On Sunday September 10 at 10:15 am, I use my satellite phone to check for a weekly text message from my wife Jeanette. Usually the message contains information about family and a report about forest fires and weather forecast in my area. Today though, there are two text messages instead of one. Ominous. The message states "OK here. Not OK 4u. Call home and stay connected or phone back till we talk. Fri Sept 8." More ominous. (Jeanette sends a text message Friday evening or Saturday so I am sure to get it on Sunday. Getting and maintaining satellite phone connectivity is often problematic, trying to keep a two way signal via line-of-sight to a satellite.) The second text "Large fire nearing. No way out 4u." Ominous, but I am relieved that everyone is okay and no emergency at home. When I phone home, I have to call twice because I lose the first connection part way through our conversation. Jeanette will arrange a float plane to pick up me and gear, but not canoe. (There is no plane available certified to carry a canoe.) The fire is the same one that occurred soon after I started my August trip, but has now spread to over 117,000 hectares, an area equivalent to 1170 square kilometres. Aie! No wonder I have been getting so much smoke for most of my trip. When I phone for an update on September 11 at 4 pm, I learn that my vehicle is already at the float plane base in Flin Flon. (The owner of the property, where the vehicle was parked, graciously drives it there. By the time the forest fire is more subdued he had to evacuate three times.) A float plane will pick me up at 1 pm Manitoba time on September 12. (Jeanette gave the pilot my GPS coordinates that she receives in the daily SPOT Satellite Messenger™ message that I send.)
I am very lucky that Jeanette monitors fire and weather reports, arranges for me to be flown out and for my vehicle to be driven to the float plane base. It was not that long ago when there was no technology to permit such assistance.
On September 10 after I talk to Jeanette, because the wind is so strong at camp 43 with no end in sight, I decide to look for a sheltered campsite. I walk the whole of the island to find that the only good spot is at its extreme end, 440 metres away. It needs a lot of clearing to get to the shore and fireplace location. Back at existing camp, in order to eat lunch, I erect the bug tent again because blackflies are so bad, even in such a strong wind. Then I scout out and clear the best trail to the new site and clear spaces for tent, tarp and a path to the fireplace on shore. There is lots of work for pruners, saw and axe. I still have not decided to move camp and walk back to the old site for early supper. Because the old fireplace is so exposed and being flooded with water, I have cold meals all day. At 5:30 pm, reinvigorated after eating, I decide to move camp. The wind is even worse and really rattling the tent. Take down bug tent, tarp and tent, having to be very careful to keep each from getting blown away as I pack them. It starts to rain lightly as I erect tent and get all gear under cover in camp 44, and I am in bed by 8:35 pm. I have moved camp without canoeing, I think a first. (I portage canoe and rest of gear the next day, early morning September 11.)
The canoe cannot be carried by the float plane, so I cache it the morning of September 12 where the tent was located. I place it on stones up off the ground, wedged between a big spruce tree and some rocks.
After breakfast, I stack all the gear at shore, covered with a tarp and flagged for visibility with a large opened-up orange plastic bag taped in place with duct tape.
The float plane and pilot Curt find me with no problem, flying directly to my coordinates, a marvel of technology. Today, I finally get a tailwind. However, the wind gods really have been good to me, by keeping me windbound they prevented me from going closer to the forest fire. Culture shock ... within less than an hour I am back to my van and civilization. Thanks to Harvey and Elaine for not only providing a safe place to park my vehicle but for driving it to the float plane base where I landed. They themselves had to evacuate their home because of the encroaching forest fire so they went above and beyond to provide assistance to me and Jeanette.
The plan now is to retrieve my canoe next June 2018.