It’s A Big, Windy Lake-Fort Peck

“Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)”-I prefer the Van Halen version off Diver Down

Friday June 27

Today was one of my more rewarding “paddling” days.  It stormed last night, I setup camp just in time, and I was hoping skies would have cleared out in the morning.  I awoke to threatining skies which was discouraging.  I was certain it was going to be a rough day, this is particulary disappointing when you are on the river with current. It is more accepting to lose paddling time on the big lakes but certainly you don’t want to be land bound as you head into a big lake.  Somehow, the clouds threatened all day but it never rained a drop and I made it all the way to Peck, past what they call the UL Bend.  Peck was dead calm, hopefully it will stay this way.  Peck has quite the reputation, it seems “Big Bad Bill” is “Sweet William Now.”

 

Saturday June 28

The situation changed today, I knew this was possible.  After celebrating Peck’s calm disposition yesterday I became nervous when my wife (satelitte) texted me winds are expected to be strong the next 3 days.  I woke up early, peeked outside the tent and the lake was still calm.  I packed everything up quickly and headed out….the lake is big, only this is the baby section.  Who knows what this thing will look like once I get into the really open section.  I hugged the shore and then the winds picked up after about 4 hours paddling.  I really was intent on getting to Fourchette campground, perhaps I could mooch a meal and obtain some additinonal water.  I am OK on water but an additional supply wouldn’t hurt.  Typcially, I am not overly concerned about my water inventory but given the length of time on this lake and possibly being wind bound additonal supply would give me peace of mind.  After resting for a couple hours on shore, I headed out determined to make it to Fourchette.  I made it, just in the nick of time.  As soon as I arrived winds picked up, and I mean picked up.  All of the sudden the lake turned into a swell of 4-5 foot waves and winds were probably 30mph sustained. It is a Category 1 situation out there-send in the Weather Channel and Geraldo Rivera.  Wow.  I had good forturnes and ran into some great folks at Fourchette campground.  Fourchette has no electric hookups, no running water, basically it has a boat ramp, a john and a covered picnic table.  It takes a minimum of 2 hours to get here from the main road, the road leading in is a 60 mile dirt road.  I can’t belive how many folks make the pilgrimage to this campground, the benefit is this is the fishing mecca.  This section of the lake is suppose to be “prime time” for catching Walleye and Northern Pike.  I met a group from Missoula (thank you Chris and Walt!!) who drove 10 hours to fish here for 4 days.  They cooked up some Jumbalya and furnished me with a couple adult beverages.  Overall a really good day despite finishing paddling around 2:00.

 

 

Sunday June 29th

 

No chance getting on the lake today.  Winds are still strong, “Sweet William” has turned into “Big Bad Bill.”  Bill is angry and doesn’t want company.  I hung out all day at the campground, cleaned my boat, organized my gear, read, updated my blog.  Most of the campers departed in the morning so the campground was relativey empty and lonely.  Hopefully I can get out tomorrow, I don’t want to spend another day “stuck” here.  Weather is suppose to be better.  One of the holdovers offered me a nice hamburger dinner, no complaints there.  It is amaizng how generous the campers have been here.  Fourchette holds a special place in my heart….I still want to get out of here though.

 

