August 12 (07:54 - 08:22) under thick grey clouds and rainy skies paddling from camp 11 down the lake towards and through a narrows. Today is not the nice day yesterday was.
Initially intending to go farther but with ongoing rain and headwind decide to stop after 14 km at a very nice campsite that I used 28 years ago when first coming to this area. Landing at the 500 metre beautiful sandy beach with a wide exposed shore because of lowered water levels.
Just beside the canoe to the right is a path up the hill that I cut the first time ever here. On top of the slope is a more sheltered location for camp. I am pleased and somewhat surprised to see everything looks the same.
A fairly open level space for the nylon tent and Tarp shelter.
By late afternoon rain has stopped and I hang a few damp clothes. Under the Tarp I place birch bark tinder, kindling and firewood plus some spruce boughs to sit and work on.
A good sandy spot to dig a firepit. There are remnants of a very old blaze on top of the ground but with no stone ring not a safe place for a bigger fire. My small spade is indispensable, a temporary handle cut on site.
August 13 a fire feels good in the presence of a cool morning.
There are limitless numbers of almost ripe red lingonberries to accompany supper.
August 13 at 05:53, early morning sunrise through cloud and fog.
Weather clears and sunshine plays on the mature black spruce bush underlaid with green stairstep moss and white reindeer lichen. It has been many years since wildfire visited this locale, perhaps at least 60 years based on tree height.
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Summary:
Wearing rain gear against rain that starts soon after leaving camp 11, I travel 14 km having hoped to go farther. Headwind and rain gets worse, glad to be stopping at a beautiful campsite with mature open park-like forest. The next day proves to be gorgeous and I and all the animals around me are glad to be alive. Soon likely to be meeting people I trim my errant facial hair to be a little more presentable. Pick lots of almost ripe lingonberries. As I prepack to move on I hope the weather cooperates but wonder if there will be a repeat of good today, rain and wind tomorrow.
August 12:
Camp 12 on August 12. Up at 04:30 I realize there is likely a weather problem as it is so dark that I need a candle in the canvas Tent to get dressed and pack. When I go outside the sky is very grey overcast with dark cloud, 12°C. Deciding to leave anyway I load canoe and cover with Tarp. Light rain soon starts so don rain pants and jacket before stepping into the canoe. Stopping for breakfast of bannock, protein bar, LifeStraw® water and the fried pike, I am glad to be done with the now smelly fish. The tailwind I started with becomes a quartering headwind. Intending to travel a few more kilometres heavier rain and stronger wind makes me decide to stop after 14 km at a location where I first camped 28 years ago. The long sandy beach is beautiful but not suitable for camping as it is so exposed and mostly pure sand with muskeg behind. As usual before unloading I check to make sure camping here is still possible. I am pleased to see that traffic appears to have been low and that the site is clean. (The next day when I walk all along the 500 metre beach it too proves to be relatively clean and only need to pick up a handful of garbage.) Still wearing raingear I carry required packs up the hill to a sheltered copse of spruce beside the campsite. Back at shore I finish unloading and drag the canoe up a small incline to park with remaining gear underneath. My next chore is to erect the Tarp shelter to get the packs stored completely out of the rain. I place the Tarp about 1½ metres from where the firepit will be. A long time ago someone had a small fire on top of the ground where I had filled in the pit I used so many years previously. Without at least a stone ring it would not be safe for a bigger longer-lasting fire. Not many people would carry a shovel like I do, a small one for which I cut a temporary handle on site in order to dig a firepit when possible. The tent site has very little clearing to be done. Mosquitoes are a bit bothersome as I gather a supply of firewood to store under the Tarp shelter. At 17:25 supper I down an entire pot of water, thirsty because I did not drink enough during the day.
August 13:
A beautiful sunrise gradually burns away heavy fog, 8°C. Fire feels good at 07:30 while eating fresh bannock in the company of only a few mosquitoes. Several loons call, so too gray jays nearby accompanied by chattering red squirrels and noisy cawing crows. A gray jay lands twice close to me perhaps looking for a handout. When I go to the lake to fetch water I roust a bald eagle from its perch. A mother merganser and her tiny brood skitter away from shore, probably her second brood. I note how this mature bush contrasts so much to that I have seen this trip. The trees are mostly black spruce with a few jack pine and birch. The forest is probably at least 60 years old based on tree height, open spaced and park-like, underlaid by lush green stairstep moss and white reindeer lichen with scattered Labrador tea and red lingonberries. As I sit a mouse stops right beside me scurrying out through the ground cover as quickly as it appeared after stopping briefly to finish eating something. We are all happy to be alive this morning. While doing some puzzles and updating journal I keep nodding off to sleep. Before lunch I trim my facial hair; soon I will have to meet people and prefer not to have long stray hair sprouting all over. Then I have a glorious bath, temperature now 23°C, almost dead calm, some light cloud cover but lots of sun. Before supper I pick two meals worth of lingonberries in short order, then walk to the far end of the sandy shore. Wasps are busy looking for protein, wanting to share my food and I am careful about not reactively swatting at them; their bite is painful. Small spiders crawl all over me as I sit on the fresh spruce boughs where they resided when on the small tree I felled. After supper I prepack as much as possible. It gets quite overcast and I comment out loud that I hope the weather lets me finish the trip tomorrow wondering if there will be a repeat of good today, rain and wind tomorrow. Before heading to bed at 19:40 I fill the firepit so I can pack the shovel.