Friday, June 25, 2010

Serenity Now

Research shows that idly petting your dog or cat lowers your blood pressure. I don’t know if similar research shows the same effect from gazing over a nice stretch of open water. I can only speak for myself.

About 20 some miles downstream of the Sault, the St. Marys River widens into Munuscong Bay. At about 4 miles wide and 8 miles long, it’s an impressive stretch of open water.

In my job as a Biologist, I get to visit Munuscong Bay spring, summer, and fall. I always look forward to those trips and am never disappointed. This past week, I was at the Bay as part of a planning session on invasive plants. Fortunately, Munuscong Bay doesn’t have very much in the way of invasive plants. We want to keep it that way.

One can enjoy waters in many ways. Fishing, boating (fast or slow), studying the natural history, photography, writing, and more. Or one can just take Otis Redding’s advice, even if we don’t have a tide to watch here in the Great Lakes. Instead we can just look out over the water. I don’t agree with Otis, though. It’s not a waste of time. It’s investing time in one’s mental health.

The St. Marys River offers many sites to look out over the serene open water and feel your soul restored. Where's your favorite?

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