Mikisew Provincial Park - Day 3

I woke up to heavy rain at 8:30 a.m. and decided to stay in the tent until it slowed down a bit.  The rain started to pool in the center of the roof and then started leaking everywhere. Even pushing the water off the roof did not help. At 9:45 I got tired of waiting for the rain to stop and I got dressed, put on my clear plastic rain poncho, and went outside. Balto didn't want to leave the tent so I let him stay there while I made myself some breakfast. 

When I went back to check on Balto a little later there were puddles everywhere inside the tent. So I threw most of my stuff in the car. If I was going to stay another night I at least wanted my bedding to be dry. Inside the screen tent was fairly dry so I took an extra sleeping bag and I made a bed for Balto to sleep on under the picnic table while we waited for the rain to stop. It took some coaxing but I eventually convinced him that he would be happier there than in the wet tent. 

I figured Jayson and the rest of my friends would be here later this afternoon, about 4 p.m. or so, and so I had better do something about my wet tent before they got here.  I found some extra plastic rain ponchos and lined them between the fly and the roof of the tent. I also found the wall that belongs on the screen tent and used it as a second fly on the tent. But water was trapped in between these layers so it was still leaking for a little bit. I used a third sleeping bag and a sheet that I had with me to mop up the floor like they were giant towels. That was the best I could do with what I had. Now I just had to pass the time for a few hours and wait out the rain. So I went back to the screen tent and played Sudoku and my Game Boy for a few hours. 

The rain never stopped. At about 3 p.m. I noticed the water starting to seep in under the table. Balto was still sleeping and still dry but I didn't know for how much  longer. I looked outside and there was a lake of water all around the screen tent. It was like we were an island and the water was rising. 

The water completely surrounded the fire place too. 

I was half expecting the water to rise high enough to float the charred pieces of wood in the fire place away at any minute. 

I woke Balto up and put him in the car. I picked up his sleeping bag and put it on the table bench and then I got into the car too. I figured that since we were in the car waiting for the rain to stop we may as well drive by Jayson's campsite to see if they had arrived yet. But they hadn't. So I drove back to our site and sat in the car for awhile longer. I texted my daughter to ask about what the weather was supposed to be like. She said that the rain was expected to stop around 5 pm. It was about 4 pm now so I figured that I didn't have much longer to wait. 

Eventually it got to the point where I began to wonder where everyone was. I can see why Jayson and his family may not have wanted to stay the extra days but surely at least some of our friends should be arriving by now. So I started texting a couple of my friends to ask where they were and how much longer they may be. 

It took some time before I got a response but eventually I got my answer. Everyone who I texted told me that there had been a change of plan. Apparently it was on facebook that they were going to a restaurant instead since the weather was not good for the beach. I had missed the facebook messages because I do not have facebook on my phone. 

This left me in a no win situation. I was wet, and dirty and in no way presentable to be going to a restaurant. Plus I had the dog with me and did not want to leave him in the car while I went into a restaurant. So if no one was coming and I could not go to them, then I had to decide if I wanted to stay another night like I had originally planned or go back home. 

It took me all of 30 seconds to decide. I couldn't see myself spending another night in a wet tent at a provincial park that I really didn't care for very much. I was going home. I broke camp in record time. I shoved all my stuff that was in the screen tent into the back seat of the car. I took down the sleeping tent and shoved it still dripping wet into the trunk. I didn't even bother to pack it up nicely. Next I took the screen tent down and shoved that dripping wet into the trunk too. I got into the car with wet pants up to my shins and with my rain poncho still on. 

​Balto was more than ready to get home by this point. 

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As I drove through the park to get to the front gate, all  around me were the other campsites with signs that they too had experienced some flooding during the rain. No wonder the ducks are so fond of this park!

I reached the park gate and put my permit into the box shaped like a little wooden cabin. I might have been able to get my money back for the extra night that I was not going to stay, but it was after 2 pm which is usually the cut off time so I figured I wasn't going to try to argue my case. I was just going to cut my losses and go home. 

As I am leaving the park I notice signs for a trail head that was not immediately visible when you first come in since it is across the road from the park. I couldn't tell you which trail it is because as usual in this park there were no signs telling you which one it was. 

As I traveled away from the park and towards the town of South River to reach the highway I noticed that there were also no signs to help you find your way back to the highway either. I happened to know where I was going since I grew up in the area and was somewhat familiar with the territory. But anyone not from the area would have a difficult time of it and would possibly need a map or GPS. 

As I headed home I thought....McDonald's for supper sounds great right about now. So with warm thoughts of Big Macs and fries in my head I left Mikisew Park behind me.