After a few attempts over the years to go boat camping on Lake Champlain, schedules and weather aligned to allow for a great, unplugged, weekend of food, fire and friends.
When booking the campsite, a fairly painless process through the VT State Park’s website, I had all of two choices for island camping on the one weekend that the four of us could go. The first was for the tent city on Burton Island, which was quickly ruled out (who wants to go camping and be packed in with other people), and Birch Bay on Knight Island. Two lean-tos, a sandy west facing beach, and a 5 minute walk to the nearest campsite. Perfect.
We had to race to beat the impending storm bearing down on Burlington, which made for a slightly wet ride north, but we made it and settled in as the weather started to settle into a humid, hazy, evening. After a perfectly still evening, we were awoken by the edge of the new front pushing over us. The wind whipped through the camp site and lead to a minor re positioning of the boat after it calmed down.
We woke up to clearing sky which lead to a blue sky and blazing sun. A wonderfully relaxing day of hammocking and eating ensued.
Here are a few shots from the weekend.
Hazy sunset over North Hero, VT from Knight Island
Birch Bay, Knight Island
My view for most of the day. There’s nothing better than swinging in a hammock, soaking in the sun.
The tools of camping.
These white caterpillars were everywhere, rappelling down their lines from the trees, they had a odd way of rearing up and looking you in the face when approached.
Slugs on a large lichen. This was a challenge as the swarms of huge mosquitoes made it hard to stand still.
So relaxing.
 |
| Camping on Knight Island, Vermont at sunset. |
The stars came out the second night, but after the storm the first night, we stayed under the lean-to
There was no shortage of food.
Birch Bay, Knight Island, Vermont
Oak Cliffs Overlook, Knight Island, Vermont
Miriam getting her balance on.
Canadian geese grazed most of the afternoon on the high lake weeds off shore.
Returning the Burlington harbor on a beautiful day.
