Kayaking at Merrill Creek Reservoir, New Jersey

Today we planned to go kayaking on the Delaware River, but recent heavy rains made the river swift and a little too dangerous. So instead we headed out to Merrill Creek Reservoir, a 650 acre reservoir in New Jersey. It was the perfect day, temperature in the high eighties, bright sunny skies, but with a breeze across the water. We kayaked to the end of the reservoir and maneuvered through a submerged forest. Then we paddled to the area where several bald eagle pairs are nesting. Although I didn't see any of the eagles, we did see swallows and diving ducks. The kayak seemed a little too "tippy" to bring my camera, but I did take a few shots from the shore.
Later, we went to the new Portuguese restaurant Valenca, where I had carrot ginger soup, baby greens salad, and lots of their chewy delicious bread dipped in herbed olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Submerged trees near the shore. At the far end of the reservoir is a little "forest" of submerged trees which is fun to navigate through.

A view from the shoreline

Pretty flowers by the visitor's center

Our original destination, the Delaware River. Not a kayaker's paradise this weekend!