Fish camp

I forgot to mention that yesterday we were each stopped by the game wardens and made to display our whistles. Thanks to Zed for saving us from that ticket. 

This morning Joseph recalled his night of creeping up and then back down the muddy bank with the rising and falling water level. It was a hilarious tale of man in canoe vs water. Earlier in the evening he had been explaining to us how South Carolina is not so much a hot humid miserable place as like being back in your mother's womb. I inquired how the mosquitos fit in. By the end of the night he expressed his thoughts on getting out of the womb. 

Afternoon nap

Leaving lunch 

We had a short paddle day. As I mentioned, this river gives the feeling of being inside a muddy canyon. At 3 pm we came upon a sandy bank with open area behind and a make shift table. There was no evidence of recent use nor road or house. It was too good to pass up so I bribed Chris with a promise of chocolate pudding pie with graham cracker crust and dried raspberries. The stomach is still the way to win. 

Chocolate pie. Yum. 

Fish camp. Complete with table. 

We enjoyed a leisure afternoon of laundry, washing, bathing, reading and eating. After dinner I discover and ate my first pawpaw. There are tons of trees up above our camp. They are just coming on ripe. Thanks Larissa for telling me about that treat. 

Pawpaws

I have started a tradition of jumping in the river to cool of and remove the freshest layer of sweat just as I'm headed to bed. We saw our first alligator today so I'm not sure how long I will be able to keep it up. We are spending the evenings in our sleeping bags in our hammocks to reduce the bug bites. Joseph is out on a tarp taking it like a man. 

Miles: apx 17. Total 247. Hard to tell at this point as there are no roads or tracks for 20-40 miles at a time.