On arising it is very smoky and the mosquitoes are quite bothersome so I wear a hat scarf. I stop up the lake for breakfast and bathroom. It is ironic that in the presence of lots of forest fire smoke, I build a small fire to shoo the blackflies. After eating, I move on up the lake to my first portage of 220 metres, which requires one hour of clearing.
Finally at midday I get a glimpse of some clear blue sky ahead so with luck the wind will blow the smoke away.
Farther up this river, I make two portages (450, 220 metres) requiring 1-1/2 and 1/2 hour of clearing respectively, leaving me sweat-soaked, weary and hungry. The blackflies are very bothersome so I wear my hat scarf. There are lots of berries on the portages but I do not take the time to pick as it will be a late camp as it is. I reach my campsite at a small island on a large lake at 6:50 pm, late indeed. Aie! I am sure glad that I have camped here before. I start a fire right away to shoo the blackflies that have followed me from the last portage. There is some bear scat on the island, which is quite close to the mainland across a shallow channel. Even though the scat is old, from earlier in the spring, it reminds me to be on the alert.
Beautiful sunset at 9 pm. I finish laying out the sleep gear in the tent by headlamp and lay on the bedsheet by 10:10 pm ... aah, that feels so good!
The next day, I awaken to a beautiful morning even if quite cloudy ... but yeah! ... no forest fire smoke. Smoke this year is pushed by winds from the south and west from distant fires in British Columbia. The previous spots I used for the tarp shelter are too exposed, so I clear an area inland.
On this island, I use a fireplace on the side least exposed to wind.
On the third day, the wind has switched sides and I move to the fireplace on the other side of the island to warm up in the 10℃ cool morning to eat breakfast.
I have no luck catching fish from shore, even though I try at five different spots, so take the canoe out, travelling six km, a lot of work to get four pike. This shows how difficult it could be to "depend" on a food supply from the wild. Supper includes two frypans full of fish, and there are no leftovers.