I was kind of buzzed and in need of some food that wasn’t chips – so I retreated to the campsite and made dinner. A simple meal today, be fresh bannock made into a grilled cheese sandwich, and a side of soup. The trick to bannock grilled cheese is getting the inside of the bannock cooked while under-doing it on the outside, as it will cook further when you are melting the cheese between the layers. As the bannock baked I went back to the beach to relax, only to find my bench had been destroyed. Not entirely, but both top logs were kicked off and laying on the beach. I suddenly didn’t like these kids as much as an hour ago – why the destructive behaviour? I know kids are kids and do silly things, but this was unnecessary destruction. I rebuilt it and relaxed some more, slightly irritated.
My custom-made vacation bench is ready for relaxin'
TOURduPARK
A few minutes later either another one flew by, or the same one
Beautiful morning on Mouse Lake
Eventually the wind kicked up a bit
Fire patrol planes were a reoccurring theme throughout this entire trip - and so was the blue sky!
Looking back at the common beach from the shoreline of my campsite on Mouse Lake
Can't give to one and not the other
Day 10: Vacation Day at Mouse
I woke up at 9am today after an amazing sleep – it cooled off during the evening and I enjoyed the breeze in the tent due to the lack of a rain fly. I could hear chipmunks running all around the campsite – it had me worried they somehow broke into my stash of food. I got out of the tent to inspect the situation – nothing wrong, just a bunch of very excited chipmunks. They ran around chasing each other in and out of different holes in the ground – how cool would it be to attach a mini-camera to a chippy as they explore the network of underground tunnels. I walked out to the beach and I kid you not – another absolutely stunning day. Not a cloud in the sky, not a wave on the water and not a breeze in the air – it was shaping up to be another perfect day. Before I got breakfast and coffee going, I sat down on the beach and slowly woke up – the buzz from many fire patrol planes could be heard today, more so than any other day. I needed some coffee, so I cranked up the stove and poured a cup of java – then back to the beach to enjoy it. It’s nice having a site attached to a beach, as opposed to a beach-site. I find sand gets absolutely everywhere when camping on a beach – but having a forest campsite with the option of walking to a beach was really working out for me.
The view I was trying to capture before taking a little tumble
tr 20: TOURduPARK I
Another fire patrol plane flies overhead
As I finished my coffee, I made a quick breakfast of bacon and cheese sandwiches (I was sooooo happy to have fresh bacon for day 10!) and as I ate my breakfast out on the beach, two thoughts occurred to me: 1. This was the longest canoe trip I’ve done so far, and the longest solo. 2. This beach really needs a bench. I decided to head back into the forest to seek large logs I could use to make a bench. I didn’t want to cut anything, so I was targeting logs of a specific diameter and length. It didn’t take long to find what I was looking for – I found a log that had been cut (hacked?) into 3 sections – almost perfect, but I’d still have to make one cut. They were very heavy, so probably very wet – no good for fire wood but it’ll make a great sitting place. One by one I took the logs from the forest to the beach. The larger logs I had to hoist up onto my shoulder to ease the carry – I felt like Dick Proenneke hauling timber out of the woods for construction projects. I wanted to make this bench last a bit, so I figured the best place to begin would be burying the two support logs halfway in the sand. I ensured they were level by burying the back end a little deeper than the front, as the beach had a slight slope down to the water. Once the two support logs were buried, I cut the big log in half then secured them to the support logs – my bench was complete. As I went back to the campsite I noticed two or three chipmunks scurrying around the campsite and since I had a little extra GORP, I put out a small handful to indulge the little guys.
Both chippy's are enjoying some extra treats
A small chipmunk enjoyed a small handout
Simpson's clouds?
Enjoying the fruits of my labour... and some rum!
I went back to camp to finish cooking dinner and brought it back out to my still-in-tact bench to enjoy. It was a calm, cloudless evening and a full moon was coming out. After dinner, I cleaned up and hung the food – this was becoming an easy routine for me now – I grabbed my camera to try and get some moon shots. Then I did something rather stupid. I wanted a photo of the full moon and clear sky, but I needed to get across a few rocks to get the shoreline out of view. Just as I snapped the shot I slipped on a rock, soaking my entire right foot and though I didn’t drop my camera, I did smash it on the rocks when trying to break my fall - but much worse, I also smashed my left shin just below the knee AND took a one inch by half inch patch of skin off my left hand between the index finger and the thumb. It didn't hurt much but it’s a bad place for a cut when you’re paddling and I still have to go a good distance to get out of here. I was angry about my reckless slip up, but I guess it could have been much worse. I cleaned the wound and decided it was time for bed. I decided I would put the rain fly on tonight and by 9:30pm I was in the tent and tucked into my sleeping bag.
It was nearly 1pm and with not much else left to do, I did what any rational person would do: Entered vacation mode. I tossed on my swim shorts, grabbed a bottle of rum, some salt & vinegar chips and spent the next 4 hours relaxing in the sun – all-inclusive vacation style. It was amazing. When I became too hot, I’d take a swim for a few minutes then back to the bench. I used this time to catch up on my trip notes while sipping on rum. At around 4:30pm I could hear voices - - too much rum? It took a while before I’d find out who it was – a family of four paddled past the point that hides the beach and as they came around the corner I heard the kids say ‘awwwwwwww man!’ I guess they wanted in on the beach action. They stopped out front and we chatted briefly – they were staying on Mouse Lake tonight as well and of course, I asked if the fire ban was still in effect – yup. I figured it would be, but I was hoping for a different answer. I felt bad for the kids – what kid doesn’t enjoy a beach? I suggested they take the upper campsite as it also has a trail connecting to the beach. They accepted my recommendation and turned around to land at the campsite. I wanted my privacy but it wasn’t so bad – they were pretty quiet and the odd sound I did hear was the excitement coming from the little boys – and who could blame them?
Fantastic view of Mouse Lake from my bench
Looking south-west across Mouse Lake