Bridget Jones does Vision Quest - Part 2

Day 1 cont...
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5.15pm
Hurrah ! Matches have ignited and fire is roaring. Go in search of more firewood. Whilst looking for firewood discover 2 'thingys' off the side of match boxes just laying on the ground. Moral of this story - if you forget something have a good search around as chances are someone will have left just what you need for you.

7.30pm
After a mere 2 1/4 hours have boiled water and enjoying cup of tea. No vision yet, maybe it has to be dark.

8.00pm
Pasta supper ready, delicious ! Although cooking on open fire encourages feeling of Wilderness Canoe Goddess, think that will use stove in the morning to expediate process.

8.30pm
Headed out to secluded bay for after dinner swim and bath. Think that WCG would perform such a ritual naked. Part way through swim and bath with hair full of biodegradable camp suds am interrupted by couple seemingly out for romantic evening fish & paddle. They have run aground and romantic mood appears to have be somewhat replaced by domestic argument as to who needs to get out of canoe to push off. 'Evening' I venture, wondering who feels the most intruded upon. Just as well I had remembered at the last moment that I was a reserved English woman and therefore not predisposed to swimming naked.

9.00pm
Relieved not to have been swimming naked but feeling somewhat cheated by the interruption of arguing couple. Decide to have a dance topless round the campfire instead - surely this would induce wilderness vision.

9.15pm
Quite good fun but feel having Kevin Costner join in would have improved situation.

9.30pm
Hot water on the boil for hot chocolate and getting dark now. Eagerly anticipating vision. Pretty dark think will go and get headtorch so can find way back to tent later. Fire looking a bit low but can't see where pile of earlier collected firewood is. Ratch around and find good chunk of wood and head to look in barrel for torch.

9.45pm
Back at campfire, has picked up somewhat. S***t ! Who put the paddle on the fire ?

10pm
Paddle seems to have survived relatively unscathed, nothing that a bit of gaffer tape can't fix.

10.45pm
Boiling water for hot chocolate in record time.

11pm
Disappointed not to have yet received vision but head to bed hopeful that may occur during the night.



Day 2
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8am
Slept so deeply that I fear vision unable to get through.

8.05am
Can't seem to find the stove although I have got the fuel bottle. Have vague memories of taking it out to repack but cant' seem to remember putting in back in.

8.30am
Have searched both barrel and my bag and definitely no stove. Have also made a thorough search of the camp area to see if any stoves have been left behind by previous groups, but alas in vain. Start collecting firewood. Seems a bit windier than yesterday.

10am
Tea and porridge in yet another record time, all packed up and ready to head back. Slightly disappointed have not yet had vision but nevertheless am feeling like a true Wilderness Canoe Goddess, vision or not.

2pm
Bl***y H*ll this is hard work. have travelled about a quarter of the way back against howling winds sometimes having to stop and line the boat along the lake shore. Have managed to get some shelter behind a large island on the lake and am currently in process of sneaking round to the front.

2.15pm
MY VISION APPEARS
I am standing on a sandy beach on the largest Island of West North Tea Lake in the Algonquin Park. I am looking west over to the portage sight which will take me back to base camp. But instead of seeing the lake I am faced with the Atlantic Ocean. Waves 5ft high raising towards me, reaching their crescendo and then crashing down in a blast of white spray. I am stunned. I am speechless ( although their is currently no-one to speak to ) I have but one single thought in my mind - Oh S**t
I hear a sound and look to my left 'hi there !' - I meet my fellow marooned camp mates Mike & Avon.

3.00pm
Mike and Avon are positively delighted to have company. They have been 'stuck on this friggin island' for 4 days and are immensely grateful to have someone else to talk to. They are both in their fifties, are annual trippers and have not been stuck like this ever. They have spent the last few days bored out of their minds with the monotony only broken by the occasional canoe capsize they have witnessed just off the end of the island. They make me a cup of tea ( they have two stoves ) and we ponder the situation.

4.00pm
I have convinced myself that the wind has died down and the waves are significantly reduced. I thank Avon & Mike for their hospitality and set off towards the portage.

5.15pm
That was a great work out. After paddling - literally on the spot - for a solid hour I am back on the beach much to the delight of my fellow windbound paddlers. Comments such as 'Brave effort' and 'You've got some guts' help cheer my mood. I concede defeat - at least for the moment.

6.pm
After musing through various options which admittedly were limited I decide to camp overnight and get up early when wind drops. My contacts back at base camp were expected me this evening and I hope they have the sense to realise am windbound and not send out helicopter search party - that would be most embarrassing for WCG. Thankfully my new campmates are happy to share stove again and we spend a pleasant few hours chatting.

9.30pm
Huddled in tent whilst outside vision continues - this time thunderstorm has been added to the equation.

Day 3
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3am
Wake up to the sound of ...well, nothing. I peep out of tent to see sky full of stars with a new yet bright shining moon and a still lake. Pack up tent swiftly and head on water. Set course for Orions belt and paddle towards the portage.

3.30am
Half way across I stop for a while and take in the moment. The new moon is shining so brightly and reflecting on the water with a beautiful shimmer. The stars are so clear it is incredible. I see a shooting star and make a wish, then I see another and another until I loose count. I make the same wish. This must still be my vision because I can hardly imagine a scene so perfect.

4.30am
I am now carrying canoe, packs and barrel again. Vision is definitely over as portaging in the dark no more fun than in daylight.

6am
Portages and river journey over ( a few beavers kept me company along the way ) and can now see base camp in sight as the sun starts to rise behind me.

6.30am
Back at base camp. Alexis is up and preparing breakfast. 'Hey -I was just thinking about you - guess you got windbound yesterday. He asks me 'How was your trip ?' For the second time in the last 24 hours I have only one single thought -

'Awesome' I reply.