I'm up before 8am. I make coffee and oatmeal. It rains lightly on and off during breakfast.




I take my time breaking camp to keep as many things dry as possible. The rain lets up and I leave camp around 11am. Within minutes, it starts raining hard -- so much for dry gear. I also find myself paddling into the wind. I tack from island to island and eventually get into the bay leading to the portage to Hope Creek (and into the PMA) by about 12:30pm. The portage is hard to spot until you're right at the shore. The landing seems obvious, but the trail climbs steeply and parallel to shore, so you don't see it until you land.






The portage isn't bad after the initial climb, except for many, many blowdowns (some waist-high and a foot in diameter). Soon I'm ready to launch into the PMA.

There are two beaver dams before reaching the next portage on the creek. This portage is what I think of when I picture a PMA: one ~50 ft. and two ~25 sections are swampy (8" deep water, 5-10 ft. wide) with no way around. Nothing like walking a balance beam with a canoe on your shoulders...and the balance beam is wet, slippery and round. I use my paddle to keep my balance, even while carrying the canoe. The third portage is on a point just south of the creek inflow from Hope Lake -- this one is very easy, almost like a regular portage, if a bit brushy.

I locate an area to camp on the large peninsula in the southeast area of the lake. Camp is made by 3:30pm.




It's still windy and cold, but the rain has stopped, so it's somewhat pleasant under the tarp. I read for a while (Around the Day in Eighty Worlds by Julio Cortazar). I notice two mergansers floating by on the lake.

I make dinner and read a bit more.






The clouds make for a wonderful and photogenic sunset.

I was somewhat hesitant to buy a graduated neutral density filter for my camera, but after I experience what I can do with it with regards to sunsets, I find it worth every penny.

I head to the tent around 10pm and fall asleep shortly thereafter.