Weather forecast is sun and fine for the next few days albeit very cold. Leaving at around 5 degrees heating to around 14 during the day but perfect walking weather. We started with jumpers for the first few kms and then took them off. When we got to Hope Bay the wind was howling off the water and it was so icy I thought the sweat on my body was going to turn to ice! But yay the little trailer park shop was open and we went inside for something cool to drink followed by 3rd rate coffee but the break was nice inside.
Our host Doug dropped us off again to pick up where we left off and thought we might make the lookout for sunrise. Didn't even try. As we rounded a corner the sun was bright orange and it was lighting the tree trunks red in the filtering light. Simply beautiful and happy it showed on camera. Much better than any lookout!
Doug is a mountain of information. He's maintains a section of the trail and knows it well. We enjoyed the extra bits and bobs he contributed.
Dear Doug was mortified that we were drinking his rain water. That is for the garden only in his world. Best damned water I've tasted since I've been here. Canada water is awful. The stuff from the bay which we have tonight is also beautiful. We simply filter it and go. No yucky tap crap!
A few last reminisces from 'Lionheart' - Doug has this black squirrel in the yard which is really cheeky. Managed to finally capture him on camera last night. And we met Robin and Elizabeth from Canada who are also walking E2E but a couple of days behind us. They have a car and family support in places but staying in sheltered accommodation every night and no big packs nor tenting.
Today was another beautiful day. We did lots of wandering on the rocky escarpment with bits and pieces of less rocky forest. When we walk a distance away from the escarpment you get a mental break and a chance to watch in awe of the stunning beauty ahead. What we do know is that we will have ankles of steel when we finish! The forest continues to be with endless greenery with tinges of fall happening. It's still a slow walk negotiating all the obstacles and I've dropped a number of pics in for you. The geese fly overhead honking away and I even saw a woodpecker today as he darted around the back of a tree. A chipmunk tried to play 'you can't see me human' but he failed and the ever hungry mozzies were always on alert to pounce. We went through patches of rustling up small butterflies as we walked past and I even had a mayfly come sit on my arm for a while.
And we again encountered poison ivy in patches and some of it quite tall. We've been told by all the locals to be aware and to be careful taking off clothes that you don't rub your clothes. Can sometimes take a few days to start irritating you, and that can last a few weeks. It leaves an oil on stuff and needs to be got out with soap and water. So that leaves a dilemma when you need to tighten your shoelaces! I had the smarts before I left home to think of putting in disposable gloves. Phew!
We made it into a little place called Hope Bay. Again we see all the 'private' water areas across the road from houses. We got to talk to a chap there today and he says technically it is government land and not private but they are allowed to do things to it as long as they keep it tidy. They just don't like it when people come to sit in 'their place'. All their boats are lifted out of the water into fixed structures and not moored. Many jet skis are the same and some have their kayaks, canoes and SUP's racked over the water too. Different. But then I try to imagine that at home and think how they'd be vandalised and stolen. Sad really. I like that you can leave your things out and feel they are safe.
We looked back at the escarpment we had been going along this morning from Hope Bay and just go golly golly gosh - rock rock rock. We look to the other side of the bay and can't see any cliffs and think maybe just maybe it might be easier going. Wrong! We knew from the map that there was a serious climb to the top and we hadn't been long on the ascent then lo and behold a small cliff piece accompanied by a big ladder with little slope on it. I can do this! And just kept remembering to lean forward so my pack doesn't pull be back and as I reach the top just lay down over it and crawl up. Terrified of falling back. Phew! Then turn around and there's a longish set of stairs. Much easier. From there is was back to beautiful forest.
We arrived at a lookout spot and saw tonight's camp spot far below. So close but knew we had one almighty descent in front of us and we would be there. One set of stairs helped and the rest was another boulder course. Practice is making this task so much easier. Never thought I would be happy walking on rocks for hours on end, but seriously it is the fastest and less slippery route to go.
Found a couple coming through the bush on the other side carrying small shovels. We chatted to them. They are indigenous and we're collecting roots and stuff for medicine. They explained a lot to us and it was interesting. Most specifically he was gathering the roots of a fern which he dries and mixes with other stuff.
Tonight's accommodation is our tent at the Camp Crocker Indian Park. A camp/caravan area run by the local indigenous. Bears apparently are frequent here in the morning and evening as they make their way from the escarpment to the water for a drink. Hopefully see one but not encounter it really!! Food and things they might go for hung in the tree including my pack if we can get it up because my hungry guts have me munching all day and there's always crumbs you can't get out. I'm sure that's why the water rat attacked it at Franklin River campsite on the Bibby. No food, simply the smell of it. Think the bear might make a bigger mess of my pack than the rat!