Monday June 30th

My low point of the trip.  A total calamity today.  I mean, I made bad decision after bad decision and ended up questioning the wisdom of my abilites and decision making process.  I am pretty much a positive individual (slightly sarcastic) and I tend to look at what good can happen in life rather than what can go wrong.  I am definetly a glass half full person.  Today was a depature.  I awoke to Seattle weather, grey and misty.  I looked out at the lake and it didn’t appear to be that bad and figured I could make miles staying close to shore.  This was the first bad decision.  I understood weather was suppose to be nice so I antiicipated conditions clearing and the lake to calm down.  Big Bad Bill can’t stay for more than 48 hours, can he?  I packed up and headed out, the first mile or so was OK.  I hugged the shore, the lake was whitecapping but hopefully good weather will be coming in soon, skies to the west looked like they were clearing which I saw as a good sign.  After about a mile or so the situation became intense. Waves were getting bigger and bigger, to the point where I was really nervous.  The next bad decision was to continue on, I should have turned around and headed back to Fourchette.  As I continued on, the waves got to the point where I simply couldn’t control my boat, I was close to shore but as you make your way around points, the situation was simply too dangerous.  I was beyond the point of returning to Fourchette so I continued to head on.  Finally, a swell came across the bow and I realized I needed to get into an inlet (cooley) ASAP.  I managed to find my way into the safe harbor of an inlet and headed for the back of the inlet and made lunch.  Hopefully, conditions would improve.  They never did.  My location for lunch was a disaster, it was a muddy mess.  As I walked around my shoes turned into platform shoes caked with mud.  Clearly, I can not stay on this side of the inlet…I can’t go out to the main lake because that would be a death march.  I headed to the other side of the inlet and found some “less” muddy conditions…at least the ground was relativey hard.  So here I am about an hour or so into paddling, I am stuck in this less than ideal bay, I am too far to return to Fourchette and I am pinned in.   I hang out in the inlet, do a little hiking and wait it out.  I wait all day hoping coditions will improve so I can make a few more miles or at least find a more suitable camping spot.  I do not want to camp here tonight, just too muddy.  Well, I waited to long, another storm blows in and turns the entire inlet shore into a bloody, muddy, mess.  Unfortunately, I had not set up camp as I was waiting for conditions to improve, so I finally realized I had to setup camp and call it a night.   I can’t convey how upset I was with my decisions today.  I should have stayed at Fourchette, I would be dry, probably have had a nice meal, would not have had to deal with “Perfect Storm” type waves.  I finally setup my tent in a mud pit and called it a night. Without question, the low point of the entire trip.  I missed everything about “civilized” life today.  Yes, even auditors.  This is turning into a spirtual, emotional journey.  No longer just a sightseeing canoe trek.

 

Tuesday July 1st

What a difference a day makes…I woke up to calm clear weather and Sweet William is back!!!

I headed out of my muddy mess of a camp and paddled my way east on the large, remote, rugged Lake Peck.  The lake has a reputation of being a mean place, rightfully so, but it is also beautiful.  Hills abound, it is a remote, rugged landcape.  A real special place if only it wern’t for this crazy wind.  I paddled long and hard and made good miles.  Hopefully I can finish this thing on Thursday.  Mother Nature will make that call.

 

 

Wednesday July 2nd

Another good day, I had hoped to make it about 10 miles from my finishing location of Fort Peck Marina, where I hope to take a shower after 2 weeks, resupply, and enjoy a Diet Coke and some good food again.  Yes, noodles, peanut butter and honey sandwiches do get old.   I did enter the larger part of the lake and made my first “lake crossing.”  Conditions were favorable and I cut across to the south shore and made my way back across to the north shore.  Probably not advisable but I was able to shave off a few miles taking this track.  The lake dynamics have changed.  I thought it was crazy big before…now it is Ocean Peck.  This thing is massive.  It really is unbelavable how unknown this place is, everyone knows Lake Mead and Lake Havasu but this should have better noteriety.  I suspect the remote location works against Big Bad Bill.   Conditions worsened in the afternoon and I was unable to reach my intened destination of The Pines Campground.  I still should be able to get to the marina tomorrow.  I actually backtracked at the end of the day due to wave conditions, I was diligent about locating a decent camping spot and settled on a nice hard mud shore which worked out well.

 

Thursday July 3rd

No dice on Fort Peck Marina.  The day started out well, I made it The Pines around 11:00 and voila, I now have phone coverage.  It was great speaking with my wife after 2 weeks, I was able to text with folks and felt less disconnected.  The issue was that after a nice rest at The Pines wather conditions worsened.  I am so close to the marina I can taste it…but the waves are getting crazy.  I can make it.  No, I can’t.  I headed out into the lake and realized I could not get into the open water so I hugged the inlet shore and crossed to the other side. After an hour of fighting swells, big rollers were talking, I made it to the other side of the inlet (this inlet is about 2 miles wide and 2 miles deep).   I simply could not make any more distance due to waves so I decided to call it a day at 2:00 and hung out on the shore opposite The Pines.  I should have just stayed at the Pines.  Weather is suppose to be cooperative tommorrow, so I should make it off this thing.  I’m ready to be done with the Pecker.

 

Friday July 4th.

I freakin’ made it.  Peck. Done. In the books.  I am chillaxing at the marina…boat traffic is crazy, so I am glad to be hanging out updating my blog and figuring out plans for my portage.  Hopefully, I can find a ride to Glasgow (25 miles) and resupply and find a shower!!  Stay tuned….happy 4th to all.