Once again from my journal: “Woke to another morning of clouds and wind; about 50 degrees. Breakfast of pancakes (oatmeal for Ethan) and bacon (that was good – a first on one of these trips!), and then out onto the water to go to the Fishdance pictographs.  Rough, windy crossing to get off Insula, then a lovely, mostly protected paddle on the Kawishiwi.  Alice is BIG!  The 70r to Fishdance (seemed longer) is a lovely portage with a nice pond in the river about halfway across.  Saw pictographs and lunched on the top of the rock. Sun arrived!!!  Nice paddle but upwind on the trip back.  Rough crossing to Williamson, with some waves approaching 2’.  Wind died down, lovely sunset, watched stars.“

The campsite on Williamson is on the east side of the island, so it was protected from the wind even when it was blowing hard.  We had a great afternoon enjoying the sunshine after two days of total overcast, exploring the island, and then enjoyed the sunset even more because the wind had died down.  I was afraid it would be a monotonous sunset since for a time there were zero clouds in the sky, but some clouds showed up in time to make a beautiful sunset.

Dinner was Wyler’s chicken soup with extra bowtie noodles and chicken from a pouch – with tortillas. 

This was the night I offered to leave a night early.  It was a good afternoon, and I didn’t want Steve to think it was because of the weather, although that was part of it.  We weren’t getting early starts, and we would need an early start to paddle off Lake One, hit Ely for the traditional post-trip meal at The Chocolate Moose, pick up a souvenir or two, and get to Tomah, WI, in time to pick up our cheese.  That would also allow us time to take Route 1 to 61 on the coast and enjoy that beautiful drive down the northern shore.  Steve and Ethan thought it would be a good idea – and saving setting and breaking camp once. 

After watching the stars, Steve and Ethan went to their tent and I climbed into my hammock.  I left the fly open so I could watch the stars.  Dozed off and awoke to only half a sky of stars – the rest covered with clouds.  I figured I needed to close the rainfly, but couldn’t bring myself to get out of the hammock until I woke the next time- raindrops splashing in my face.  I jumped out of the hammock, grabbed the string, and pulled the fly across the hammock.  Wrong string!  This is an asym hammock, and the fly has to match the hammock.  I had to get my light and straighten that out. 

Climbed back into the hammock, and noticed that the wind had started to blow again.  That’s when I remembered that I hadn’t tied the canoe down.  Oh well, maybe it won’t blow much.  I dozed; awakened by lightning!   Darn, jumped out of the hammock, grabbed my light (this time), and went down to the ledge above the landing and tied the canoe down.

Thunderstorms can be awe-inspiring.  This one was, although the closest strikes were a mile or more away.  The thunder just rolled on and on and on.  That was a good opportunity for a time of prayer.