PART 1. THE FIRST NIGHT
It happened again. The stars aligned and I was granted two days off from my responsibilities. It was supposed to be a quick overnighter to the winter test site, just to relax and get the new hammock out into the bush. I had already packed up the night before and was almost ready to go after work, I just had to pack a few food items and such and say goodbye to the family. I was downstairs grabbing my bearbag when a brochure from Miquelon Lake provincial park fell from underneath and a lightbulb went off above my head. I could for go the test site and travel the extra thirty kilometers to hang somewhere I have not before, and do some recon for future group hangs.
A quick trip to the Miquelon web site told me that it was fifteen measly dollars per night and that the park was open year round, and there were no fire or alcohol bans on at present. Also, self registration was in effect, so I knew that it would be fairly quiet.
I hit the road excited for the coming night. It had been a while since I set foot at Miquelon Lake, I used to camp here every summer and fall in my younger days, but the province had recently renovated the campgrounds and everything had changed. I wondered to myself if I would be sleeping in my SUV due to the lack of good hanging trees.
I arrived at the park gates a little after seven, and I knew I still had two hours of light by which to set camp. I stopped at the gate shack and read all the information posted, then proceeded on to the campgrounds. I recalled that someone had posted here on the forums that loops B and C had some big trees but unfortunately those loops are closed for the winter months, so I had to settle with loop A. I drove around, looking for suitable trees. I stopped and looked in sites for suitable trees. I did not see any. My future looked bleak. I continued on.
Finally, around the backside of loop A, I found a series of sites that had just what I was looking for. In fact, I would say a good thirty hammockers could group hang in five sites all in a row. I picked 51 A, because it was closest to the washroom and was away from other campers. Camp was set about fifteen minutes later.
After getting everything dialed in, it was time to find some fire wood. Earlier I had noticed a big widow maker about ten feet behind my hammock and figured it would be sufficient for the night. I broke out my sawvivor and approached the dead poplar, sizing it up and wondering where to drop it. No sooner had I leaned up against it, that it toppled over with a loud crash into the underbrush below. It had come clean out of the ground, there was not even a stump left. I dragged the mass of hardwood back to my camp and proceeded to buck it up. It took about half an hour before I had fire roaring in the pit, and a smokie strategically placed as to allow me to walk around.
I spent the next few hours relaxing by the warmth. I had built a good solid coal base in the first hour so that I could keep the fire smaller. This allowed me stay close, and not burn as much wood. I was even able to dry out my socks and boots. At around quarter to ten the coyotes lit up, I could hear their chilling calls coming from all around me and I felt eerily merry. That coupled with goose banter was enough to keep my imagination running wild. You see, I don't get scared anymore, I am older, but I know what IS out there and sometimes it makes me feel a little uneasy. I would hate to become dinner for a large cat.
At eleven thirty I decided to check the temperature after noticing frost accumulating on the picnic table. It was one degree Celsius. There were also some crazy animal calls around this time too. I have never heard sounds like these before. They were far away and sounded like screaming. It sent chills up my spine, but I do like a good adventure and decided to investigate. I grabbed my Buck Hoodlum and my headlamp and set off down the path behind my site. The calls continued for five or six minutes and then stopped when I crested a hill. In front of me was an old cook house and the washroom. I entered the cookhouse and noticed right away a large pile of dry, split wood. This was a blessing since my pile back at camp was slowly dwindling, I grabbed up an arm load and returned to my bastion of warmth.
The rest of the evening was fairly uneventful, I ate some more smokies, drank some more rum, and eventually turned in for the night.
I slept like a baby, not even waking once.
When morning broke, there were some very annoying crows roosting in a tree above my nest, and suffice to say they woke me up. My feet were freezing cold so I decided to leave my olive cocoon and get a fire going. I was glad to have prepped some tinder and kindling the night before and had a roaring fire within minutes. Breakfast consisted of oatmeal and coffee, a great start to an even greater day, but that's a tale for another time.
To be continued .....
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks