We started out on Saturday, September 16, at approximately 9:44am-- it took three hours to get there.  When we arrived, we had agreed that even though we had registered for a "premium" spot that we would specifically request a site away from the swimming area (Clear Lake is known for its wonderful swimming areas and "clear" lake to swim in) and much closer to the fishing area.  We got Site #42 which turned out to be a wonderful location-- nothing and no body for about thirty feet on any side of us and, on the second night, the closest group was probably a good 100 yards away!  It was very quiet and peaceful and, as usual, fun with Brian.

After we set up camp, we went fishing.  It was about 2:00pm (I don't know for sure because we didn't wear our watches) when we went fishing and soon after our arrival, Brian had a bite-- well, it was more like a drag of the line!  He looked surprised as he saw his line swim under the dock we were sitting on-- then, as suddenly as his line had been grabbed, it was gone.  He reeled in and his line had definitely had a bite-- the worm was moved up the line.  Oh, well, that one got away but the next one wouldn't . . . if it ever hit . . . it would surely not get away . . . nope, it wouldn't . . . mostly cuz another fish didn't hit again!

I finally caved and begged to have us go in-- I was wearing a tank top and shorts but I was feeling a sunburn happening on my arms and legs.  We went back to the campsite and Brian, not willing to give up, went to the Old Kelsey Creek Slough that ran behind our site.  There is proof that he actually does fish by ignoring the line while reading a book!!  Its not just a rumor!

Finally, Brian gave up trying to catch the "Mother-of-All-Catfish" and we had hot dogs for dinner.  However, there's a story about the "Hot Dog that Got Away", too!  Brian, being creative, tried to get the stripes on the hot dog going the "right way"-- after two hot dogs rolled off the grill, he gave up on being "fancy" with the stripes!  We went for a walk and talked with someone who caught a 22lb. channel catfish the night before (Friday).  It was on our walk that we finally saw the lake-- it really is a beautiful setting and, after many years of cleaning up the environment around it, appropriately named lake: "Clear Lake".

After it went almost completely dark, we shut off the flash light that we read by and stared at the stars.  Brian pointed out the Milky Way to me and a couple of shootings stars.  It was a wonderfully clear night and, I have to say, that there are "Billions and billions of stars out there"-- I saw most of them that night, with the help of my own stargazer.

Sunday morning, after we woke up, we went down on the docks again, still trying to catch the elusive wide-mouth bass. (I'm sure there's a difference between "wide-mouth", "big-mouth" and "large-mouth" bass but I don't know it or if it even does make a difference!)  Well, Brian did catch one-- but he was only about 11" so we had to send him back.  We probably didn't have to but he would've been more work to clean than he would've been worth in the eating so it made sense.  As usual with "wild" fish, he was a fighter and until he was on the dock, you wouldn't have guessed his size by his fight!!

Sunday was another day of sunburns only this time, while I did get somewhat of a burn, Brian got the worst of it.  (It was way too hot for us for camping-- the fire is usually used for keeping warm and fighting off mosquitos, etc., but it was too hot to sit in front of the fire!!)  The good thing was that the campgrounds cleared out quite a bit more while we were out fishing: there wasn't another campsite occupied for 100 yards that night-- it was very peaceful, indeed.

Since we were again without fish for dinner, it was a good thing we brought a couple of steaks, baked potatoes, and zucchini along to eat!!  We grilled up dinner and Brian cleaned up while I went to take my shower, followed by him showering and, by that time, it was almost dark.  We read for a little while and then, watched the stars again.  Because there were fewer people in the park, there were fewer distracting lights so we could see even more stars.

On Monday morning, we woke up not knowing what time it was, had breakfast and packed up camp.  While we were waiting for the coffee to brew and eat breakfast though, Brian took some pictures of the campsite and the path and slough area behind our campsite.
 

The path to the behind and to the left of our campsite.	The path to the behind and to the right of our campsite.	The slough with the morning light...
...and again, the slough in the morning light.	The left side (facing) of the campsite...	...the center part of the campsite, with me in my morning glory, waiting for coffee...
...the farther right side of the campsite...	...through these trees is how you enter onto the path to the slough in the back...	...looking from the two trees in the center of our campsite, onto the path...

We had another wonderful weekend, needless to say!  We'll be back to Clear Lake again, if we can figure out when the "cold season" is here!!

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Copyright 2000 Marcia L. Dykstra