well, i'm back! turned out okay in a creepy yet peaceful kinda way. full moon was out, but there was quite a bit of cloud cover. I could still see where I was going and oriented my self with the trees and points. made one small error in thinking that I went around an island (and only because i didn't check the map frequently enough/tried it on memory, lol). reoriented myself and went around the island.
definitely got a couple beaver tail slaps and some waterfowl hustling about. also spooked myself after hearing a loud enough splash and thinking it was a bigger animal swimming out to me (and thinking i was a female moose, haha). it's funny how your mind can play tricks on you. entering the portage site in the dark or paddling through a narrow channel is definitely spooky. every rustle or noise must be scrutinized and explained (and hoping their not from a big animal!).
would i do it again? definitely. it was definitely a confidence booster but there are always risks involved. i.e. if i dump it in the cold water (not too too far from any shore/need to get out quick and dry off/change) / animal attack (low likelihood/ bearspray should've been more accessible) / get lost (park it somewhere and wait for daybreak to reorient) / or god forbid, a medical emergency and there's no quick help close by (guess this is the part the worried most, not that i have any medical issues...but the "what if's" and the "you never know...").
other than that, definitely great for areas you've been to and are familiar with.
anyway, i know that Solo tripping isn't for everyone. It's something i've done for many years starting with motorcycle riding and there's just something about "finding yourself" and reflecting on things which I believe helps build character and grounds your spirit. I think some people have a natural ability to go solo while others will never ever consider it (safety/risks, just can't be by themselves, etc..). i'm sure we can all agree here that solo tripping is something very special, guess this is why it has it's very own section on the forum!

. i might try and encourage some buddies to do it but i don't think it'll happen, lol. (or if they're not comfy with it, then it could be a "help will be close bye" kinda solo trip if say we split up campsites but be within a 2 way radio/or cell call distance away from each other...). but like i said, it's not for everyone, and there are bigger risks. speaking of risks, someone suggested a small gps that you can click buttons to let everyone know how you are doing (OR if you needed help asap then it would call in 1st responders). guess this would be good piece of mind to have and acts like a modern s.o.s. whistle. anyone use these?