The following photos are taken early morning July 23. Typical of the area there are only a few mature trees close to water spared from the wildfire of 2010. Otherwise as far as the eye can see is short regrowth.
I hike inland along an almost dry creek to a pond surrounded by small jack pines. In the water are four ducks. I am always amazed that no matter how tiny the water body there will usually be a duck or loon. While walking inland I pick three cups of fireweed flowers and seed pods near the creek. It would be possible to portage to this pond and make my way to a few much farther lakes; that would take more trail clearing better left for another trip.
At 07:49 I start a fire to shoo blackflies while I eat breakfast before heading back to camp. As usual I have to wear headnet all morning. Once fire started I stand in the smoke until safe to remove the headnet, seen hanging behind the fireplace between two trees.
July 29 good crop of half ripe lingonberries. I pick a six cup bag that provides enough to accompany 12 meals.
July 31 05:34 sunrise through smoke haze overlaid with cloud.
**********************
Summary:
Continually smoky blowing in from a distance no matter the wind direction. Heavy prolonged rains make everything soaking wet so use the stove many days. By the time I leave camp 9 there will be 14 days of grub remaining so that I will be able to carry two empty barrels one in each hand while packing the third on my back eliminating two carries. Far too dark in the morning for the early 03:00 alarm, now set to 04:30. Find a patch of lingonberries, enough to accompany 12 meals. Humongous black bear visits camp while I am still abed in early morning darkness, later see him swimming across the lake; on the last day at camp 9 we surprise each other as we both walk towards camp. My bunny is getting too used to me even though I give it no encouragement. Bear and snowshoe hare are indicating it is a good time to be leaving.
Daily summaries:
July 22: 13°C, rising to 24°C, undergrowth and overhanging brush soaking wet from yesterday's several thunderstorms. This is the last day of week 8, the end of month 2 and all of its grub, only enough remaining for the third month. My plan is to stay here at camp 9 until two weeks worth of food remains. This will leave two empty barrels light enough to hold one in each hand on portages along with the Kitchen Barrel packed on my back eliminating two carries.
July 23: 8°C with thick fog, rising to 27°C, calm.
July 24: 13°C, rising to 30°C, clear, smoke smell with haze at horizons, heavy rain and hail late afternoon again floods fireplace area.
July 25: 14°C, rising to 20°C, overcast, ruby red sunrise.
July 26: 13°C all day with steady rain so stove started at lunch. For the first time I see two bald eagles at camp 9, I think because fishing is not that good away from the main waterways.
July 27: 10°C, rising to 21°C, cloudy but with sun shining through. From my journal: "Three nights in a row a single mosquito shows herself just before bedtime but I manage to catch her so she does not bug the heck out of me in the dark. Thank goodness." ["If you think one small thing can't make a difference, you've never spent a night with a mosquito." anonymous, African proverb]
July 28: 13°C, stove on, rising to 27°C, raining intermittently until lunch. From my journal: "So after saying yesterday no mosquitoes bothered me in bed ... this morning I light a mosquito coil while I exit to do chores. On returning find a dead mosquito full of (my) blood. At least she won't get any more."
July 29: 13°C, rising to 20°C, ruby red sunrise, overcast, smoky with strong smell. From my journal at noon: "Don't know how much overcast is smoke and how much cloud. Little sunshine. Raining on and off. Rain doesn't come from smoke; so it is overcast cloud for sure but with smoke too."
July 30: 13°C, rising to 29°C, completely overcast with ruby red sunrise. From my journal at lunch: "Sun not as high in the sky anymore. June solstice long past and autumn approaching. Maybe it was clear earlier this morning when I thought it was overcast? Thank goodness there are some clouds occasionally blocking the sun."
July 31: 13°C, rising to 25°C, light steady rain mid-afternoon, more stratocumulus clouds in evening. From my journal at noon: "While out in canoe see a big animal swimming across the small lake from an area near camp. A black bear. Paddle hard towards its landing but it gets there long before me. Don't see when it gets out. About 03:00 this morning while in bed heard something moving nearby. Think probably the bear. On preparing to head out this morning probably heard me dragging the canoe and decided to leave. Good!"
August 1: 13°C, rising to 20°C, strong smoke haze and smell after very strong south wind, light rain late afternoon becoming steady and heavy at bedtime, raining all night. According to Jeanette's weekly satellite phone texts there are some fires in different areas around me but far enough away to not be a problem. Hence the smoke haze and smell no matter the wind direction.
August 2: 16°C, rising to 25°C, smoke haze and smell, drizzling rain early morning then again at suppertime with complete overcast and no sun visible. From my journal: "Stops raining. Don rain pants and jacket but doesn't rain any more while I'm out in canoe to fish. Hook a fish which gets line tangled in a long submerged log. As last resort put on leather mitts and pull till line breaks. Cut off several metres of stretched line. Attach new leader and lure. Lost the big red & white Len Thompson spoon; it's been a good lure. Hopefully the fish isn't still hooked. Get a pike which I clean on a boulder at shore nearby. This will be my last fish at camp 9; have enough carried food till I leave in four days."
From my journal: "On return to camp see a red squirrel on the ground dashing back and forth and around several times in a 10 metre radius. As if it's looking for something it dropped. Makes me chuckle. When it runs away I go to see if there is anything to explain the reason for its antics with no luck."
From my journal: "My small bunny has got too used to me. At suppertime it is right beside Tent. I make noise and movement but it doesn't scare. I walk towards it and it runs around the corner of the Tent to 'hide'. Finally I step around to see it then yell and stomp to make it run away. Don't want it getting used to me though obviously has. At least it's unlikely to see another human again."
August 3: 15°C, rising to 23°C, dead calm, very humid, dense fog. Usually when fog lifts I expect clear sky but today it is completely overcast and smoky, no sign of sun even by midday. From my journal: "Weird weather. Have already asked for good weather for when I plan to leave in two more days. After bedtime it rains hard and long with big thunder directly overhead. Am getting up later now, changing the alarm to 04:30 as it is far too dark for 03:00 setting."
August 4: 15°C, rising to 20°C, everything soaking wet from last night's rain, calm, very grey and cloudy with little sunshine, rain on and off all day.
August 5: 15°C, rising to 23°C, everything still soaking wet, smoke haze, quite cloudy all day with periodic sunshine. As for the last few days have to dress warm in the morning and the temperature or the wind preclude a shower so have an all over washcloth wash in the Tent. From my journal: "Prepacked to leave. Have asked for good weather for tomorrow so hope it will be so! At least until I get to the next campsite. Nice rosy sunset hopefully a good sign 'Red sky at night sailor's delight'. Now dead calm with lots of blue sky."
From my journal: "When I walk the path to camp from the lake after checking for satellite phone messages, I am met by a huge black bear coming towards me from the far side of the Tent surprising us both. He runs back the way he came. Take the gun for a walk in the area around camp but no sign of the bear. Hopefully he has moved on and away. Wonder if the same one I heard and then saw a few days ago? The one who swam across the lake. He is humongous probably a very mature male. Guess it's a good time to be leaving!"