"Guys! I can't finish loading my boat until you all get your sunscreen on!" That seems like a pretty odd phrase to say, but I've said it three times. Everything that my family brought on our kayaking trip through the lakes of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway needed to be stored in waterproof containers, and needed to find a spot on one of our five kayaks. In addition to my personal items (sleeping bag, toothbrush, etc.) I was also responsible for carrying our "essentials kit." This kit rode securely underneath other containers on my boat and happened to contain the sunscreen.

Ready to load upKirstie Rogers

As we loaded our boats for the first time to embark on our voyage, the application of sunscreen was not a problem. My family had taken the initiative to apply it earlier. The kit was tossed into the bottom of my kayak, and we began our paddle. After being afloat for only a few hours, we found a lovely campsite to spend the night at. All of the containers were unloaded from the kayaks, and we camped happily. I sat at the edge of the lake to watch the sunset, and it seemed familiar to me. It reminded me of the color scheme of a Tie Dye T-Shirt I have, and it made me laugh.

Campsite #1Kirstie Rogers

The next morning, we woke up early to keep moving up the lake. I noticed that the essentials kit was not ready to be packed up yet as I was loading my gear, so I was forced to wait. I was admiring the view and skipping rocks when my father asked me why I wasn't working. I explained to him that the essentials kit, the next in line to be loaded, wasn't ready yet. We all had to stop working and apply sunscreen before the kit could be closed and stowed. My father was incredulous that my progress was halted until everybody had applied sunscreen, and thus the joke began as we shoved the kayaks out into the lake. During this day, we had to portage from one lake to another. This involved carrying the kayaks over a small dam and pulling them through a very shallow connecting river. This reminded me of walking a dog, and it made me laugh.

Campsite #2Kirstie Rogers

The next morning was overcast and the clouds looked as though they would rain. We did not bother with sunscreen.

Campsite #3Kirstie Rogers

Loading up the kayaks after the following sunrise, I was prepared to combat the sunscreen operation by handing the bottles to my family members as they picked up their supplies. I told them that their cooperation was necessary for me to complete my packing, and they sleepily complied. Having been decently burnt the previous day, I made sure to douse myself in a thick layer right before I packed the kit up. We got to the next campsite and finished setting up right before a thunderstorm passed over our heads. We huddled under a tarp and played a couple rounds of BS, and it made me laugh.

Campsite #4Kirstie Rogers

During our final morning, we had developed a routine that allowed us to pack up efficiently. I encouraged the early application of the sunscreen again, which my family pretended to ignore before obliging me cheerfully. This had also become part of our routine and was no longer a source of irritation or stress. My mother called it my "Sunscreen Scenario", which I liked enough to use as the title of this article. Alliteration about a paste that can protect the human skin from the devastating rays of the sun was created, and it made me laugh.

Waking up early can be coolKirstie Rogers