Mink don't sink

Wildlife stories from a vacation in Maine – part 2

We had paused in our travel along the fern-fringed trail to sit on a rock and admire the view: the pearlescent water, the deep, bristling green of the firs and spruces, the granite shore seamed and fissured like wrinkled hide.

And there it was, gliding over the rocks and tumbles of seaweed, sleek and sinuous and unexpected. “I think I see a mink!” I hissed to Annie—and then added, “It dove!” as it slipped into the sea with barely a ripple.

After we had stared at the undisturbed surface of the water for what seemed like a very long time, Annie voiced my concern: “Can mink swim…?”

-But, in fact, they can, and soon this one reappeared, shaking itself so thoroughly that in less than a minute it looked perfectly dry (and illustrating why minks’ fur has been so coveted by coat-makers).

We only had a second to admire its quick change, however, before it noticed our interest and disappeared into the woods, leaving us with a fleeting impression but a lasting admiration for its amphibian agility.

{A note: I do write all text and take all pictures. Please do not reproduce either without my permission.}