Cabin in McLeod Bay
Icebound: Cumulative total remains 236 km
InReach: Day 12 Foggy morning some sun later No apparent ice change but difficult to say due low vantage point Canoe reconn again tomorrow JK
Camp: 62.611°N 111.520°W
Another difficult day, woke to an ice fog and light rain. I finished reading the two psychological thrillers I found in the cabin whilst John paced and checked the ice position for the thousandth time. Before lunch we spent some time unlocking the secrets of using the InReach when paired with the I-Phone, it was not at all straight forward but we finally cracked it. After lunch we had a nanna nap then together we did a complete tour of both the Hanbury and the Back Rivers using our maps and notes. It is quite a confronting exercise as you go from one challenging rapid or difficult portage to another without the benefit of time between. I guess this makes it seem worse than it really is. Having done this John once again expressed doubts about his ability to safely complete the Back River trip with its many challenges, the realisation that the four years since last canoe adventure has seen physical changes in both of us has come hard to him. We are giving serious consideration to Plan B – the Hanbury River to Baker Lake. John feels it is both shorter and more manageable. The decision doesn’t have to be made immediately however I suspect we have already decided but time will tell. John feels disappointed but once we get out of here and back moving again things will seem much less depressing, he does not handle in-action well.
The ice may or may not have moved further down the lake. It is impossible to tell at this distance so the plan is to go on another reconnaissance paddle tomorrow morning. There is also promise of some stronger winds over the next couple of days so fingers crossed this will help to break the ice up. Meanwhile John is going stir crazy and I am not far behind him.
John working on the maps while we wait for some change in the ice