Exiting the 370 metre portage at the base of the rapids into the next lake on June 16, after leaving camp 5 and first portaging the 600 metre trail.
Having already done two portages, 600 and 370 metres, after arising at 3:30 am to a cold breakfast, I am ready for a rest and lunch with a hot drink. I stop at a small low grassy area on the non-burned side of the lake at 11:30 am. On a damp mossy area, I build a small fire to shoo away blackflies and to boil a pot of water, dousing with lots of water when done, stirring the ashes with a stick to make sure it is completely extinguished.
As I continue on down the lake, I am paddling hard against a strong headwind. It would be nice to camp on this lake but there do not appear to be any good sites. I am able to canoe partway in some shelter on the leeward side of a large island. I then have to paddle about one km out of my way upwind to the far shore before turning to approach the exit of the lake where the rapids are easily visible. As often the case when canoeing, I cannot paddle directly to the desired point either because of wind or rapids. Doing so would force me off target.
There is a small grassy area nearby where I land to scout out the portage. In this case, I walk the entire distance to make sure it takes me where I need to go. The 300 metre portage needs some clearing, but I think there should be a more direct shorter approach to the next small lake so I spend another 30 minutes checking the bush for an old trail but cannot find anything that would not entail cutting a new trail. It takes one hour to clear the portage with saw and pruners. As usual on my first trip over the portage (in this case the second trip after the exploratory first one) I carry a full load of pack, with a second bag on top containing the tools, plus the laundry pail and I unload six times at spots where I have to cut trees.
The shore of the small lake at the lower end of the portage is overgrown with tall water plants. I think I will probably have to put on my wading gear to load and launch the canoe, but I manage to clear a small path to a hummock so I only get the lower portion of my boots wet.
Shoving off with my spare paddle used as a pole (to protect the good paddle), I make my way down the lake to the next rapids, landing on the left side where the shore is not steep. On walking inland there is evidence of a very old portage and ruins of a cabin but the trail would need cutting from scratch.
I canoe across the head of the rapids to the right-hand shore to check for a portage that might require less work. The canoe is only about 10 metres above the fast rapids so I have to be quick on landing to secure the canoe. Tying up at the base of a steep hill, I walk up the slope to see if there is a trail inland that I could reach by going back upstream to a less steep place. Walking up through an otter "play" area, I find a trail paralleling the shore about 20 metres inland. Yeah! I follow the trail downstream to make sure it takes me to the next lake at the base of a waterfall. Then I trace the trail back upstream but it goes down a steep rock face and would require clearing, so I decide to cut a side path from my canoe to join the trail at the hilltop. Back at the canoe I have to remove some of the limbs from the overhanging spruce tree to be able to reach the gear in the canoe. The saw on my belt multitool is handy for this job. Once I unload the canoe and access my tools, I saw several trees on the steep 60° slope in order to carry my gear up to the main trail. With my first carry on the portage, I use the saw to clear a few trees out of the way. My last carry is the canoe which I drag up the hill but it gets stuck between two trees. Aie! I have to walk to the lower end of the 150 metre portage to fetch the saw to cut a few more trees. Already weary before I reach this portage, I very much would like to find a campsite soon. Thank goodness this last portage only needed major clearing on the 20 metre uphill portion.
After reloading the canoe for the fourth time today, I am in sore need of a campsite. There is a small island between the two waterfalls but not satisfactory as it is too steep and I do not like camping at a noisy watercourse. I canoe to the shore just down from the smaller falls but it too is not a good site. Canoeing across the bay 500 metres to the moderate sized island, I am chanting "Come on campsite, come on campsite ...". Landing at 7:50 pm on the side closest to the falls, which can still be seen and heard, I soon find that the island is acceptable. Yes ... yeah! There are signs of a decades old semi-permanent camp with fireplace, rusty gas barrel and dilapidated pole table. After clearing a spot and getting the nylon tent set up and gear stowed, I realize that I better eat a cold supper in the tent as it is only 30 minutes until sundown. It is no fun eating in the dark outside with the mosquitoes. I take a photo at 9:45 pm of the beautiful rosy sunset before retiring to the tent. At times like this, the headlamp is indispensable. Very weary after travelling 9 km with four portages (600, 370, 300, 150 metres), I lay down in bed at 10:50 pm and soon realize the tent site is too sloped. Oh well, c'est la vie. I do not sleep well, even though quite tired.
In the next two days, I move the tent to a more level site. The old fireplace is dangerously surrounded by dry duff, so I reinforce the fireplace with stones and soil carried from shore. I also put on clean clothes after a bath in the lake and do my first laundry. Temperature rises to the hottest yet, 28℃, and it is great to have a second refreshing bath in the lake each day before bed.
Forgetting to check the new tent site for overhanging dead trees, I have to fell a large dead spruce ... and very carefully push it away from the erected tent. My reminder that, obviously a tent site should be checked for dangerous trees before putting up the tent. It would not be pretty to accidentally fell a tree on top of the tent.
Fireweed salad garnished with rose petals ... very elegant, eh?
There is excellent walleye fishing at the bigger waterfall where I am able to canoe right up to the falls and sit in an eddy to cast.
Fly-in fishing tourists arrive at the falls by boat from their distant lodge while I am filleting my fish. Thanks to Ryan for giving me two cold cans of beer which sure go down good.
A movie of the waterfall below the last rapids, 500 metres from Camp 6. It is interesting that I find using a mental image of falls helps me fall back to sleep after waking up in the night at home. This trip ultimately provides new images of six beautiful waterfalls.