The Friend

 I went and saw my old friend--Waldo Lake.

I can't be alone all the time, here in this house.  I do love my cats.  But getting out is a good thing.

Off I went.  Nothing to it.  Kayak in back.  Sandwich along for lunch and an apple.  Some sunscreen.  A book.

Under two hours to get up there.  Wildfire smoke was clogging the air yesterday.  Must be from the Flat Fire,  bearing down on Sisters.  NOooooo!  Not Sisters.  I hope they can stop it.  It's just NE of it now.

I'd heard something about the fire, but until I saw all the smoke today I didn't know much about the Flat Fire or that it was so close to Sisters and 0% contained.

Sisters was a darling little town that's now a tourist and hipster type trap.   Sort of.   Trendy I guess they call such a town.  Or something.  Hard to describe.

Lot of rich people have homes around there now my brother says, and on to Bend.  Bend is bigger and richer though. (I think).

Anyway, nobody wants that area to burn.  Me included. 

Sisters is named for the mountains, the Three Sisters, which I can see from the valley.  Today, I was down south of the Three Sisters, looking at their south sides from Waldo Lake.

I got there about 12:30 and put in my kayak at the ramp at the day use area.   Along with about a zillion other people.  Everyone seemed extremely happy to be there.  Me included.

However I hadn't eaten yet and I knew I had a sandwich in my rubber bag.  I wanted to lay out on a beach, read my book and eat my sandwich.   But all the beaches I passed from my kayak were chock full of people and the waters dotted in paddle boarders mostly but a few kayaks.

The paddle boarders fascinate me.  They travel in caravans, I call them.  Maybe a guy on one with a cooler and a dog and a child being half towed behind in a toy kayak.  Then there's mom on another board, paddling hard, two kids sitting cross legged behind her.   Or the flotillas of young people together on three or four boards, conversing and laughing maybe half mile off shore.

I wanted some alone time with the lake and kept on paddling, from the boat ramp out to the lake proper, north then, and past the campground, and on.  When all the beaches to 2nd Point and on were full, I decided to cross the lake.  I angled across towards Green Point.   Two more points then Rhododendron Island.  Two beautiful inlets inbetween.  One had boat campers, a tent, a hammock, chairs on the inlet beach and a cooler.

On I went.   I passed a struggling fish.  First fish I'd ever seen at Waldo.  Surface swimming sluggish, slow, not long for this world I guessed.

I came to the Island finally.   First off, I ate half my sandwich, lazing in the kayak in the shallows off the beach.   Then I beached the boat and took a  swim.  Quite a long swim in fact.   After that I went ashore on the island beach and laid out the foam board I've had forever and use for swimming safety, and the lifejacket as a pillow, but I didn't nap. I sat atop the board, leaned back on cushiony life jacket and read.  I had a book along, half done with it.  I lost track of time reading.  

Sun was hot.  At least I had sunscreen on.  

When I tried to check the time and my phone said I couldn't use it because it was too hot, I thought I better put on more sunscreen.

When I left, I went around the island's north side as I usually do then, to say goodbye, and headed south.  I had to get back across the lake and south to the boat ramp.  I needed to get gas in Crescent before the station closed because I forgot to get gas before I came up to Waldo and noticed I had less than quarter tank.  That car will go forever on a quarter tank but I didn't want to risk it, in case there was a wreck or something that held up traffic.

I took off from Green Point, on the west side, headed towards 2nd Point, on the east side.    By now it was nearly 5:00 and the lake was choppy from wind.   It was fun.

Long paddles today, but also a few hours down time, swimming and reading too.  Very pleasant.  I made it to Crescent and got gas then headed home.  Took about an hour and a half to get home.  No real traffic issues at all.  My only expense for a fabulous day like today was the gas.

So long for now, Waldo.  Don't go anywhere.