I've covered about 35 miles since that last entry, from Qualicum Beach up to Denman Island last night, and then all the way up the east side of Denman and across about 8 miles of open water to Comox. (Actually, I'm staying about 4 miles further up, at Kin Beach Provincial Park, at a site just up from the water. The "camping season" is apparently not in session at the moment, but the caretaker gave me the ok.)
Today was not as cold as yesterday. I was in the boat before dawn again, just as the sky was starting to get light. I had camped on a little beach at the southern tip of Denman Island, with a great view of the buildings and the lighthouse on Chrome Island, just a few hundred yards off shore. A small cedar fire and a cup of tea took the edge off of the cool evening.
My feet have been really cold the last couple days, like blocks of wood actually. I'm a little concerned about how cold they've been getting, but they get better again at the end of the day once I get the Smartwool socks on them. I tried something different today: instead of brewing a themos of hot chocolate - like I usually do - I just filled the thermos with hot water. At my two rest stops today, I just poured the hot water on my booties until the feeling came back, all a-tingling. It worked, and I liked it, but I did miss the hot chocolate.
Tomorrow they're calling for snow and the winds increasing. I am hoping to get to Campbell River if I can.
