Sleeping out

Last night we went out on the quad into the woods to set up my shelter. We cut down 8 small spruce trees, took the branches off and used the poles to make the frame of the lean-to. Then we put the tarp over the poles and used the branches to make a mattress. Once the shelter was up, I started a fire, set out my sleeping bag and Dave left me in the woods as the sun went down.

I tended to my fire for a bit before crawling into my sleeping bag.  The mosquitos were insane. I was wearing cotton trousers, a long sleeved t-shirt, my bug jacket, gloves and a baseball cap (to keep the bug net off my face). And I was inside my sleeping bag and waterproof bivvy. It was absolutely boiling! I lay there for a while before kicking my sleeping bag into the bottom of the bivvy and taking off my gloves. The mosquitos were biting my face where the net was touching my skin and the ones that got inside my bag were biting my hands and shoulders. And I could feel ticks crawling down one arm and on my tummy.

Needless to say I didn't sleep much. I eventually managed to reach the ticks to get them off and occasionally got myself into a position where the bugs couldn't get me but then I'd fall asleep and move and wake up with new sore, itchy spots. 

The bloodsuckers aside, it was a beautiful evening. There were fireflies dancing in the trees, some in clusters so bright I could have sworn someone was driving into the woods. The crickets were chirping until the night reached its darkest, then the forest was quiet except for occasional bird hoots in the trees and the constant whining of the mosquitos around my face.

Sometimes there was the sound of movement in the undergrowth and my heart beat faster and I could feel little surges of adrenaline rushing through my body. I kept a torch, the radio and a club by my head for safety and tried not to think about the wolf that had been seen near the house earlier that day. 

Around 2am the moon hung bright in the sky between the trees and a few hours later I fell asleep as dawn crept over the forest.

I woke up still hot and with my face and hands bitten and itchy and lay there watching the mosquitos dance for half an hour before getting up to make another fire. Then Dave came to collect me and after a sweaty walk back, I took my time in the shower, pulled out two more ticks and gobbled down a huge breakfast before falling asleep on the sofa for 2 hours!

When I got up we did GPS navigation, which I hadn't done before. Then we went for a walk around some rapids and the ruins of a 1900s dam in the glorious evening sunshine, pointing out edible plants, frogs, terrapins and wildflowers and enjoying the bug-busting breeze.

By now, the bites I got last night have gone red and hot and raised up, so I look like I have deseased hands and acne on my face. I will have to come up with a better plan of action for my 3 night survival next week!