You can say that Wareham Free Library Director Patrick Marshall wrote the book on kayaking.

He has kayaked for over 30 years, along rivers in western Massachusetts, Maine, New York, Idaho, Washington and Hawaii, but there’s no place like home. For him, home is Agawam Mill Pond.

“It’s fun to paddle here,” Marshall said about the place where he learned how to kayak. “The scenery here is phenomenal. You can see the bird life, the animal life. In a little bit, the sun will be setting and you can see the sunset.”

The sunset Marshall was referring to happened at 8:21 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21 — the summer solstice and the longest day of the year. Marshall, with members of the Wareham Land Trust and five other kayakers, celebrated the arrival of summer with a 90-minute paddle on the pond. 

The water “was like glass,” said Maria McDonough, who was joined by her siblings-in-law Joe and Judy McDonough, as well as her cousin Ann. 

“It was beautiful,” Ann said. “It was a unique way of [welcoming summer].”

On the mild, sunny afternoon, the water was still and serene, and the air was quiet except for birds chirping and wind rustling through the trees. The kayakers were joined by a family of swans, deer, ducks, herons and fish leaping out of the water.

“Mother Nature at her best,” Ann said. 

Joe had a great time on the water, but had some trouble getting out of his kayak at the end — causing him to take a tumble into the pond. 

“I wanted to go for a swim,” Joe said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as much as his body was dripping with water, “and I succeeded beyond my wildest dreams.” 

“Next time,” Judy said, “you’re wearing shorts.”