Kayak/camping on Squam Lake, New Hampshire

The next morning was clear, warm and so inviting. We cooked our breakfast (usually oatmeal, fruit, coffee and an english muffin), packed up and headed out. We had prepared and planned for an entire day of paddling.
The water in this lake is incredibly clear and because very few places are very deep, it was easy to scan the bottom in the shadow of our boats. Ever see a loon swim under the water?? We had planned our trip for mid-week, so the amount of powerboats was slim. The lake remained close to flat-calm for the better part of the day. We made our way around every island, big or small, that we could see. We pulled up close to several and picked handfuls of blueberries hanging heavy on their branches. Besides eating mouthfuls, we collected enough in a bag to share all day. Judy and I are on the same wavelength when on the water; we never complain and we never get tired. There are a thousand coves and inlets to explore on Squam and we couldn't help but explore every one. We came upon loons, homemade loon nests, groups of mergansers, lovely swimming & picnic spots and conservations lands all along the shoreline. That day we paddled more than 13 miles. The only reason for turning back towards camp was our growling tummies and a realization of how truly far we had gone. Now would need to paddle back to eat dinner! A long paddle back to our island brought us to a beautifully dry campsite all aglow with the dappled afternoon sun through the hardwoods. We pulled up, unpacked and headed over to the beach for an afternoon swim and bath. By now, we have met two of the young 'interns' working for the Squam Lakes Association. They stay in a cabin on the backside of our island and come from all over the US. They are informative and passionate about what they do and are great fun to talk to. They bring you wood and come by often to check on things. The girl we first encountered was friendly and comfortable to chat with, having lots to say about the area and what she loved about it. She looked around our camp and commented that we looked pretty well set. Then we met the guy. He came around about dinner time and claimed he was lured by the smell of some good food. We had thrown some potatoes in the fire, were steaming some spanish rice and boiling sausages. He spied our healthy fire, for which we had enough wood to last us well into the night, he commented on my hammock with intrigue on his face and just stared at our "kitchen". "Wow", he said while resting his hands on his hips as he surveyed, "looks like you girls know what you're doing!...Are those baked potatoes??" We laughed, while glancing at each other with a sense of satisfaction, and told him we had enough to share. He paused, then shook his head with disappointment. He had to go back to the cabin soon, it was his night to cook. After a filling dinner, we moved down to sit on the rocks at the shoreline just below our site and took in a spectacular sunset. That night was lively on the lake. Lots of boats heading back and forth, fisherman's distant voices, the family camping down the hill from us and the loons, of course. We talked well into the night, keeping tabs on the weather forecast with my crank radio, then fell into bed at about 10pm. It was one of those days where you're confident you enjoyed every minute of it from dawn to dusk.