It is a bit chilly this morning, 53F. We dawdle over breakfast so by the time we head out at 8 it is 60F and fairly sunny.  In the half hour it takes to reach the put-in it warms a bit more.  This will be good.  We don lifejackets and windbreakers and set out.  There is a noticeable breeze and we have to work a little to get across the big lake and into “The Thoroughfare” that exits the north end of lower Priest Lake and connects to upper Priest.  OK, it’s sheltered now.  Well pretty much.  The undeveloped shore is treed to the waterline.  It is beautiful.  We watch for bear and deer as this is prime territory.  An eagle, osprey, a Golden eye and her young ones, and some panhandling mallards entertain us.  It is all a no-wake zone but a few pesky powerboats still disturb the peaceful paddle a little.  I think it is getting windier.  We paddle on and emerge into the mountain ringed upper Priest Lake.  It is a small lake and we plan to paddle the entire 7 mile perimeter.  There is a little chop but after a stretch break we head out.  Hmm, chop is building to whitecaps.  We head a bit further so we can peak around a point to see the end of the lake.  Lovely, but it is getting too rough.  We take a break and a few pictures then head back.  Oh, this is hard work.  White caps combine to create swells and it’s plenty rough as we cut into the waves and make for the more sheltered far shore.   We have been on rougher water but are glad to make our way back into the relative shelter of the narrow thoroughfare and work our way back toward the launch.  The sky is darkening.  The rain forecast for tonight looks to be coming in early.

We reach the South end of the thoroughfare and on lower Priest the wind is blowing straight uplake. Waves are pounding the breakwater we have to paddle around to get back to the launch.  Nope, that isn’t going to happen.  We retrace our path to a sheltered launch and exchange the final ½ mile paddle for a ¼ mile portage and a ½ mile walk back to the car.  We load up the kayaks and hop into the car just as the first raindrops begin to fall.

It wasn’t the paddle we had planned for but it was still fun. They call Priest Lake the Jewel of the Northern Idaho panhandle.  I would agree.  It is beautiful.