July 9, 2012:
Tenedos Bay to Cassel Falls, Teakerne Arm
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| Our sailboat, viewed from the Cassel Falls trail |
We decided to check out the
trail to Melanie Cove a couple told us about when we frolicked at Unwin
Lake. After 1 ½ hours along a
trail that felt more like scramble than a hike, we decided in the interest of a
lack of health insurance (unless something that costs over $2,200 happens
before our 2-month option to implement Cobra coverage from Boeing prompts it –
medical care outside North America is wayyyyyy cheaper), it was a good idea to
turn around. Besides, we had no
idea how much longer until we got to Melanie Cove, and we were ready to move on
though we couldn’t resist rinsing our sweaty bodies one last time in Unwin Lake’s
fresh water.
On the way back, we passed a
family wading past rather than crossing over the trail’s log bridge, carrying
their fluffy white dog, encased, ironically enough, in an “Outward Bound”
jacket (sorry no photo!). I can’t
deny feeling a little smug, as I did cross the log bridge, even though I did
so, as I usually do, with great trepidation. Wayne, on the on the other hand (or would that be … foot?),
walks across them as easily as he would a nicely groomed dirt trail. He says I lack confidence; in this
case, his is correct.
Meanwhile, another warm
freshwater lake was calling our name…. Cassel Lake, above Cassel Falls, in
Teakern Arm. So we set sail.
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| Log bridges ... the bane of NW trails... this one's on the Cassel Falls trail. |
At Teakern Arm, our decided
lack of fondness for stern ties continued. This time Wayne was the “dinghy dummy,” stressing out while
our boat careened far too close to the powerboat next to ours. I drove forward rather than to the
side, which would have more effectively swung me away from the neighboring power
boaters. The power boater had the additional
advantage of several folks to get them squared away, a motored dinghy, and a
convenient ring from a nearby rock to stern tie to. Wayne was hot, sweaty and
cranky. I was less than
charmed by Wayne’s crankiness, even if it was justified. We were not at our best.
Wayne’s mood was not
improved in encountering our neighbor’s dinghy blocking the majority of the
dock at the trailhead to Cassel Falls. It was spawled on top of rather than
alongside the dock, and tied multiple times to the cleat, rendering it unusable
for anyone else without their untying and retying (which we did with a
neighboring sailing couple – a more productive approach than my urge to deflate
their dinghy). It did not help
that Wayne fell, hard, while we were trying to find a way to tie our dinghy to
the dock.
The hike to Cassel Lake
relatively short and sweet. Like
most NW trails it seems, it would not be complete without crossing a log
bridge. Ropes made any areas that
were a bit of scramble, pretty easy.
A congenial group of folks converged at the lake’s swim spot. Fortunately, camisoles and coordinating
undies make a publicly acceptable makeshift swimsuit.
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| Cassel Lake makeshift swimsuit |
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| Rope at Cassel Lake made it safe to come up its slippery side after swimming. |
When we got back from our
hike to Cassel Falls and swim in Cassel Lake, the power boaters were gone. Despite the swim, still took us a while
to “cool off.” It takes creativity
and extra effort to give your sailmate their space on a 27’ sailboat...
climbing out of hatches rather than passing each other in the cabin.
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| Teakern Arm dinghy dock... AFTER our hike. |
Despite these tense times, I
appreciate our mutual ability to talk it out -- eventually. I’d much rather fight (once in a while)
and resolve our issues, then never fight, but the problems fester. The icing on the cake is we make up
really, really well.
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