Rendezvous in the Bush
by Jim Carrier
The radiant sunshine of dawn transformed Cairn Lake into a place of beauty. We were finally experiencing a "payoff" from our patient transaction with the wilderness. After enduring a couple solid days of harsh conditions, Mother Nature was finally showing us her grace. She also gave us a lot to think about. It was still awfully wet up in those hills and possibly even dangerous. I got to thinking about all the things that could go wrong and about what I truly valued in the overall experience. As I slipped out of my bag, I asked Ben: "So, would you think your Dad too much of a wimp if he suggested backing off this bushwhacking thing?"
I never doubted his support.
Intrepid Camper and I were the early risers, enjoying sunshine and coffee, piping hot from my French press. I disclosed that our "vision for the day" no longer included Stumpy's Bushwhackers Jamboree. Rather, Ben and I would engage the wilderness in a much less risky transaction over on McDougall Lake. I carried a copy of Tim Mead's story "Return to McDougall Lake" (see BWJ, 1998 Spring Issue) in my back pocket and I was itching to check it out. Today I would scratch that itch! Moreover, we had already found much of what we sought in meeting so many of our Internet friends. In spite of the horrible conditions and, perhaps, because of them our "rendezvous" the day before had been a wonderfully sweet experience. Today we thought it prudent to paddle off, while the wilderness equation still worked in our favor.
Yes, our newfound friends were somewhat disappointed to learn of our decision. All but Magic Paddler's older brother made an attempt at bushwhacking that day. As it turned out, all parties starting from Cairn Lake were unsuccessful. We later learned that even Stumpy, himself, was unsuccessful. When a party member was injured en route, Stumpy wisely turned back. Another group, including Hexnymph, Pittsburgh Portager, and Penn Paddler assailed the targeted interior lake from northern Kawnipi. Theirs was the only party to succeed in the Bushwhackers Jamboree challenge. They alone earned a measure of the "honor and recognition in case of success" Ernest Shackleton had once described. The tale of Bushwhackers Jamboree is theirs to tell.
The tale of our rendezvous on Cairn Lake concluded with a smile on my face. All canoes and kayaks departing Flamingo Island that fine sunny June day sported unusual pink "hood ornaments", prominently and proudly displayed on their bows.
© Jim Carrier