for future bike related projects.
We pulled out at the Niakawa Road pedestrian bridge. Tina took her bike and went to get the truck while I dragged everything close to the street. The air was starting to cool down as I waited. It was a good way to spend the afternoon. Too bad about the trash in the river.

A Tulum Tour, a Shore Lunch and Two Cenotes

A panoramic view of Tulum from near the north gate.
The Cenote House.The four of us standing in front of the cenote, with the Cenote House behind and above.

The cenote was of great importance to this walled community as the only supply of fresh water. The occupants of the Cenote House were of great stature, given the importance of the water supply.
The view from the eastern gate.

The beach gave access to the village. The Maya were a seagoing people, but did not like to be far from shore, or, for superstitious reasons, out in after dark. Tulum is one of the places they would overnight on their voyages.
El Palacio. When the Mayans renovated, they built on top of the existing structure.

Templo del Dios Viento.
From Tulum we went to the Grand Cenote.

Here I am skulking along the surface inside the cave.The Geek dives amongst the bubbles.
Tree roots grow through the limestone, searching for water, and dangle into the cave.

Lee did not like the water, so K handed her off to Ruzter while she enjoyed herself.

There must have been something 'interesting' in the water in the cenote as it peeled most of the paint from my camera.
This is what my camera looked like before I left.After the cenote we went to a nearby beach were we enjoyed a short swim,
then warmed up out of the wind while we waited for lunch.
After enjoying grilled chicken, guacamole and the best bananas ever, we went on to Cenote Azul.

This cenote had different varieties of fish,

and many fossils in the limestone.

We took the tour with a company called Yucatreks and our guide was a great fellow named Eder. If you ever want a tour in Playa del Carman, I would highly recommend them.