[Eskimo]

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I have to say 2016 was relatively drama-free for me. I had a few minor conflicts, but this year I didn't have any near-death experiences caused by inattentive boaters nearly running down my little kayak.

There was a couple of times this year I felt my life might be in danger. One time I was night fishing from my kayak in a big, secluded state park. Around 10:00 pm, I beached my kayak at the boat ramp surprised to see there was nobody catfishing off the ramp that night. When I was walking to my car, I was startled by a few guys just standing in the dark. Not fishing or loading up their boats. Just standing in pitch blackness. I thought for sure I was about to go missing and end up on the back of a milk carton.

I always bitch about people picnicking on the boat ramps during the day, but a least I can comprehend what they're doing there. These guys weren't doing anything. Listening to them talk, they didn't seem to know each other. They didn't sound like they were there to do drugs or have gay sex - they were just guys with a lot of time on their hands who were all hanging out in the dark of a secluded boat ramp on a summer night. They talked about themselves and made note of the stars on a dark, moonless night.

The experience was strange and left me feeling vulnerable to being killed by weirdos who hang out at boat ramps in the middle of the night. I haven't fished at night from that spot since.

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