Kayaking on the Potomac

Hot and humid days are not unusual during a summer in the District of Columbia. They are to be expected and even dreaded. I enjoy them and the thunderstorms that come with them. One of my favorite ways to spend hot and humid days is on the water. I rent a kayak from Jack's in Georgetown and go paddling. A few weeks ago, in the midst of a heatwave, I went kayaking with a friend. 115 degree heat that's killer in the city with all the black top is manageable on the water. We paddled around Roosevelt Island for about an hour, enjoying the breeze, the scenery and the company. One of the things I like about D.C. is that there's so much nature and greenery integrated into it. Sometimes is strikes me how nature is all around. I was reminded of this when out of the corner of my eye, I spotted an osprey with a large fish in its beak looking for a branch to land on. I watched the bird for a while, carefully selecting the right tree before putting his beak to the fish and starting to eat. I don't know that I'd ever seen an osprey before that moment. I'd heard of them and had heard that one was nesting on a crane in the southeast of the city. What a treat to get a bit of wildlife in the city. That bird sighting was followed up with many turtle sightings on the way back to the dock.