We learned our lesson last year about waiting too long to reserve those primo campsites so we got a jump start this year and secured our place for our first camp trip for 2012 back in February! We really enjoyed Stony Point Campground near Leech Lake in June 2011 so we decided to go back. Being three hours away is a perfect distance to feel like you are AWAY FROM IT ALL and yet near enough that the drive home isn't overwhelming (especially when your dirty and bug bitten, LOL).
We had an early spring this year so the bugs were going to be more than certainly worse this year but the weather definitely warmer and we counted down the days after a busy couple of weeks with our trip back east in May and our neighbor's recent wedding. Planning and packing was a breeze as we bought a lot of our gear last year, however we did purchase a larger tent because with the three of us and a 85lb dog, it was a bit too cozy the past two camping trips. :-)
Cole kept talking about going fishing and making s'mores and recounted his memories from last year. The morning we departed, the skies were iffy. It had been raining at home with some thunder/lightening but when we arrived, the sun was shining. The air was damp and the flies were swarming but we got out our candles and incense and doused ourselves in essential oils and set up camp. The campground was full and busy with the sounds of family reunions. We were (again) one of just a few families using tents, everyone else had various sized and shaped RVs. There were thousands of caterpillars falling from the trees (not sure if they were actually caterpillars or some other bug but I've never so many of them before). The lake was beautiful especially from the vantage point out on the tip and listening to the water lap against the huge rocks was soothing to the soul. We heard owls that first night and the loons early the next morning.
The lake was still too chilly to swim in so we hoped the fish would be biting. It was a stunning cloud free day. We poked around some familiar bays, swinging by the cabin we had driven up in March to look at on the end of Suckers Bay, then headed towards the deeper waters near Walker. We were amazed how much Cole remembered from the year before when he began spouting off the names of the tiny islands that speckled the lake. The biting flies were finding us so we had to keep on the move more often than not. Unfortunately for my fisherman, the fish were elusive once again.
After six or so hours on the water, we headed back to camp for an early dinner. We were going to go back out for a sunset cruise/fish attempt since the forecast was looking questionable for the next two days so we knew we needed to make the most of our good weather as the winds were calm. After eating we headed back out with our fleeces on and found a quiet spot, however the fish continued to be uncooperative. It was peaceful and serene and much like last year, the sunset did not disappoint.
After another quiet night, we awoke to the sun again too. The radar showed storms off to our west and the forecast showed scattered storms heading in our direction. We spent the morning out and about, puttering around some new areas of the lake. It was fun looking at spectacular cabins and resorts dotting the shoreline. The east part of the lake was beautiful. The fish just wouldn't bite though and the boys were getting frustrated. Around mid-day, the gray clouds began approaching and fairly quickly so we decided to head back as we were a good 30 minutes out from camp. We stopped to fill up our gas tank at a family resort since we were low. The stop took longer than we anticipated and the sky was becoming darker by the minute. We could see the rain falling from the sky not far off so we were hoping to outrace it. Big fat drops began pelting us about 15 minutes out. Everyone else was racing across the lake trying to get "home". The rain began to come down in torrents and with the wind was coming in from all sides. We laughed it off but honestly my gut was full of butterflies. Tucker was hunkered down the best he could be, looking at us with a glare that said "you are all crazy". By the time we made it back to the opening to the cove, the wind driven rain made guiding the boat very difficult. The narrow shoot into the cove was laden with rocks and there wasn't much room for error. As Dave navigated the best he could, a gust of wind pushed the boat sideways. BONK! The prop nicked a rock and Dave's face grimaced. We did our best in a pouring rain to tie up the boat securely and ran for camp. Soaked to the bone, we jumped into the tent. We hung out until the storm passed, soon after the sun came out. Trying to dry everything out would be a chore but it was a story to add to our adventure.
Dave went down to assess the damage to the propeller hoping it sounded worse than it actually was. Cole and I pulled everything out from under the tarps. Tucker looked annoyed as everywhere he wanted to lay was damp. Dave returned unsure since the boat was in the water and it was hard to see but by feel, he was sure it wasn't good. We had planned to take the boat out again that evening and would know better once we got it out on the water again *sigh*. We ate some dinner, watched the campground come to life again and took showers. The sky had cleared but the winds were stiff and the lake choppy. We didn't want to venture far and once we got out of the cove, Dave could feel the irregular movement from the prop. So we stuck close to shore and enjoyed a cruise but the winds made it a little less pleasant than the night before. We did however experience another fabulous sunset. With dark coming around 10pm, we made s'mores and got tucked in for the night.
Our last morning was Father's Day. We had camp "brunch" and decided with the boat injured to pack up and head home. More rain was in the forecast and we wanted to head out before it arrived. En route home, we encountered it. It was another great few days on Leech Lake. Cole was already talking about our next camping getaway. We would really love to find ourselves with a cabin there (or some other lake) some day!
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