August 30, 2007

From mud pond, less than a mile from chamberlain lake. Its 3:10pm and I'm in the tent.

The rain started about the time I was unpacking canoe for mud pond portage. A 1.8 mile jaunt covering slick rocks, tree blow down, moose muck, mud, mosquitoes and the spooky chance of a moose runin. The trail was marked with a white arrow on a red sign. The trail was more like a stream and very narrow. It was fun and with a canoe overhead I avoided the rain. I did get wet though. Sometimes I’d walk in water up to knees. The put in, following the portage, was moosemuck for 20, 25 feet out. The kind where you sink. Pulling out of one hole, the back strap of my keen water sandal broke.

While paddling up Lake Umbazooksus, I saw moose #4 and #5, a cow and calf. Mom was out 100 feet from shore, in this very shallow lake, and her calf was between her and the shore, much closer to the shore. I slowed and as I neared the calf ran towards mom. I turned back and paddled away. More as a gesture, just waving my white flag. Mom turned to look at me then with calf behind they headed for shore. This was very near the takeout for mud pond portage.

Once back in the canoe, I was paddling through mud with all my might and finally broke into some deeper water. The rain kept on coming down, thunder occurring and now fog. I could not see well and with the wind at me I pulled over and set up tent.

Only ten miles so far today. I had planned on 20.

The best place I found was a place that is the worst place to set a tent, let alone have to sleep... A giant root runs under where my hips would lay. At my ankles another along with a severe dropoff. With my pack under a tree I began pulling items out for setup. I did a pretty poor job at keeping tent dry. It was pouring.

Dried as much out as I could with silk bag liner. Got back into it and in sleeping bag. Ate lunch. Read. Getting warm and the rain stops, no sun and a wind. So no chance of drying gear out.

Stepped outside to look at the weather, to see if I might pack up and venture out in search of mud brook into chamberlain lake. Cold, windy, cloudy and looked like it might rain anytime and I was still cold so with all my gear wet, I decided to get back in tent, get in longjohns and down jacket, back in sleeping bag.

The day is pretty much bagged, so I will read some, have dinner, get to bed early and hopefully have a sunny morning tomorrow with successful passage to chamberlain lake.

2 portages today, 1 mile and 1.8 mile. The first was from longley stream bridge, at umbazookus stream, along longley stream road to marked sign for putin at umbazooksus lake, avoiding bog. The other, I spoke about earlier. I may have just completed the last of the long portages...if memory serves me accurately.

Happy trails,
Totally Different Subject