Spiders

Orbweavers

Orchard Orbweaver

If you are trying to escape the sun in the shade of overhanging tree branches, you are inevitably going to get spiders in the boat. These are almost entirely harmless orbweavers - they are not aggressive and don't bite, and are not poisonous to humans, at least no more poisonous than a honey bee. That said, our brains are programmed at the most basic level to fear spiders, and I don't like them any more than anyone else. Just calmly knock it out of the boat.

Basilica Orbweaver

I hate to advocate killing something just for being what it is, and it's not like the poor creature deliberately attacked you, it fell in the boat by accident. But what else can you do? Have the heeby-jeebies for the rest of the day? It will become fish food, all part of nature's great cycle. Orbweavers are pretty big, as spiders go, and really neat if you take a close look at them. Or maybe just settle for photographs.

-- Wikipedia


These are all long-legged, long-necked wading birds typically seen near the water's edge. They will tolerate your approach to a point, and then fly away - one of the advantages of being a bird.

Snowy Egret

The Snowy Egret is very easy to spot, because it makes no attempt at camouflage, and stands out in any environment. They make up for this by being rather wary, although I have seen individuals beg for food from fishermen, a learned behavior that is not common. The Snowy Egret is very common; it would be difficult to go out kayaking and not spot at least one.