[Paddlewise] Varmints in the Cockpit

MJAkayaker_at_aol.com wrote:
> 
> I had planned a nice little day trip for myself and my cousin who had just
> returned to Texas upon his retirement after several years in Malaysia and
> Indonesia.  [snip]

> As we were walking back to the kayaks, my cousin suddenly stopped and pointed
> to a small clump of dead grass on the shell bank.  It was, I very quickly
> realized, a rattlesnake. [snip]
> 
> As we got back to the kayaks, I had a new safety insight.  Normally as I
> approach my kayak I am thinking about rearranging the gear to rebalance the
> boat, or about  adjusting my fool pegs, or getting back to the takeout on
> time. This time my only thought was  "Gee, it would be real easy for a SNAKE
> to crawl right up INTO the COCKPIT ."  Suddenly rolling, bracing, paddle
> floats, flares, and rescue techniques seemed less important.  For real
> safety, a South Texas kayker needs to carry and use a good cockpit cover.

Poisonous snakes we do not have to worry about on the coast of Oregon, but
Mike's story reminded me of the crows in the Broken Group in Barkley Sound,
Vancouver Island.  They have figured out that yak cockpits are a good source of
easy food, and within seconds of vacation, they are inside, scoping out the
larder.  They are so aggressive and so skilled I wonder which is smarter:  us
or them.

In any event, a cockpit cover is mandatory in the Brokens -- the crow behavior
there has been that aggressive since the summer of '96, and I suspect extends
further back in time.  Anybody know how far?

What's interesting to me is that five miles of open water away (the Deer
Group), the crows do not know cockpits are food sources.  I would think five
miles is an easy shot for a crow, and that the Deer Group crows would have
learned this behavior.  Guess not.  Maybe the two populations do not
intermingle?

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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