Ice is Out

The ice on Toolik Lake is gone. Well, maybe there is one patch still floating out there somewhere.
We the staff put out the docks. Yesterday we put out the dock and raft next to the sauna, and today we put out the boat docks. Maybe we'll get to help put out the floating weather station and other such fancy scientific equipement.
Being on the water is so nice, though I am clumsy, not having grown up doing much of it. Paddles, ropes, things that float are all sort of novel to me. Justin had me run the outboard motor today back across the inlet when we went to fetch a heavy box of equipement from Patrick in the shack on the other side. I have no knack for angling and predicting what a boat is going to do, and I get nervous with a harnessed explosion underneath my hands spinning a propellor down under the water. There is no need to . . . it's everyday life for alot of people.
Anyway, coming to the dock I sort of just shut off the motor, and hoped we'd float to the right place, knowing we could just use the paddles anyway.
Hopefully there will be some pleasant times on the water before the mosquitos take over. Maybe tomorrow morning I'll go for a paddle before work.