Although Roche Lake is a fine lake to paddle, it can be a busy spot.   it is one of a few “trophy lakes” for fishing and there are two campsites on the shores of the lake.   It is a busy lake on weekends in the summer.   In early season too, when the ice comes off, fishermen are plentiful on the lake.   To avoid a crowd of boats on the lake, I pick a weekday morning in summer for a quieter paddle around the shoreline of the lake.   T

Algae had grown in the lake giving shallow areas a green tinge.   A flock of ducks roiled the waters, turning the surface into a painted look.

A number of aquatic plants were in bloom, including aquatics smartweed.   I also spotted bur-reed and marsh skullcap in bloom.

Some of the wider bays were covered in lily pads with a few yellow water lilies in bloom.   Later in the season, moose will wade into the shallows to eat all the flower heads.

I hope to return for another paddle of the whole lake (9.4 km), the next time in the opposite direction.