Sunrise at camp 16 on July 13 at 4:50 am, a clear start to the day.
Artefacts at an old abandoned cabin site beside the waterfalls near camp 16. While fishing at the falls, I had stopped on the right side mainland to check for berries, picking red currants, Saskatoon berries and fireweed greens. But I also discovered that the two fellows I met on my way to retrieve the Clipper canoe cut out a new 180 metre trail with their chainsaw. Thanks again to Dave and Jeff. This trail is much better and safer (flatter) than the trail on the other side of the falls that I used to reach camp 6. I had checked this side for a trail, but it was much easier then to portage on the other side than to cut a new trail.
I wonder how long and when someone lived in the cabin, which is now just scattered debris? Was it a single person or more? a family? indigenous? trappers? Personally I would not want to live this close to the noise of the falls, although they would be partially or fully silenced during the winter. I cannot help but feel I am walking with ghosts of past time adventurers. Similar thoughts occur when taking any portage trail. How long has the trail been used? Centuries? By whom?
After taking this portage, I reload the canoe and make my way up the river a short distance to the next trail, which takes me a few tries along the cattail-overgrown shore to find. Finally I recognize the spot where I came out a few weeks ago. It would have been easier if I had marked it with a blaze. Oh well, c'est la vie. I try going into the shallow shore bow first, but cannot get the heavy-laden canoe close to land. I may have to put on wading gear, but the muddy bottom is quite deep as I find out when trying to pole with a paddle. That mud would be unpleasant to wade through. Perhaps I will have to canoe elsewhere to shore to cut a three metre pole. Turning the canoe around, I paddle the canoe stern first. Standing up I am able to pole close enough to shore to only get the bottoms of my boots wet. Yeah! Flies and mosquitoes are biting as I portage the 300 metre trail. What started as a clear day, is now very cloudy and it sure looks like rain. After getting about half way up the next lake, the rain starts, so I stop to don raingear on a flat boulder at the shore of a large island. Soon it thunders twice and POURS heavy rain. Thankfully I had placed the tarps over the canoe load. Continuing to paddle two km across two wide bays in the rain, I hope not to get struck by lightning. Aie! It is fine to say not to travel on the water during a storm, but another thing to make that happen. After getting across the open stretches, the rain stops and I continue to the third portage. Dave and Jeff had chainsawed the large trees over the third 370 metre trail so thankfully no stepping over this time.
At the third portage, directly beside the water at the lower landing, my leather belt breaks. Thank goodness no tools are lost in the water (bear spray, multitool, utility pouch). A doubled length of three mm rope serves as a belt until next camp when I can unpack a new belt. I have never been able to find an indestructible belt so always carry a spare.
After all the gear and canoe are carried to the upper end of the portage, I lay the damp side of the packs in the hot sun to dry. Time for a rest and lunch, but the flies and mosquitoes are bothersome, so I build a small smoky fire on the moss in the shade which seems to help a bit, unfortunately not like a fire makes blackflies completely disappear. My clothes are wet, sweat-soaked from the thigh up, and wet underbrush-soaked from the thighs down. I hang my short-sleeved shirt and hat on brush to dry, as well as my rinsed bandanas and handkerchief.
Feeling much better after lunch and a bit drier, I proceed up the next short stretch of river to the next portage, stopping on the burned side to pick a serving of fireweed. Bless them, Dave and Jeff have sawed out the large trees over the 600 metre trail, especially thankful about the two trees that I previously had to crawl under and set the canoe over. I am down to five portage loads after camp 16, but this time just four carries because I leave the canoe, paddles and fishing gear at the lower end so I can fish for walleye below the rapids tomorrow.
Feeling much better after lunch and a bit drier, I proceed up the next short stretch of river to the next portage, stopping on the burned side to pick a serving of fireweed. Bless them, Dave and Jeff have sawed out the large trees over the 600 metre trail, especially thankful about the two trees that I previously had to crawl under and set the canoe over. I am down to five portage loads after camp 16, but this time just four carries because I leave the canoe, paddles and fishing gear at the lower end so I can fish for walleye below the rapids tomorrow.
It is 29℃ and I am sweat-soaked again. I have drank all of the two litres of water in the canteens and am now using the LifeStraw®. Since I have been using the LifeStraw® I have had less problems with leg cramps from dehydration as I drink more water. Get camp set up, which goes quickly because initial work had been done here at camp 5, several weeks ago. I have travelled 10 km including four portages (180, 300, 370, 600 metres). Mosquitoes are bad and I get many bites. The Bug Tent provides welcome relief to eat supper and cool off. Since I have been sweaty all day, I walk to the lower end of the portage to have a bath. I am accompanied by many mosquitoes along the path, but provided I keep moving they are tolerable. When I reach the bath spot, I am greeted by hundreds of the buggers. Aie! Only briefly considering removing clothes and bathing, I say "POI "(piss on it) and return to camp. Of course now I am all sweaty again from the walk. Aie! Heading straight to the tent, I use my hat to swat all over my clothes to remove as many mosquitoes as possible. Luckily only two come inside with me, and I strip right away to minimize further sweating. I am laying with no clothes on on my bedsheet by 9:30 pm, the first time with no bath in a long time. When I wake later to put on my sleep clothes (cotton long underwear), I have a bad leg cramp that takes several minutes and many contortions and moans before it clears. Perhaps I did not drink enough on the four portages today, even with the LifeStraw®.
The next day I sleep in until 5:30 am to rainfall to make a cinnamon bannock. Mosquitoes are already very bothersome so I prepare and eat breakfast in the Bug Tent. It is still raining at 8:30 am as I have my meal. Ducks are splashing on the river, several families of young and mothers, chasing and eating dragonflies. Crows squawking nearby, probably have young too. After breakfast, I clear a trail to a spot nearby along the head of the rapids where I can bathe instead of walking 600 metres to the lower end. It rains on and off all day, and the wind gusts very strong. By suppertime it is cool and I have to put on a third shirt to keep warm.
The next day I sleep in until 5:30 am to rainfall to make a cinnamon bannock. Mosquitoes are already very bothersome so I prepare and eat breakfast in the Bug Tent. It is still raining at 8:30 am as I have my meal. Ducks are splashing on the river, several families of young and mothers, chasing and eating dragonflies. Crows squawking nearby, probably have young too. After breakfast, I clear a trail to a spot nearby along the head of the rapids where I can bathe instead of walking 600 metres to the lower end. It rains on and off all day, and the wind gusts very strong. By suppertime it is cool and I have to put on a third shirt to keep warm.
Three walleye and a perch (bottom), caught from the canoe in the rapids below the falls, two frypans full each of the last three days in camp. Mmm good! I clean the fish right beside the falls.
Salad of fireweed flowers and seed pods. When picking, I test the seed pods to make sure they are not too ripe with fluffy seeds, which are then like eating cotton wool.
On the third day, it is raining as I arise at 4:30 am to erect the canvas tent and stove because it is a cool 10℃ with a strong gusty wind from the north. By the fourth day, it is 5℃ first thing in the morning.
