Grub Menu for 2021

Two Week (14 day) Grub Menu for 2021

For 2021 I am packing enough grub for four months.  All grocery supplies are off-the-shelf items.

I drink hot water alone with supper, and cold or hot water for other meals.  Water is sterilized by boiling for one minute or by a filtration system. The latter removes bacteria and parasites (but not viruses, so is technically not sterilized).

I was able to buy the protein bars used in the following menu online at Amazon.ca.  There are other protein bars with at least 20g of protein that contain a lot of chocolate to which I have sadly become intolerant (along with coffee, tea and booze).  There are also other good protein bars with 20g of protein that I have tested but cannot buy large quantities in Canada.

To conserve space and to reduce weight I have eliminated Dare RealMint™ scotch mint and two meals per week of purchased meat products.  To replace the latter I will focus on catching four meals of fish per week instead of two.  Last year I used pepperoni sticks but although nutritious I find them unappetizing.  This year I will use Brunswick® canned sardines, any of those that provide the highest level of nutrition based on their contents labels: sardines in olive oil, or in lemon sauce, or in soy oil (plain label, NOT gold can), or with hot peppers.  (The others are tasty but provide less total nutrition for the same weight and volume.)

I no longer add any spice to fresh salad greens, eating as is instead, having found no spices alone that contribute to taste.

Whole-wheat couscous in the bannock mix has been replaced with even more nutritious chickpea flour.

Average daily nutritional intake based on this 2021 menu:

4376 calories, 374g total carbohydrates, 52g fibre, 226g total fat, 211g protein

Breakfast - 7 days:

Pure Protein® Strawberry Greek Yogurt Bar 50g (20g protein)

Pure Protein® Vanilla Almond Bar 50g (21g protein)

seed mixture 1/4c (hemp hearts, chia, buckwheat toasted, pumpkin shelled roasted salted)

peanut butter smooth 1tbsp

Breakfast - 4 days:

1/2 hot cinnamon bannock (See contents below.)

grated Parmesan cheese 1/4c

real bacon crumbled 1/4c (stores well unrefrigerated if not aliquoted until used, months 1 and 3, for two months at a time)

Breakfast - 3 days:

1/2 hot cinnamon bannock

seed mixture 1/4c

peanut butter smooth 1tbsp

Lunch - 7 days:

vitamins

1/4 cold cinnamon bannock

almonds roasted salted 1/4c

Mini Babybel™ cheese 20g (stores well in its wax cover unrefrigerated if wrapped to protect from damage)

Pure Protein® Strawberry Greek Yogurt Bar 50g (20g protein)

Pure Protein® Vanilla Almond Bar 50g (21g protein)

Excel® (Eclipse® in USA) sugar-free gum

Lunch - 7 days:

vitamins

1/4 cold cinnamon bannock

almonds roasted salted 1/4c

Mini Babybel™ cheese 20g

Excel® (Eclipse® in USA) sugar-free gum

Supper - daily:

grated Parmesan cheese 1/4c (most dishes, as required)

Pure Protein® Birthday Cake Bar 50g (20g protein)

fresh salad 3c (most commonly: fireweed; or alder, birch or willow leaves/catkins)

fresh fruit if available 1/2c

    (lingonberries, bunchberries, blueberries, red currants, raspberries, highbush cranberries, cloudberries, rose hips, Saskatoon berries, pin cherries, crowberries, bilberries)

Supper - 2 days:

macaroni and real cheese 2c (Kraft™ Deluxe Original Cheddar or Four Cheese 400g)

Supper - 4 days:

orzo 3/4c (plus nutritional yeast 1tbsp, chicken soup mix 1tbsp, and butter 2tbsp)

or stuffing mix 120g with butter 2tbsp

Brunswick® sardines 106g can (in soy oil plain label, olive oil, or lemon sauce, or hot peppers)

Supper - 2 days:

oriental noodles 170g

fish fried (coated with cornmeal 1/8c, Montreal steak spice 1tbsp), fried in Crisco™ shortening (1/2lb saved and used over a period of two weeks)

Supper - 2 days:

refried fish with couscous (See recipe below.)

