Early morning sunrise 5:32 am before I leave camp 25.
A small cabin about the same size as my 8' x 10' canvas tent.
The missing piece of the canoe at my previous camp. What the ...?
The first portage 650 metres long. The trail looks good at the start.
But soon I need to get out my bow saw to cut some fallen trees in several spots over a period of at least one hour.
At the upper end of the portage, getting my gear to the canoe is a challenge. There is an old beaver canal but it proves to shallow for even the empty canoe. I manage to pole and drag the canoe to the lake and walk back over and through the branches of a large fallen spruce tree, getting wet feet in the process. In order to carry gear to the canoe I saw off the spruce branches and use them to build a corduroy road to the canoe, taking another hour to complete.
Dewberry, a tasty raspberry-like fruit, typically only growing sparsely so I eat them as I walk back empty on the portage.
Agoseris ("false dandelion"), the leaves and flowers edible raw. The flowers add colour to a salad.
Camp 26, eight km from the last camp, on the small unnamed lake of the portage after checking another spot. This was a very good site, which I always give thanks for when I leave, saying out loud "You've been a good campsite. Don't know when I'll see you again." I cannot remember ever having a bad site, some better than others, it is as good as you make it.
On August 1, I check the next portage. There are many very large poplar, cottonwood and spruce trees down across the trail. Except for each end of the portage, I have to cut a brand new 230 metre trail to the side, taking two hours of work. I wear my hat scarf because blackflies and mosquitoes are bothersome. Thankfully the temperature has cooled significantly. I have a late lunch in the bug tent back at camp. Thank goodness I checked the portage today, after considering leaving it until tomorrow when I move on. It is interesting that recycling of trees is going to occur, whether by fire, wind, disease or aging.