16 August, Wednesday 2017
We have an unexpectedly bright morning. The coming rain is still off to the southwest, and for the time being we have mixed sun and clouds and a pleasant breeze that is keeping the mosquitoes away. (Speaking of which, I am seeing numerous red-brown smudges on my journal, the remains of last night’s battle.) Last night we had an owl chorus around our tent. (Who cooks for you? – barred owl, and wak-wak-wak-awooo – we’ll have to look it up.) O’s sea to summit bag fell victim to our local mouse friends during the night. He left his trail mix in the bag and there were corresponding holes in the waterproof sack and the zip lock snack bag. Mouse heaven!
After breakfast we paddle slowly around Lower Pauness. As we pass the take out to Pauness, we spy a huge nest in the nearby white pine. Sitting on nest’s edge is a gigantic golden brown bird, squawking up a storm. The great eagle swoops down near our canoe and disappears into the forest on the opposite shore. We continue our exploration and return to camp for lunch. This day is a gift. We expected to be spending it beneath the tarp, staring out at the rain. After lunch we have fun with the camera, photographing flowers around our campsite and setting up for a rare photo of both of us, together. Then, wonder of wonders, we take time for an afternoon nap.
After our nap,, we return to the eagle’s nest, hoping for a photo. We can both hear the squawks of a hungry baby in the nest. I take lots of pictures, hoping to get one of the baby, but I think my camera is full of just nest photos. We return to camp for dinner as the first raindrops begin to fall.
The rain begins in earnest as we prepare our dinner of pasta sauce, cheese and black bean pasta. Zip lock baked brownies are our dessert. Once again we cannot finish them all. The accompanying hot chocolate is especially good in the rain. Dishes are quickly washed and stowed and we are ready to dive into the tent, before MTO tonight. A duo of red breasted nut hatches wishes us goodnight!
