At camp 11 on June 30, passing each other on the trail to the campsite, it will probably be the last time the two canoes see each other.
After breaking camp, the Grumman canoe gets positioned at the tent site where the Clipper sat all winter.
The Clipper canoe definitely packs more compactly. I am still smiling.
I pass a flock of about 100 double-crested cormorants, intermingled with an equal number of gulls, the same association I have seen before. The gulls probably mingle with the cormorants to share some of the fish stirred up by the diving cormorants. Later I spot two cormorants feasting on a dead fish washed up on shore. They fly to a nearby tall treetop, which always seems incongruous to see such large waterfowl perching in a tree.
A family of goldeneye ducklings madly dash across the surface of the lake. Where is their mother?
Campsite above the falls at the head of the 150 metre portage, after travelling 21 km. Because I made such good time, I skipped over previous camp 10 after stopping there for lunch. I give thanks to the wind and rain gods for treating me so well on the very large lake I have just exited. Last year I was windbound on the same waters for several days. Carrying my first load up the steep portage I am not sure where I will set up camp, but check the area that I had mentally flagged when I passed through in the opposite direction. It is a tree-free patch of stair-step moss surrounded by large spruce trees. Breaking off enough branches to make my entry, I set down my load and check out the site. It is just off the portage trail and will be a good spot to pitch the tent. Bringing up all the gear except the canoe and paddles (which I need to fish below the falls), I place it close to one of the trees out of the way of the level spot. Realizing it is better to have the tent site farther back in the bush and the tarp shelter on the mossy spot, I spend about 30 minutes clearing and levelling an area for the tent.
There is a big growth of what appears to be mould at the tarp shelter location. I definitely do not want to aerosolize that stuff, so I am careful not to disturb the mould.
As soon as I portage the gear up the hill, I make a small smoky fire to shoo the blackflies which are especially bothersome because I am sweaty. The fireplace is made in a natural indentation in the rock face just through the "doorway" into the tarp shelter site. This campsite is an excellent one to celebrate Canada day. The firewood, piled to the left, is dry dead diamond willow harvested from the bush behind the tarp shelter. There is lots of the willow because it died after the spruce trees towered over it blocking the sunlight. While I stay at this camp, I sit each evening by a warming fire, chilled after having a refreshing bath near the base of the small falls, at the lower end of the portage.
As at all the waterfalls and most rapids that I have encountered, fishing for walleye is excellent. The first day I take the canoe out to fish, but subsequently I am equally successful casting from shore right beside the larger falls. I just have to be careful climbing down the almost vertical rock face to reach the shore.
Supper of fried walleye, couscous, hot water and salad.
The salad is made of fireweed and red currants picked nearby, the former in the bush alongside the portage trail, the latter on the rock face between the two waterfalls. There will be a good raspberry crop which will mature after I am gone.
The main waterfall is truly awesome. While taking these movies, an otter swims just below the larger falls but did not show up well in video (excluded).
Using the Clipper S-glass/Kevlar canoe again reinforces its advantages over the Grumman aluminum canoe, both 32 kg (70 lb) and 5 m (17') long. And I am still smiling.🙂
- slips through the water faster because of sleeker design and type of material
- more manoeuvrable due to sleeker design and no protruding keel (curved versus flat bottom)
- less likely to hang up on boulders (no keel and less friction)
- tends to slide off boulders better in rapids
- slightly deeper, wider and longer so easier to pack and gear sits lower
- seats much more comfortable (woven mesh on wood versus hard aluminum)
- seats have more clearance underneath
- seats have more clearance underneath
- both seats allow sitting right at the side of the canoe for easier paddling
- yoke built-in and much more comfortable (wood versus aluminum and more ergonomic design)
- storage space at each end of canoe to place coiled painter ropes
- quieter
- comfortable to the touch (gets less cold in water and not hot in sun)
- easier to patch
The one advantage of aluminum is that it is not susceptible to UV rays so stores better outside.