The water here is finally warm enough for me to find quite enjoyable and I've been hugely enjoying it. Mary joined me yesterday but not today. Got my 3 miles walked early (for me, before lunch), went swimming (floating in large innertube) when it got steamy hot later in the afternoon. Very light northerly breeze caressed me out to sea at about 50 yards per hour. I must have floated around for an hour, sort of nodding, basking like a turtle and thinkin' about this 'n that. At one point a big dragonfly landed on my hand, which was floating on the water. I started, reflexively submerged my hand. That left the dragonfly afloat, but his bottom set of wings were stuck to the water by surface tension so the top set, while creating quite a flurry, couldn't get him airborne. There's a lot of body there, one set of wings isn't enough. I watched for a minute or two, wondering if a sunfish or bass might sense the commotion and nab a snack. None did. I sculled over using submerged wrist strokes for minimum disturbance, grabbed one upper wing and flipped him airborne to get him broken free from the water. It worked, away he went, bon chance Mr. Dragonfly! I think they eat skeeters. Went fishin' after supper, since we're going back to town tomorrow for a few days. Fishin' has been very slow and continues to be, but I did pick up one nice one while flippin' docks on the south shore. Not particularly big, but a scrapper to be sure. There were some aggressive sunnies at another spot but I was bass fishin'. I can tell sunnies by the way they try to take that big bass plastic worm and can't quite get to the big bass hook -- but they sure worry the hell out of that worm! They're about as subtle as a public broadcasting fundraiser, while bass "takes" can be very subtle indeed. I'm certain I'd have caught a few sunnies if I'd tossed a baited hook with bobber but I was really after bass today. Actually, I was really after being in my little green boat on a lovely summer afternoon, going thru the motions of fishing but not sitting still bobber-watchin'. Cleaning fish wasn't on my agenda today, catch 'n release was the plan. The water temp at the surface was 81, a bit warmer than I thought. No wonder it's been so pleasant to float around in the last couple of days. It was more like 84 on the south side, probably because the light wind has been northerly, blowing warm surface water to the south side of the lake. There was enough breeze to stir up a gentle chop over there, which doesn't hurt fishin' a bit. The water isn't gin clear like in the spring, but there's no noticable algae bloom so it can't have been above 75 for long. Oh, and then when I decided to return to base, about a 2 mile run across the lake from the south, the chop condx were perfect as far as the little green boat was concerned. It does OK on flat water and in two-foot seas, but it really likes a little chop. When I got the trim set just right the engine was screaming with delight as it passed
5K RPM, (redline is 5500 but it can't quite make that with this raker prop) and the little green boat was kissing 50 mph. I still have bugspots on my front teeth. Back to town for a few days tomorrow. Anne, Hassan and Bella will arrive from London on Friday. They'll stay with brother Dave but will visit at the lake for a couple of days. Bella, 5 and proud of it, knows how to swim but has never done it other than in a pool. Mary wonders if she'll like swimming in a lake. I predict that she'll be a tadpole: kids and water. Our lake is sand bottom and a safe place for children to wade or swim. Bella has said that she'd like a ride in poppy Don's sparkleprettty green boat. So shall it be! I'll put her daddy Hassan in the driver's seat if I can.If our American way of life is going to hell in a handbasket, summertime is a good time to enjoy what's left of it.