Lockhart River
Distance: 0.0km, wind day – [cumulative total 568km]
InReach: Day 31 Strong NE wind & rain so have not moved. Went walking on the tundra during break in the rain – beautiful! Strong wind = NO bugs! All well
Camp: 63.457°N 107.555°W
The wind blew all night and though we were awake early it was evident there would be no paddling today. The water around us is muddy and full of silt even so I managed a full wash plus all the clothes I was wearing whilst John had a well deserved twelve hours sleep. After a late breakfast John dug a water hole in the sand just back from the muddy edge of the river.
We took advantage of our enforced rest day with a long walk over the tundra behind us. There were numerous ground squirrel burrows everywhere but no sign of their inhabitants. We noted that many endemic plants such as Labrador Tea which further south would reach 60cm though in full flower was only about 6cm whilst the alders normally over my head were only half a metre. It is as if all plants are bonsaied. As for trees there was only the odd cluster of spruce, mostly in sheltered gullies. We got back to camp for a late lunch and more reading, sending messages and napping. The wind howled on but at least it kept the bugs away.
The esker we camped beside had one large patch of stunted spruce trees
Our ‘water hole’, it saved having to wade way out in extremely shallow water