Wind and Current
May 31, Day 69
I was mighty tempted to stay in my comfortable camp today. Winds gusting up to 40 miles an hour were predicted. It didn’t seem too bad at 5 AM however, so I decided to break camp to see what I could do.
I paddled for about an hour and made a few miles before the wind started to come up. I stopped for a break and explored for a campsite. There was a nice spot but it had just been trashed over Memorial Day weekend. It’s amazing how some people feel it’s OK to walk away from a pile of their trash.
I paddled on. It was the wind and the current that stopped me. I fought my way over to the wind-protected side of the river but there the current was extremely strong. When I tried to go out to the middle of the river to escape the current the wind hit me and I found that I was barely moving despite paddling hard. On one bank was a steep bluff extending well up river and on the other side was nothing but sandbars. I swung the boat around and headed down river looking for the first reasonable site.
I hoped for a camp in the cottonwoods but I found a flat spot slightly tucked away in the edge of some brush. There was some poison ivy around but I would avoid it as much as I could.
I made a comfortable camp, unloaded the boat and carried it up to serve as a partial wind break.
It’s amazing how quickly conditions change. At times the wind be howling and it was clear I had made a great choice. Then the wind would die briefly and the sun would come out and I would think I could be paddling. There was considerable rain today, however, and the wind got even worse and now in the early evening it’s blowing hard so was a good decision quitting early. Tomorrow looks to be just as windy but if it’s fairly calm at dawn I’ll start paddling and see what happens. Colter
Clark: 23rd of October Tuesday 1804 a cloudy morning Some Snow Set out early pass five Lodges which was Diserted, the fires yet burning we Suppose those were the Indians who robed the 2 french Trappers a fiew days ago those 2 men are now with us going up with a view to get their property from the Indians thro us. cold & Cloudy…
Trip overview and route map with position updates:
https://bucktrack.com/Lewis_and_Clark_Trail.html
I see you are in Washburn? Good stop there, with camping by the river. Grocery up on the hill has good selection. A bit of a walk but worth it if you need stuff for Sakakawea. You made great time on Oahe, in spite of the wind. Lake S. may be a snap.
Hi Allen, got a great camp-spot on the grass and well protected. Got groceries at the store as well. I hope Lake S. goes well too!
Doing good! That point in the distance in the photo looks like the where the labrador jumped in the river and swam behind me for about 2 or three hours following me.