The weather on September 15 at 6:45 a.m. as I leave camp 26 does not look very promising, but clears and becomes a gorgeous clear sunny day at 22℃, except the blackflies/gnats are very very bad.
Mosquitoes and blackflies/gnats are very bothersome, so much so that I wear headnet all day while canoeing, the hat scarf not being adequate. I always wear the leather-faced cotton gloves to protect my hands from the sun and one sleevelet to shield the wrist of my upper paddle arm. The "sleevelets" are cut off men's nylon dress socks that I wear today to keep out blackflies which crawl through any opening. Buggers!
Beautiful yellow autumn colour of birch trees.
Camp 27 is 14 km down the large lake with a moderate tailwind so I make good time, arriving by 11:30 a.m.. Initially I just stop for lunch, but decide to camp rather than attempt going all the way up the winding creek which I might have to wade in places if too shallow or conversely the water level may be so high that I will have a difficult time getting up, perhaps even having to do some portaging. It will be better to do the creek another day to give more time if there are problems. Because it is warm, rising to 22℃, I just erect the nylon tent, the first time in weeks.