Nov 8 day 69 Portage Bay to Havelock 36 km 7:30-4:00

Day started as one simple move– make good time to Havelock to position for a long isolated trek to St. Arnaud. The queen Charlotte really is like a sidewalk on this part– some beautiful views, but also a path to make time, which I did. I had met some mountain bikers at the hostel who eventually passed me on their way to Anakiwa. I had remembered being there 10 years ago, but it is very built up now. I hoped to get a late breakfast there, but no cafes have opened yet. I had lunch from my pack at a bench overlooking the sound, then headed down the road to get to Havelock (the green shell mussel capital of the world). The only glitch in a well-choreographed day happened when I went up a trail to cross a ridge leading straight into Havelock. I followed the new “link” trail, hoping it would take me where I needed to go, but of course, it dumped me out on a road at some distance from Havelock, effectively adding about 5 km to an already long day (probably hiked over 40 km today). When I finally arrived in town, spoiled hiker that I am, I opted for a room at the Havelock Motel where I could relax my sore hamstrings in a hot tub. After resupply at the Four Square, I went for dinner at the Green Mussel cafe, making a hard day a good one.