Into the Mist

We were headed to the Highlands of Scotland. Everything was green and new and wet. Driving north on A84 through the Trossachs mountain range, we came upon Loch Lubnaig.

Pulling off the motorway into a small car park, we followed a muddy track to where a few hearty souls were launching their kayaks.

To those who don't read captions, this photo says solitude, peace and quiet. But that would be a lie.

Off my left shoulder, two fishermen joked and laughed as they huddled beneath their slickers beside a smoky campfire that struggled to survive in the rain. A black and white dog, curious about this intruder in its territory, barked and sniffed at my heels. And just below me on the beach, a half dozen members of the kayak clan ... cropped from the photo by a good zoom lens... clambered noisily into their boats and paddled away to catch up.

I didn't have to tell you that.