Coyote Cold

For the last week we’ve enjoyed a high pressure system sitting over the Pacific Northwest generating day after day of beautiful sunny weather. I’ve been able to get out for some day paddles, but decided that what was needed was an overnighter. Not only was I looking for a little solitude but I also was anxious to try out some new gear and ideas I had written down from my last trip.

The south sound has some great getaways for short trips like this and they’re often overlooked by paddlers. Andy’s Marine Park on Anderson Island is just such a spot and that’s where I decided to head.

It was a sunny but cold morning as I loaded my boat at the put in near the Steilacoom ferry dock, and I had to answer more then one incredulous question from the ferry’s morning commuters. I didn’t mind the interruptions; after all I was the one heading for a couple of days on the water. Everything packed and ship-shape, I turned my bow SW toward the south end of Anderson Island.

It was a peaceful and uneventful paddle across Cormorant Passage into Nisqually Reach. It was just as I was approaching the shoreline and only 20 yards distant that I noticed an unusual object on shore that I at first thought must be a piece of driftwood. Something didn’t look quite right, and finally I decided to dig out my camera and take a photo. Of course, that broke the spell and the coyote (Canis latrans) turned to started loping down the shore. I still managed a fair shot but kicked myself for hesitating. Years ago we lived on Anderson Island and we often heard the coyotes outside our bedroom window, but that was only the second time I’ve gotten a view of them on shore.

A peaceful day of paddling and exploring the tide line melted into a glorious sunset, which quickly developed into a cold evening. Much colder then what we usually have to content with here at sea level. I kept burrowing deeper into my bag when the nights stillness was shattered by the coughing, snarling and howling of a coyote which must have been on the hill just behind my tent. He was soon answered by others and I was tempted to try and get the calls on tape, but it was far too cold to start digging for camcorder gear!

The next morning as I crawled from my tent, which with all the frost looked more igloo then synthetic tent, the thermometer read 23° degrees. I went scrambling to brew some coffee only to find my water dromedary frozen into a solid block of ice. Bad way to start the day. Crawling into frozen stiff gear wasn’t much fun either, but I kept reminding myself that sunrise was only a short time away.

However, as soon as I was on the water paddling, life came back to my extremities and the morning unpleasantness was forgotten as I greeted the sunrise.