We are retracing our path today as the mud flats confirmed there would be no further paddling to the North. We take a slightly new variation of the route as we head towards the more open areas of Lake Powell. The wind has picked up some, but we are quite protected and not so sure what we'll face in the more exposed and open areas. With that in mind we keep up a steady pace. If the wind does blow tomorrow we are aiming for an area that we can do a longer day hike. Sure enough the wind does pick up and white caps begin forming. We feel okay about getting to the other side, but it takes some effort. Once we reach shore we scout out for a protected area to cook dinner. First we tried building wind blocks out of these great slabs of rock. It was a fun exercise, but did not seem to be as effective as needed. We moved inland finding a more protected area, but still not ideal. The tumble weed was being blown all around us. Dust devils across the way were quite prevalent. Not a good night for sitting around the campfire. A little more exploring and we found sleeping areas that previous campers had carved out among some bushes. Art built a great wind block of tumbleweed and branches. The wind does not seem to be dying so a hike tomorrow is on the agenda.
