The Low Land

8/12/2025 Day 9

This is the Peak of the Perseid meteor shower. This whole trip, we’ve had a lot of ambient night light. I have no idea why. This morning I woke to pee during a brief period of reprieve from rain. The moon was rising and all was silent and breathtaking. No bear worries. No snoring. I felt this was a harbinger of our trip’s end.

And then, the rain picked up outside the tent. The wind gusted at top speed. We were supposed to get an early start. This drove me deep into my sleeping bag.

Today we no longer need our helmets. Busy, roiling, rocky waters are behind us. We only have three more days and a lot of ground to cover. If we miss our rendezvous with the fast boat, we won’t be able to leave for 5 more days. At 6:00 AM the rain stopped. Folks left their storm shelter and streamed (all eight of us) to breakfast.

We were in the water by 8:00. The wind was incredible. The temperature was in the single digits. Rain resumed. We pulled over periodically for a break. Pulling the paddle against the wind is grueling. Pain builds, stabbing the neck. Oh god, I need a shower!

I need a tooth brush! I lost mine again. Lord have mercy on my soul! Really, come on!

Shortly into the morning, the Fox River flows into the Hayes. Our width expands and the current picks up speed.

We’re supposed to go 60K today, but we’ll end up with only 40 because the group is in despair. We left the action of the rapids for the the action of freezing to death. Bully for us!

Just after lunch, the God River flows into the Hayes. Our broad shoulders plow toward Hudson Bay.

The Hudson Bay is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada, covering an area of about 475,000 square miles. It is named after explorer Henry Hudson, who mapped its eastern coast in 1610, and is considered part of the Arctic Ocean. This is the size of three Californias.

We later find from Garrett’s wife’s message that the winds were gusting to 60K.

We found a gravel bar to pull up in. There were thickets of brush and grasses, and other various tangles which we needed to effectively tromp down to and pitch our tents. All the dense lowland growth, leave little room for big creatures and the big foot print they need for all the stuff they drag along. Humans. The trampled down path is impassible. The ingress and egress is less functional. I’m stuck. No leaving without taking your tent down first.

Time for the polar bear rules. Most assuredly we won’t see a polar bear here. But staring tomorrow, we never travel alone.