: So you broke the ice near the shore and got the thing in the water.

Water temperature: 36*F. Usually enough wind that the lake only freezes over solid one year in 10. (It's going on 14, currently).

: Even the birds had gone to roost before you got out to the lake.

Heard Canada honkers on the way back. Wondered aloud if it was legal to take geese with a bird dart from a norsaq. My buddy from Missoula said, "Don't tell me you have a harpoon in there". My other regular local paddling partners just chuckled. I replied, "No, not this time!".

:No rangers about, they were all assuming that everyone had gone to bed by then.

They tend not to worry about kayakers too much. The guy in charge of the 7 Flathead Lake state parks is a member of the paddling club. I left a note on our float plan to my wife that said I'd be monitoring VHF 16. If anyone got worried about us, I'd rather they radio us from shore, rather than going to the expense/hassle/risk of launching a motorboat and looking for us.

: Everyone but them kayakers that think they are from Greenland...

*grin*

: I can't wait 'til the link for the picture comes alive.

It will be of the boat in my yard at lunch time. I wish I could have photographed scenes from last night, but night shots never do justice to reality.

http://www.kayakforum.com/cgi-bin/Trips/index.cgi/review/3027#3027

Shawn