17May2010 near Mandaree, ND - I slept wonderfully last night. My feelings got better when - upon emerging from under the canoe - I saw the pot marked sand indicating it had rained. It rained and I slept so well that I did not hear it ... super!
Underway in fairly calm conditions - and a 100% clear sky - a SE (head) wind began to slowly build. By the time I rounded the bend five miles to the south, whitecaps were widespread. After the bend my course was due south so the wind was not directly into my front, nor were the swells. Still my progress was slow and it took until noon to reach the mouth of the Little Missouri River.
There was no way that I would attempt a 2-mile wide crossing into a whitecap generating headwind. I chose instead to paddle 3 miles west to the McKenzie Bay Recreation Area. Due to recently cold weather, it had not yet opened for the season, but manager Ronda Logan opened a cabin, wiped it clean, started electricity, turned on the water, fired up the water heater and let me stay. A hostess could not be more wonderful. The restaurant was not yet opened either, but Ms. Dukart and Ms. Zent made me some salami sandwiches, a piece of cake and a full powered Pepsi ... I am in the prescence of angels!
During the day I saw Ducks, Geese, Pelicans, Mule Deer, Antelope and a Bull Snake. The Bull Snake lives under my cabin; Ronda likes him. The Bull Snake keeps the mice population down so that no rattlesnake moves in. Ummm ... well ... I like the Bull Snake too.
Earlier I had stopped at the Hale Marina for my daily walk. On a hill facing east over the lake is an Indian lodge built in 2004. Inside are four huge cottonwood columns supporting four huge beams forming a square about 12 feet up. Large logs lean in on these four beams and the entire structure is covered with dirt. Seen from a distance it looks like a small hill. On another nearby hill, set back from the lake, is another lodge that I did not enter.
Since I went west into the McKenzie Bay Recreation Area I actually netted only five more river miles today. Oh well ... I am now in position to easily cross over to the south sghore and head east to the dam. It is only 51 miles to the dam.