Lake Brunner

The rain just keeps coming down in buckets as I come into the flats on the other side of the pass. I take the turn off to Lake Brunnel and the rain starts to let up. In fact there is a spot of blue sky peaking out. When I get to the lake I figure that I can go for a short paddle but when I actually get on the lake it’s so beautiful that I head back and get my camping gear and decide to spend the night. I have to spend it somewhere and not only is it not raining it’s warm out. So I get my thing and head out down the western shore line (as Sandy’s book says that there are no roads to that side. In fact the forest is very dense and exotic! The water is inky black and mirror calm. I can’t believe that only an hour earlier it was Storm’n like Norman! I get to what Sandy’s map says to be Irishman’s landing and set up my tent and gear. . Just then a small flightless bird comes out of the bush right by my feet. It seems surprised to find me there and freezes then when it thinks it safe it make a dash for cover. I make my self a quick snack and then I keep jump back in my boat and continue down the western shore just to see what there is to be seen.

I get as far as Hohonu Spit when the wind starts to pick up and I decide to head back to camp. When I return I pull up the boat and set in on the shore by my tent. Irishman’s landing is set up with fire pits and drop toilets. There are several clearing but no water. There are many streams that empty into the lake each one is dark read as if they were blood. It seems that all the rivers around here are the color of wine. There must be something in the soil that causes this to happen. I must remember to ask some one why. I change out of my wet clothes and hang them up to dry on a tree branch and take a walk along the beach to explore.

After a half hour I start back to camp and it starts to rain again. I hurry back as I don’t want my drying gear to get soaked again but I’m too late. Lucky I set up the tent earlier as it allows me to jump in and get out of the rain, or so I think. I then notice that the my tent hasn’t been in the rain for quite some time and I have found that I have not resealed the seams in a while so the rain is dripping in various places. I am thinking to my self that I won’t be able to sleep if this keeps up so I grab my empty dry bags and stick them between the tent and the fly. After that I stick my rain coat in then my spray jacket. This still isn’t enough coverage. So I finally jump out of my tent and yank out the ground tarp and tie in across the top of the tent. This does the trick. But not every thing is if not down right wet at least damp. I spend the night listing to the staccato of rain all night on the tent roof wondering if the rain will ever stop.