Today was a Pure Michigan summer day if we’ve ever had one. I started the morning off with a run on still-shaded sand roads, had leftover grilled pizza for lunch, took an open-window afternoon nap, kayaked in a new location, and lounged on the patio. The sun has set, but even at almost 10pm there’s still enough light out that I’d still call it “sunset,” and cool air is pouring in through our open windows. My nose is a shade pinker than it was when I awoke this morning, and that’s all right because I earned it having fun.
Getting out on the water more is one of the items on our summer “bucket list,” terminology I don’t care for, but have fallen into using nonetheless. With those hopes in mind, we loaded our kayaks on the car this afternoon – and intend to leave them there at least through the weekend for easy access. We tossed around some ideas until one stuck: paddling the stretch of water from the boat launch on Clam Lake out to where it dumps into Torch Lake.
Our trip on Clam Lake, according to Google Earth:
We enjoyed the two miles out to Torch, but it was rather busy with boat traffic. We were constantly on the lookout for boats or their wakes that might cause us issues (none did). Spilling into Torch, it was obvious why so many boaters had opted for the smaller, murkier waters on Clam. It was windy this afternoon, and Torch Lake was a choppy mess. Even though the water there was – as always – exceptionally clear and inviting (and decidedly less trafficked), we promptly turned around and headed back to safer harbor.
Probably because it was dinner time, the lake held far fewer boaters on our return. We even spent a few moments with a swan couple and their cygnets.
We also were paddling with the wind, so return leg seemed even easier. About halfway back, I noticed a floaty in the reeds and moved nearer to check it out. Muskrat. I don’t know why, but I decided not to take her photograph. But then, in adjacent reeds there was a baby (or at least a juvenile) muskrat, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity twice, even if the little fellow scurried ashore and attempted to duck behind some overhanging grass. I was a paparazzo on a mission 😉
There’s seriously a little muskrat in these pictures. I cropped closer for the right image – if you squint just so, you might be able to make it out 😉
Perhaps because I was floating so slowly while attempting to capture an image of the little muskrat, my kayak became a damselfly magnet, which is fine by me. They’re beautiful, and since I’m not an insect, they are not interested in having me for a snack.
The rest of the journey was pretty, and also pretty uneventful – just long slices of the paddle through the water and the tinkle of drops sliding off the blade.
With the arrival of darkness (it’s now nearly 10:30, and the sky is still that pretty post-sunset blue-green), I think I’m going to go pick up a book to round out this perfect summer day. Hope you enjoyed yours as well 🙂
Adventures in Michigan's Up North 
Are you afraid of dropping your camera in the lake when you’re kayaking? I would be, but am not an expert kayaker like you. *smile* When K and I went kayaking around the ore docks in Marquette earlier this week I left the camera in the car. She snapped lots of pics on her phone so may post some of those eventually. P.S. I remember Clam Lake.
It makes sense that you’d remember Clam Lake – it must be pretty near your former family cabin.
As for the camera, I’m not so afraid that I’ll drop it as I am of errant waves and the little drips from the blade end of the paddle. I take our underwater camera which has a float strap – full of second chances 🙂