To Cedar Island at 3.6 mph
Christine July 22nd, 2008
The Lake was unusually placid yesterday as we headed out from West Shore boat ramp. There was no wind, the water was flat and the sky to the south was hazy with smoke from the fires in California. The haze drifted northward along the Mission and Swan ranges as the day progressed, but for us it was the perfect day to be on the water. We leisurely cut across to Douglas Island and then headed for the Pictographs National Historic Site 3 miles away. Our GPS said we were paddling up to 4.9 mph sometimes but mostly we meandered along the shoreline where tall rock walls towered above us. The blue-green lake washed noisily in and out of deep, narrow crevices; the type of fissures really which only time, wind, water and ice can create.
When we reached the Indian Pictographs we gazed up at the ancient images, 15 feet above our heads and wondered at the artists who drew these and how they came to this place which felt so rough, steep and isolated; positioned in such a lonely part of the world. The rock walls, which were their artistic canvas, face away from the sun and the red, painted images look out on Flathead Lake and the mountains in the distance. How did these ancient travelers refer to this lake? Were they here to hunt buffalo? Where did they come from? Not too much is known. (I posted some photos last July of the Painted Rocks and had some email correspondence with a couple people about the site; there were varying opinions on the age of the drawings. If you read the comments you might glean some information.)
After marveling in our kayaks for a time, we headed for a Fish, Wildlife and Parks site called Cedar Island. There we found a quiet cove occupied only by two calm and watchful bald eagles perched in a snag down the beach from us. We swam, ate a picnic, and watched the sailboats motoring along, as there still was no wind to speak of. There are many times when a paddle does wonders and will get you to your destination, even if it’s only at 3.6 mph.
