snakes everywhere
March 31st, 2007 | 
Author: 
My head is full of magic, baby
And I can share this with you
I feel I’m on a cross again, lately
But it’s nothing to do with you
-love & rockets
Each time I jumped in and out of the little wave train I would slip back into the eddy and let it carry me up to a river birch tree that I could put my hand on to hold steady until I launched back out again. About the 3rd of 4 th time around instead of reaching for the tree I instinctively put my hand out to place it on the shore. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something. . Yikes, I was just about to put my hand down on a snake! This is actually a picture of the poor guy. Of course the last 4 times my arm had to have been right over his head by just a few inches as I held my position with my hand on the tree. Remember this when you are on rivers and lakes. . look before you . . . reach. .
This is the “Bilge Hydro Snake” from WXTEX Innovation, a division of Pacific Outdoor Equipment. They say: The unique bilge snake sponge will slither its way into the far reaches of your kayak or lay quietly in your canoe bilge, soaking up extra water.” Gotta love innovation!!
Oh, and speaking of snakes. . . . I came across this poster the other day. It’s titled, “Don’t Tread On Me.”. Reminds me that that “Kayak Bloggers” have reached the point where we are now open to reviews, and biting commentaries. Almost makes you feel like “real” media. In the end probably a good thing. I think I might order this poster to remind me to be good. . . or if I’m going to be bad, . . to be very, very bad. . .
Happy Saturday!
Posted in 
D:
I don’t think that’s a rattlesnake. Not 100% sure from your pic, but if it is, it has the skinniest tail I’ve ever seen on a rattler. Looks like a water snake, Nerodia Sipedon. They can offer up a nasty bite that may become infected, but they are non-venomous. And likely only to bite if you put your hand or foot right on one, or grab it. Mostly they just take off. Around here, the water snakes outnumber venomous cottonmouth moccasins hugely. I saw literally hundreds of watersnakes over the past several years, and only a handful of cottonmouths. Most snakes will vibrate their tail in dead leaves and grass if agitated, and it can sound quite like a rattlesnake, but if you hear the two sounds side by side you can discern the difference. Best bet is to steer clear of all snakes if you’re not very very sure, and always watch where you’re stepping and holding, but at the same time don’t automatically assume they are all venomous–just that they could be. For those so inclined to kill every one they see, understand that a large number of people who are bitten, are bitten trying to kill a snake. Best to leave them be unless it’s a direct threat to you or yours.
I like snakes! : )
Thomas
you know, i didn’t look too close at that either. Could have been a bull snake now that I look at it. They are very common around here too. Good eye! At the time I was in my boat and didn’t look that close.
I like snakes too by the way.
Just saw your reply–having trouble getting this one to post. It could be a bull snake, but the patterning is different–but there can be local variation. Bull snakes though, I believe, don’t tend to frequent riparian habitats.
The other thing I was going to say, is that we are coming into water snake mating season. There will be a great lot of them out for the next month or two, and the largest of the lot are likely the females. Often attended by numerous smaller males, and the males may become “curious” of any intrusion into their space when they are actively courting a large female, and may even take aggressive actions.
Last spring, I came across just such a sight, a large one on a branch, and she had 5-7 or so males hanging out in the water below, or climbing up the bush. When I poked my bow in for a closer look, the males swam out to my kayak and even attempted to climb aboard, reaching their necks up and trying to get purchase on the perimeter lines. I backed off 10 feet or so and they returned their attention to the female.
-T
Derrick,
My money is on Northern Water Snake, We have a dam near my home here in MI were they gather this time of year.
Rich K.
I believe I can see a slight bulge where the snake’s lunch might be.
That is a Northern Water Snake. They’re a fun snake to catch, but they get a little pissy and tend to bite more often when captured than other area snakes.
I was born in the year of the snake…I can get a bit pissy when captured to Byan!