June 4, 2007: South of Independence Pt. to New Town

Up and at'em early. Everything was going well for the first hour and then all heck broke loose. The wind started to pick up, coming from the NE which is hitting me on the right side of my canoe. Waves keep getting bigger and bigger and then while I'm looking for my map, my canoe canoe is washed into a log that strikes the left side and rolls it up at a 45 degree angle. Now I'm in the water grabbing for the canoe to keep it from flipping which somehow I was able to do. Good news is I was only in knee deep water for I was hugging the shore. Bad news is that I wrenched my knee (yes, the one with the partial replacement) and also my back.


Well, I was able to get things under control although I now have a few inches of water in the canoe. Very lucky.


As I continued, my back was giving me a lot of trouble and conditions were only getting worse. I probably should have stopped, but didn't, figuring I was not that far from Independence Point. My thinking was that once I made the turn, the wind would be more at my back and if I could get to the right shore, I should be more protected.


Let's say I did make it to New Town, but as high as I've felt the first few days of this trip I'm really down now. My back was hurting, I knew I was lucky that things were not worse when I tipped, and all the emotions from the past were coming back.


It was late when I got to New Town. I feel terrible. Not sure what I want to do. Right now I want to quit. Not sure I can handle this. Not sure why I feel like this.