15May2010 @ Sanish, ND - Today is the day Lewis and Clark State Park, the Dakota Waters Resort and probably every other as yet closed establishment along the lake opens for the summer. After I reach the McKenzie Bay Resort in 45 miles there will possibly be no requirement that I stay out in the weather any night. That is wonderful to know as preparing for and sleeping out in the rain is a bit of work.
The Four Bears Casino beds, rooms and sleeping is wonderful. I awakened at 7AM which is quite late for me. A south (head) wind up to 15MPH is predicted for today and a SW wind tomorrow. Today I may travel fewer miles but by tomorrow a SW wind will not be too detrimental to my needs. I guess I will practice some zen and take what comes along this weekend.
The breakfast buffet here is sumptous, hosted/prepared/presented by folks from Cherokee, Fayetteville, Raleigh, NC and Rome, GA. I feel like I am home. Maybe I will be underway by 11AM. Wrong - I pushed off at noon. I immediately encountered two girls about to begin a canoe race across Four Bears Bay to the rodeo corral. Proud Papa and I watched for several minutes then we parted ways. A fairly strong SE wind was blowing; I opted for the sheltered left bank and paddled against the wind and across. I stayed on the left bank for 13 miles and set up camp in a "vest pocket" bay immediately east from the Little Shell Creek Bay. A South Dakota storm may send a shower up here and some large clouds began showing up, so I inverted the canoe and set up beside a large cottonwood log. It is the best camp I have set up this trip. I almost want it to rain.
Though facing wind all day there were no whitecaps. In the wind shadow of the left bank I was not affected by wind very much as the 13 miles indicates. I was, however, not willing to risk a return to the right bank ... the wind was just a bit too much for me to be comfortable with that. Hopefully I will cross over tomorrow morning.
Today I saw 1 Pelican, 4 Geese, 1 Coyote and many Ducks. That's all, folks. The Coyote acted as if he thought I did not see him. I was able to watch him for several minutes before he finally went behind some sage.
The temperature was about 75 degrees ... prediicted to be about 40 tonight. It is a great time to be on the water ...I love it.
Now that I have passed the halfway point, I think it is appropriate to close each day's report with ... distance to the dam is now only 77 miles.