Day 9 – Cumberland Bay State Park, NY, to North Hero State Park, VT

M-2016-8-29

Start: Cumberland Bay State Park

End: North Hero State Park on Lake Champlain, Stephenson’s Point
On the Way:  Plattsburgh, Cumberland Bay, Lake Champlain, “The Gut,” North Hero

Miles: 22 (Milepost: 170.5.  Neeeeew State!)

Map: 4

Weather: Overcast, then clear, nice and warm.

Crossing from Plattsburg to North Hero involves dodging this
massive ferry boat every half-hour.

NEW STATE!  Reporting from Terra Firma in our second of five states, Vermont.  It’s been 22 miles of paddling the mighty Bitabawgok, against the wind with large waves in pea-green-soup algea-infested waters…  But I’ve loved it.  It feels great to be pushing water again after my hiatus, and any water where one can freely move feels like good water now that I’ve seen the dry and bony alternative.  Like my pal Teton says: at least on a land-based journey, like the AT, the trail will always there, regardless of weather.  With rivers, so highly dependent on rainfall, not so much.  Here’s to the next bit of paddling tomorrow, and may it not be our last to come in a while as we face the Missiquoi.

Enjoying the open water in the morning before the big waves pick up in the afternoon.

Lovely house with its own lighthouse on the banks of Bitabawgok.

Today, with its long stints of heavy paddling, was a great day for brainstorming.  I thought up some Warrior Bunny concepts, which I should sketch up and send along to Carl and Co. along with a request for the cast list and an inquiry about hair and makeup.  I should also follow up on that HUB theater gig…  It’ll be a busy October, but aren’t they always?

[NOTE: In one of my professional lives, I’m a freelance costume designer.  Planet of the Warrior Bunnies was the first show I had lined up for my return, which was miraculously pulled off in about three weeks.  I’m still marveling that it happened.  Some thanks, I suppose, to this planning ahead courtesy of old Bitabawgok.]

This campsite’s lovely, on an island right south of our jumping-off point from the Lake to the Missiquoi River.  By nature of our West-to-East trail, we hardly ever get to face the sunset (plus we get some great south-arm-only tans, which is fun).  Tonight, however, here at North Hero Island, is a rare and exquisite exception, since we’re right at the tip and have a nice expanse of lake to the west.  There’s no one else here except me, Teton, and an older fellow named Ernie who’s an organic farmer from New Jersey, plus hundreds of bright green-and-black little frogs.  As you walk through the weeds and rocky beach around the shore, they hop away and make the path in front of you look like popcorn.  Also lots of raccoons, as evidenced by the heaps of pried-open mussel shells along the shore.  Although I don’t know: maybe the birds here are clever enough for that party trick, too.  It’s too dark to search for a shell and check for claw-marks.

A Shepardson's Point sunset on a froggy beach.

Things Learned:

+ Post drops are as much for getting rid of things as gaining them.  I’m down to three dry bags of gear, which means I can stash my wheels in a hatch and cut down on wind drag where it might make a difference (AKA, lakes)!

Trail Magic:

+ PO Transaction went smoothly—only made a minor mess of river water on the floor, and no one though ill of me for doing a gear and food shake-out on the address-writing table.

+ Got to look at Ernie’s LLC paddling (that’s the Lake Champlain Committee) guidebook.  He’s been coming back to this lake for 19 years’ worth of vacation and still has new places to explore!  He says the cliffs and finger-like fjords to the south have been the most exciting.  He also scoffed when I asked him if he’s spotted Champ the Lakemonster yet.

+ Great lakeside hammock hang with a strong breeze—no need for the bug net!

Right on the edge of the beach.  Falling asleep to waves is what is best in life.