Great Watery Expanse
Crooked lake from beginning to end, this is also how we paddled. Everyone was impatiently waiting for Sal and Kim to return from their scouting of the first and only portage this day. While waiting, good food and Bill Murray movies take our minds for a jog. As I nibble my leftover backwoods bread, I wonder what’s taking them so long, then all of a sudden we all hear Kim’s voice trumpeting through the forest. Then their faces poke out from the portage entrance, stern looking and determined. Sal instantly gives us the news we’ve been yearning to hear. Pack up and move out, were paddling across the Missinaibi. This portage went as though we’ve been doing this for years. At one point I thought I was watching a real French voyager hiking down the portage and my imagination got the best of me. By the time I reached the other side I had traveled 300 years back in time then snapped back to now. The voyager turned around and it wasn’t a voyager at all, just Ryan. But looking back maybe it was a voyager; maybe we are all voyagers, maybe on a different mission, maybe not. We then entered a great watery expanse, the biggest we’ve seen thus far, known for taking lives, the Missinaibi is a fierce animal striking when least expected. Ten minutes after discussing the cumulus clouds and stating how they tell us the weather will stay unchanging, it starts down pouring, literally 3 minutes after landing at our campsite. During a clear sunny day, the skies opened up and released its bounty. Tarp setting 101 whose going to swim, whose going to drown. That’s it for now, just like our group, clear for now, but theirs always a calm before the storm.
-Keenan
No comments:
Post a Comment