George Island - Fond Du Lac River
Distance 38 km [618 km ]
Hooray, we are out of Wollaston Lake – Yea, Yea,Yea!
Up by 4am to a cool and dewy morning, we were determined not to waste the lack of wind so a quick pack and breakfast and on the water by 5.30am. There was not a lot of wind but once we rounded the point of George Island the waves were surprisingly high, they were apparently driven across the big open stretches by the energy built up over the past few days of very strong winds. It was hard, hard paddling because with high waves from the front and the side you cannot find or maintain a rhythm, it is also very hard for John trying to steer in the desired direction. We covered the distance to Sandy Island in only an hour then on to Blue Island and Ellis Island. Here we reassessed our planned route and decided to go north around Snowshoe Island as we feared the wind cranking up and stranding us. After six hard and unbroken hours paddling we arrived in Cunning Bay and found the small bay at the month of the Fond du Lac River. We stopped for a well deserved lunch and a break.
Lunch Break, mouth of the Fond du Lac River
Having made such good time we elected to take the first reasonable camping place in the river. We had set up camp by 2pm. John tightened the spray cover while I organised tonight’s meal and tomorrow’s lunch. Unusually for us we both had a sleep before dinner, tired from the paddling but also from fighting the continual cold wind. We are very glad to have left Wollaston Lake as the constant concern about the wind was very wearing.
Camp on the Fond du Lac River 2 km below Cunning Bay, it seemed a shame to pass by such a beautiful place so we stopped early having met our objective of getting off Wollaston Lake
Relaxing and updating the maps