東京運河カヤック：お花見とアカエイの出会いと沈みそうな橋

 

東京都の江東区には、運河が縦横に駆け巡っています。その中でも大横川と仙台堀川にはソメイヨシノの桜並木が両岸に咲き誇っています。カヤックを出して、水上花見に興じました。

今回は桜だけでなく、アカエイのつがいも発見しました。カヤックが近づいても全く気にする様子を見せず、二匹が重なり合ったまま優雅に泳ぎ続けるので、目と鼻の先で泳ぐ姿を観察できました。アカエイを間近で観察できたのは初めてのことでした。

またちょうど満潮の時に漕ぎ出したため、水面が橋桁間近まで上昇していて、ただでさえ低い茂森橋がもう少しで水面下に沈んでしまいそうなぐらいにまでなっていました。カヤックで橋の下を通過するのがギリギリで、船舶ではとても無理な状態でした。

さらに隅田川まで足を伸ばし、観光船が行き交う隅田川を横断して、対岸の日本橋川を覗いてきました。

In the Koto Ward of Tokyo, canals crisscross the area. Among them, the Oyokogawa and Sendaihorikawa canals are lined with cherry blossoms of the Somei Yoshino variety on both banks. We launched our kayaks and enjoyed viewing the cherry blossoms from the water.

This time, not only did we enjoy the cherry blossoms, but we also discovered a pair of stingrays. Even as our kayaks approached, the stingrays didn't seem to mind at all and continued to swim gracefully overlapped with each other, allowing us to observe them swimming right in front of our noses. It was the first time I had observed stingrays up close.

Additionally, because we set out kayaking during high tide, the water level had risen close to the bridge girders, making the already low Shigemori Bridge seem like it was about to submerge under the water. Passing under the bridge in a kayak was just possible, but it would have been impossible for a boat.

Furthermore, we extended our trip to the Sumida River, crossing it amid the tour boats and taking a look at the Nihonbashi River on the opposite shore.