Solo

Dave made arrangements to go to Lake Champlain with Jim on their Sea Doos, but since it was so calm, I opted to go kayaking. Only the van has a trailer hitch and of course carries the kayaks too, so my only option was to use the hand dolly and bring the red kayak 'Romine' down to the unimproved Tin Pan Alley canoe/kayak launch (and unimproved it is right now...I could barely it get to the water's edge with all the high weeds and grass). This is at the extreme north end of the lake, which is officially known as the Outlet, since it flows to the La Chute Falls and River, but we call it the Pond. Except for the residents along this shallow body of water, there is never any boat traffic. I headed south into the main part of the lake and went all the way to Prisoners' Island. This is more of a rock with some trees and I know there must be history with a name like that, but how many prisoners could fit on this tiny piece of land?

My timing was perfect with barely another soul on the water at this end of the lake. As I paddled back north and passed by the Mossy Point State Boat Launch, I stopped to take photos of the remains of three different underwater barges that Dave and I discovered recently. They all look like the photo below and we are presuming that they are the bottom of barges used in the 1800s for the transport of graphite, which is what Ticonderoga is known for (I am sure everyone remembers the pencils we all used with Ticonderoga on them).

As I scooted around the rocks that separate the main lake from the Pond, I was naturally looking ahead and down in the water so I wouldn't run aground.

That's when I heard all sorts of strange splashes and gurgling and looked up to see, yup, more turtles! I must have startled them and they were sliding into the water. These ones were huge. After I passed by, I was surrounded by little heads popping out of the water and giving me the evil eye.

With still no water traffic, I went to the end of the lake. Usually the current is strong here as it heads to the falls, but today it was undetectable.

End of the line and the end of a great morning on the water.

And Dave had fun too! He said it was so calm that it was one of the best rides he has ever had on Lake Champlain. They went from the Port Henry Boat Launch Ramp, all the way up to Essex, NY and across to the Vermont side too. 

Once again, whether we are together or apart, we certainly are diverse!