Didn't leave the dock until 7:30 p.m amidst cloudy skies and 10 mph winds from the S, but since sunset isn't until 8:30 these days, that was fine.
After riding out Valentine Creek to check out the Severn River, it was clearly better to stay in protected waters, so I headed back in and headed up Plum Creek.
The surprise came when I was passing a two-story dock where two young me (early 20's) were jumping off the second level, into the water. They flagged me down and one of them then said that he couldn't swim back to the Arden beach across the way, from whence he'd come, saying he was light-headed, and asked me to tow him. I said sure, and he hopped in the water and grabbed the web strap off the back of my kayak and I towed him to the beach. Guessing its about 200-250 yards or so.
The contrast between kayaking myself and doing it towing a 5'10" young man was remarkable. I'm glad I've built up some kayaking stamina, since all of a sudden it was really hard going. I felt like runners must feel with 20 pound weights strapped to their legs -- hard to go foward. We made it across, though, and once he could stand up in the shallow water of the beach, he was very, very appreciative.
I headed back and asked his buddy, who had recommenced diving off the second story of the dock, if he wanted a ride, but he declined. I went up to the headwaters of Plum Creek, and when I returned, he again said he didn't need a ride, but did jump into the water and start swimming. There were two powerboats headed into the creek at about this time, and given that it was about 8 p.m. under cloudy skies and he had dark hair, I was worried that the powerboats might not see him, so paddled right next to him for the duration of his swim.
Not the quiet evening paddle I'd expected!