Primitive Camp

 

Arrived just before dark, mud launch for little boats, a flat place to park. Seems I'd passed the first unmarked, rocky road leading to the lake itself. This I found out later was another way to boat into Rocky Lake, it was the northern inlet. Jockeyed the truck around as level as I could, jumped out with camera in hand and began to shoot a few frames in the failing light. 

Now it looked like mosquito country (like most of northern Maine is this time of year), yet I had no idea what was in store. The third shot I could see them as dark blotches in front of the lens. Waved them away, shot a few more frames and darted back to the camper. 

Opened the roof vent and windows and began setting up for a quite nights rest. Unrolling my sleeping pad I heard rain beginning. As I've soaked myself once by leaving the vent open while asleep I reached up to close it and saw them. Dive bombers hurling themselves, bouncing off the screen over and over, what looked like hundreds of them, yep, mosquitoes. Both side windows and the vent were being pummeled by their little bodies. I appreciated how fierce they were until I saw some flying around my arms. Whoa! Of course, a few had followed me in I thought, just have to send them off to mosquito Valhalla. For everyone I sent more showed up to take it's place, like Agent Smith in the last Matrix movie. Uh Oh, they're getting in somewhere I realized (sounded like Homer Simpson in my head, DOH!). Stuffing wet paper towel pieces into the little spaces around the side window turn handles didn't do it, closed the window between the cab and camper, nope. Are they little Houdini's or Yogini Skeeters contorting their way through the screens I wondered. I broke out the Repel lotion and tried wiping a thin layer on the screens. They only stepped back for awhile, pulling straws they slurped, heckling me. I was in trouble.

In a moment of wonder I pulled on the door handle, yep, it was a little loose, the catch latch had moved and left the smallest gap around the jam. I could imagine my blood scent wafting through the crack like a beacon for the marauders, like the current in the Atlantic where turtles just ride it for miles (yep, Nemo, movies with kids are true learning experiences :). There was no way of opening the door to spend 5 minutes tightening it, I'd be a bloodless corpse before I was through. 

Ding! Went off in my head, Exercise band! Tied one end to the door handle and the other to the closet handle and no more entrance, they were locked out and I of course was locked in. Problem was, there was a gang that made it in. They'd send out scouts looking for a safe meal. I got many, others got away. It was getting late now. A quite nights sleep was off the table. Too many places in here for them to hide. 

I tried all the tricks the famous Mosquito Killer taught me. Wait without moving, one light on, just wait, they think it's safe and then I can surprise them with a slap. Also looking under things, that turned up a few but I missed half with my big paws. Weighing out the options, how much blood loss to how much sleep loss, I decided to call it a night. Tuck pants into socks, check, roll down sleeves, check, turn up collar, check, put on hiking hat, check, smear Repel onto exposed parts, hat, collar and sleeves, check, turn on ambient iPhone app "gurgling water" so I can't hear them flying, check. Far too warm and muggy to bury myself in a sleeping bag.

Gotta say, it was a fun time all in all. I did appreciate how tenacious they were for what they wanted. When I woke in the morning there were still dozens just holding onto the screens drooling, their little eyes all bugged out with desire. 

I woke to a very beautiful place, more images to come from the brief morning shoot before I let them drive me off. Leaving, my blood dripping from their little snoots, I could hear them laughing, giving high-fives, or ones, over the sound of tires crunching rocks heading back to the highway.