I took an early morning trip uplake today, on this fine and sunny Saturday. 8 hikers needed a shuttle to the top of the lake, at the Canebrake access to the Foothills Trail. A huge eaglet poised on the edge of the only known eagle’s nest in the Jocassee Gorges, so ready to fledge. We flushed an osprey on a dead snag above the eagle’s nest, an unusual site here.  A blue heron flew beside the boat, going up and returning, in its particularly prehistoric way, and we disturbed at least 6 belted kingfishers, who rattled their clear annoyance. And there was the morning light. Always the light on Jocassee.  ~B