Nature Journal- Canoeing on the Trinity

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I honestly did not know what to expect when I drove out to the Nature Center for our canoeing adventure on that chilly Wednesday afternoon. I have kayaked and canoed a few times and have definitely enjoyed myself, so I was looking forward to the venture. However, I am not a huge fan of the cold weather, so I was not sure I’d enjoy the experience this time around. We got in the canoes and began rowing down the river in the direction of the area we placed the erosion mats. We had walked the banks of this part of the river 5 or 6 times at this point, so it all looked familiar but also different due to thew new perspective. The water was fairly calm despite the cool wind that came down across the water. Once we passed the area of the erosion mats, the mouth of the river narrowed and began to wind. The trees covered us like a tunnel as we navigated our way through fallen tree trunks, rocks, and debris. The dense forest softened the wind and the water was so calm, it had a glassy appearance. It became more and more beautiful the further back we canoed. Every once in a while, a fish would jump out of the water. Birds were flying overhead making loud, siren-like calls. I looked down and noticed an oily substance in the water but wasn’t quite sure what it was. Although it looked interesting when the sun hit the substance and created a rainbow, it definitely was unnatural and didn’t belong in the water. The most amazing part of this canoeing adventure was feeling like I was in another world. I’m not sure if it was the weather, the scenery, or something different, but It didn’t feel like I was in Fort Worth, TX. This just goes to show how amazing the scenery in nature can be in all places. You just have to go out and put in the effort to find it.





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