With a breeze at our back we start through the canyon.

CAMERA

Overall, it was a lovely float.   We put in just as the Rio Grande knives through a high mesa creating the magnificent steep walled Santa Elena Canyon.  From the kayak we could look straight up the sheer walls.  Awesome.  The shady canyon was wonderfully cool even though the full-sun temperature soared to over 90F.  Swallows and phoebes swooped around us grabbing insects as they went.  Rock and Canyon wrens called to us from the ledges.  A Ram Aoudad (an exotic big-horn-sheep-looking critter) posed high on the rocks above us.  Four or five others cavorted about on the boulders.

At the 3 mile mark

of the float is a side canyon, Fern Canyon.  Reports have it that it is a beautiful hike back into it.  The canyon entrance was through deep silty mud followed by a boulder climb.  It was a bit rougher terrain than we felt up to tackling in water shoes.  Besides, we have to save some sights for next time.