Everything was tranquil. The lake water lapped gently against the shore, and I took a moment to soak everything in. The sun was shining, brightly reflecting upon the clear water. The smell was soft, kindred, and soothing.

Voyageurs is a national park in Minnesota, almost as far north as you can get without plopping into Canada – corroborated by the fact that my radio picked up mostly Canadian stations. I was initially pretty bummed when I heard that the national park service didn’t offer trips out on the water until the middle of June. When a local recommended another guide, I jumped on the opportunity to “get out there”.

And I couldn’t have picked a better morning.

Yes, the wind was pretty hefty, which meant some choppy waves, but it was a delicious feeling to be in such an unspoiled place. My guide talked about the history of the park as we coasted around smaller islands, avoiding outcropping rocks. When we landed on the peninsula, I had a chance to check out a historical rock garden created many years ago by a gentlemen during his annual vacation time.

There were some excellent places to explore on the mainland, but the crown jewel of my visit was, without a doubt, being on the water, enjoying the quietude of the space.

I also saw some loons.