Dog Gone!

Another gorgeous January day and I am off for the afternoon. So, I borrowed my trusty companion, Cassanova and headed to Red Cove Beach for some fun in the sun. It was 36 and no wind and a great day for hiking. The good thing about the hike to Red Cove Beach is it is a gradual decline all the way. The tundra was frozen and I tromped through about 4 inches of crunchy snow through the trails. The marsh was frozen and I could've used a pair of ice grips on my boots, but I made it just the same.



It took me about 40 minutes to get to the edge of the partially frozen lake and here is where Cassanova and I parted company. Not on purpose and not at all planned either. One second I shot this picture of him and the next thing I knew, the dog was gone! No where to be found. I whistled and called over and over and the dog just seemed to vanish. I searched the shoreline as I headed to the beach hoping he somehow made it to the other side. NO DOG!



I got a little nervous and wondered if he had fallen through the ice or in a hole. But surely he would have yelped or barked.....but I heard nothing but the ice creaking and groaning on the lake and the water below letting out this gurgling noise like a large rumbling stomach. I prayed the lake hadn't taken him. I would've been mortified!

I decided to keep going and made my way along the edge of the lake. It looked like it had come up about 10 feet and the edge had about 18 inches of thick ice and snow making a sidewalk and I hoped it was solid through and through.

Usually I can walk this easily, but today a trekking pole really helped test the ice to see if it was stable and that grumbling noise I kept hearing coming from under the ice was starting to give me the creeps. It wasn't at all a pleasant sound, it sounded eery and angry that I was there putting weight on it.

The winds must have been fierce even in this valley during the storms as it drove the lake water up and froze along these little fragile reeds of grass. It made for a beautiful ice sculpture anyway.

Instead of the self photo, how about the self shadow? While looking back and calling and whistling for the dog, I accidentally caught my shadow and thought it made for a neat shot on the frozen lake.

This is the mouth to the creek that normally runs off into the ocean. But with the storms beating and crashing against the shore, it drove these rocks up into the creek, blocking and damming it up and therefore causing the lake level to rise. They will have to blast this out in the spring to get the creek open and running and ready for the next salmon season.

I hung around on the beach trying to enjoy the surf and just listen to the waves. I said more prayers I would find Cassanova or he returned home after getting separated from me. It just didn't feel good or as relaxing today. The trip around the lake was hard and treacherous in places, my feet were soaked from the snow accumulation on my boots (I had spare socks!) and I was upset the dog was missing. I did not want to tell his owner I lost the dog.

As I headed back around the lake, the sky just kept getting cloudier, the sun disappeared and that noise from the lake was really starting to make me walk faster. I got to near the place Cassanova had disappeared and I whistled one more time and lo and behold he was there! He stepped out of the alders where I think he had layed down and was just waiting for me.

Good dog! Other than shaking a little from the cold and a small cut on his pad, he was in fine shape and as happy to see me as I was to see him. I fed him dog biscuits and snacks I had brought for him and wished I had smoked salmon to give him at this point.

We made our way back to the top and was soon picked up by my 4 legged friend Oliver and his mom Kelli. I returned Cassanova to his owner and thought why mention anything about nothing at this point! So, I kissed the dog good bye and headed to my own home to lay up for a while and give my own two dogs (feet) a warm, well deserved rest!