Tuesday:
After the usual formalities at the ranger station, my next stop was the camp store. I picked up a few more snacks for the trail, and a t-shirt, which would serve as a souvenir, but was also part of my plans: allowing me to pack one less shirt for the trip.
I set out west on the Rock Harbor Trail, one of two paths out from the dock area. It’s a familiar trail, but I had no complaints, as it’s a nice one. It isn’t too difficult and the weather was still cloudy and breezy, but hiking is hard work; one by one I removed articles of warm clothing and stuffed them into the pack.
I reached Three Mile campground in two hours, establishing my level-ground speed at 1.5mph. “Level” not meaning “smooth”, only that there was no major change in elevation.
My destination for the night was Daisy Farm campground, another 4 miles down the shoreline. It’s one of the largest and busiest campgrounds on the island. I had no trouble getting one if the 3-walled shelters there (it only has a few tent sites), just “across the street” from the water. Ironically, this is the closest I’ve been to sleeping indoors on this trip. The fourth screened wall makes for a large mosquito-free area. Unfortunately the picnic table is outside, so you have to choose between furniture and buglessness. The mosquitoes weren’t too bad on this visit, though. The breezes helped, I’m sure. Of course “not too bad” is relative: I still wore bug repellant at all times, and spent a lot of time swatting and scratching.
Daisy farm has a nice big dock, which is handy for pumping water through the filter for drinking, and just enjoying the view. There’s an extended family of loons living there, which add to the background “noise” with their calling. I also spotted a bald eagle fishing in the harbor.
