Not as cold last night, but cold enough. Daybreak was clear skies again with some early mist on the lake. Breakfast was oatmeal, coffee and fruit snacks. While eating breakfast and enjoying the early morning sights and sounds I decided I would do no paddling today and just hang out around camp.

Not long after thinking this, it began to get breezy and from the east which often means rain within 24 hours. Before long it was VERY breezy and so my decision not to paddle was confirmed. I did camp chores, laying in more firewood for the next camper, airing out my sleeping stuff, and trying to wash up myself a little. The morning went by quickly.

By 11:30 the wind was whipping up whitecaps in the main channel of Cirrus and even stirring up things pretty good back in my little cove. My back was really aching again too, even though I was taking meds and not paddling. By lunch time I decided that tomorrow morning if it were calm (or favorable wind) I would head out the way I came in. There would be one tough portage that way, but quite a bit less paddling involved.

Lunch was a foil package of Spam I cut into fourths and made wraps with, using half a tortilla for each. With a little Guldens spicy brown mustard it really hit the spot. I took a lot of photos at camp today, hiking up the path to the awesome hilltop views and even investigating areas off the trail and getting some pictures of interesting fungi. By 2 PM a light cloud cover had moved in – the first for almost three solid days – the wind let up some and the sun was hazed over.

At 4 PM the wind was still out of the east but I noticed that the cloud mass seemed to be moving almost the opposite way, from southwest to northeast. (Could this be right?) For supper I fixed one-half of a Lipton’s dirty rice side with some home freeze-dried lean burger and it was pretty good although really too much for one person.

By 8 PM it was still breezy and definitely looking like rain before tomorrow. I had a small fire and no liquor or cigar, fearing heartburn from my supper. I had seen no one else of the lake today and had thoroughly myself after adjusting my expectations about fishing and exploring, settling for just enjoying hanging out on Cirrus Lake. I went to bed just hoping for “decent” paddling weather tomorrow.