After boasting about Arkansas' beautiful waters for months, Aubrey finally got me to see them during an awesome two day kayaking trip on Lake Ouachita. This was a special place for her because she grew up around Ouachita's waters, but for me it was a totally new experience. Oklahoma lakes are filled to the brim with boats, lake houses, and dirty water, but Lake Ouachita felt like something entirely different. Not only was the water clean and clear, but other than the Marina from which we rented our kayaks, the shorelines were devoid of any sort of man made structure during the entire length of our travel. We paddled for hours exploring flooded shorelines and in search of an adequate camping spot. Eventually we found the perfect place. It was a small island a few hundred feet of the north shore and it would make for a great spot to set up camp, eat a good meal and rest until the next day. The sun set and stars filled the sky, but before slipping into our tent for the night we took our kayaks out one last time onto the dark water and floated with the stars for a few minutes. Sitting in a tiny kayak in the middle of a lake at night felt a bit precarious, but the stars reflected off the water and made for an extremely beautiful and surreal experience. The next day was filled with extensive cove explorations and we spent much of the time weaving between trees on flooded shores.
