21MAY2011 @ Ft. Yates, ND - It rained more than an inch last night yet by 0800 the sky was clearing. At 0830 the Prairie Knights Casino night staff gets off work. One of the night security crew picked me up and took me all the way to the canoe. By about 0900 I was pushing the canoe down to the water at the south end of the island. Dave Rowe noticed me and came over to lend a hand - always appreciated. Dave is a 43-year old math teacher (formerly a wrestler at the University of Nebraska) and clearly a happy guy.

Upon pushing off I immediately faced a strong SW wind. Not being from the west or NW, I passed on the chance to take it across to the east bank and paddled directly into it to the west bank - where I know the wind would not be brutally strong.

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