‘Twas a dark and stormy night… At least that’s how it started. While hot and sunny in Fort Wayne, as I got closer to Oliver Lake I could see a line of dark and threatening clouds overhead. And their threat wasn’t a bluff; shortly after I got my kayak unloaded, the rains came down, accompanied by lightning and thunder. But the radar showed this was a temporary situation, and sure enough it passed in less than half and hour. So off we went! This was a more relaxed paddle, as we basically made our way through Oliver to the far side of Olin Lake, where we took a long swim, while our two Greenland paddle enthusiasts worked on rolls for our entertainment. Fred declared that he was able to stand in the shallow water and roll his boat with just his hands, impressing us all. Our lone female, Louise, stayed with the boats and entertained herself by watching a water snake. We weren’t certain who’s boat she might have tucked it into, but no screams were heard on the way back. Eventually we headed back as we noted the sun declining in the sky, and more threatening clouds on the horizon. Mike and I made a quick run into Martin Lake and Smith hole before returning, but the rest of the gang headed straight back. Crossing Oliver on the return journey was rather entertaining, as a number of pontoon boats were zipping around and creating a “washing machine” wave pattern all over the lake. But all made it back safely. At the landing we naturally enjoyed cookies while being entertained by the large number of Amish present. Louise even donated some cookies to a sweet Amish family nearby, which they gratefully accepted. A fun night all in all!
