Lake Champlain

Chipman Point, VT

19 miles, 1 lock

I’m off the water at 2 pm today after 19 easy miles up southern Lake Champlain. If there were ‘bankers hours’ in a rowing expedition, this is it. Or them? Chipman Point, a lovely spit of land at a particularly narrow point of the lake, affords me a good jumping-off point for Ticonderoga tomorrow morning. I’ve moved my cart rendezvous with Doug to 9 AM so I can hopefully beat the predicted turbulent weather tomorrow afternoon. Thanks, Doug!

This morning’s rowing was sublime … even a bit sad … as I’ve come to love the sense of adventure, and progress to a beloved destination, over these last three weeks. The ospreys barked out their warnings at each nav tower.

And a couple took turns circling overhead, perhaps considering my cheesy straw hat as possible material for the nest. I’d be easy pickings for the likes of them if they decided to get serious.

As one proceeds north on Champlain, the lake opens up like a picture book, a delightful development after 200+ miles of canal confinement.

Granite cliffs are appearing, the water is clarifying …. And hey, it’s Vermont!    

The row today was proceeded by my horror this morning in discovering the breech in my tent that one thousand mosquitoes had already communicated to their thousand friends. I must have been pretty tired not to have detected the transfusion that was taking place … or maybe the Chicken Parm served as an innoculant. Sadly, every mosquito who paid the ultimate price showed evidence of an earlier score. I’ve got some sanitizin’ to do when I get home.

The placid nature of this morning’s row incited some reflection about these past 20 days, particularly the rhythms of this sojourn from the high, clean waters of the Trent-Severn and its dozens of lakes to the truly oceanic and thrilling expanse of Lake Ontario to the Oswego/Erie/Champlain canals … placid, mostly, but not when the Tstorms sweep in! Skinny water, wide water, crystalline water, muddy water, dead calm to deadly rolling … I’ve been able to see it all over these last three weeks – how lucky I’ve been to have the time and to enjoy the blessing of Peg and my family to go explore.

I love you all more than I can say, and my time to think and remember and recognize my many blessings has brought me closer to all of you than ever … but the hugs will wait until after a long, hot shower.

Peace, love, and happiness …