Supper - 4 days:

fish chowder (fish diced, boiled in double the usual amount water before adding 1c potato flakes or 3/4c bulgur (each with added 1tbsp nutritional yeast, 1tbsp chicken soup base) plus 1tsp lemon pepper and 1/4c Parmesan cheese)

OR

small game (roasted over coals, or meat sliced and sauteed in shortening 1tbsp)

Cinnamon bannock:

3c (~400g) premixed before the trip (whole-wheat flour 1c, Purity® cornmeal 1/4c, quick rolled oats 1/4c, chickpea flour 1/4c, skim milk powder 1/4c, dark toasted wheat germ 2tbsp, white wheat bran 2tbsp, baking powder 2tsp, salt 1/2tsp, sugar 1tsp, Crisco™ shortening 6tbsp)

Add about 5/8c cold potable water to make soft dough.

The dough is split into two layers, between which is added (layered in the following order) raisins 1/4c, cinnamon 1tbsp, brown sugar 1/4c, butter 3oz (3/8c).  A large tart is formed and then baked in Dutch oven.

NOTE:

Compared to the bannock recipes prior to 2019, my new recipe using whole-wheat flour and extra shortening, is more difficult to make and tends to be crumbly.  I have found that, with practice, the proper technique mostly solves the problem.  When flattening the mixed dough for each half layer, sprinkle a thin layer of cornmeal in the mixing pan first.  Also sprinkle a thin layer of cornmeal on the top of each halved ball of dough before flattening so the dough will not stick to fingers.  After setting aside the first flattened layer folded in half, when placing in opened position for the top layer, press the two halves together to seal the "crack" created by folding.  After flattening the bottom layer, turn upside down before adding the centre ingredients.  Otherwise the procedure is as depicted in 

http://wildernessfellow.blogspot.com/2017/11/cinnamon-bannock-preparation.html

Refried pike recipe:

Sautee previously fried pike in 2tbsp butter, turning to coat both sides.  Break up the fish into small pieces.  Add a mixture of 1/4c Parmesan cheese, 1tbsp sugar, 1tsp lemon pepper, half the mixture sprinkled on one side before turning.  Add the other half before turning again.  Next add 3/4c whole-wheat couscous (cooked in 1-1/4c boiling water with added 1tbsp nutritional yeast, 1tbsp chicken soup base), mixing with the fish to soak up the butter. 

Central Saskatchewan Overview 2020

My 2020 canoe season started May 31 and ended with a float plane flight on July 24 after eight weeks of a planned 16 week trip.  The trip was cut short because five weeks grub were taken by two different black bears, and the target river required too much cutting of new portages to be able to continue with the remaining food.  Compounding issues were loss of use of my canvas Tent and stove, sorely missed because of much rainy weather.  The trip was a planned circle route in the centre of central Saskatchewan south and north of the Churchill River.

Unique this year was the COVID-19 pandemic which did not directly impact the trip, but did create confounding issues with planning, and caused me to pick a different route than originally mapped.  The only change in planning for future trips will be to include a face mask, not just because of the pandemic, but for unforeseen circumstances such as in case I need to clean a cabin of mouse droppings as I did this year (potential hantavirus source).

The trip involved travelling 162 km, including 28 km extra mostly to cut portages and five km searching for a suitable site for camp 14.  There were 16 portages for a total distance of 7,276 metres, the longest trail 1860 metres which had to be cut from scratch.  I had to make one other virgin trail of 250 metres.  Four class II and III rapids were run over a distance of 2000 metres.  Three lesser rapids were paddled and poled up, each 100 metres.  There was one strong rapid that had to be waded, lined and paddled upstream on the Churchill River.  There was significant wind 36% of the time.  Most impactful in the absence of the canvas Tent and stove was significant rain 51% of the 55 days.  The distance walked during eight days in the cutting of the two virgin portages (250, 1860 metres long) was at least 13 km.  This year because of the breakdown of the canvas Tent I stayed in two different cabins along the route, with the stove on all five days at the first due to rain and cold, and three days (of 17) at the second in order to dry gear.  Another first was the use of a motorboat at the second cabin to commute 11 km daily in order to cut the two portages over a period of eight days.  I was very fortunate to have the use of Michael's cottage, and to be able to cache my canvas Tent and stove there.  The use of Bowman and Brady's cabin gave me a welcome reprieve from the weather and made the cutting of the long portage possible.  I was also blessed to have the kindness of Brian and Candy from a fishing lodge for use of the motorboat, and for the donation of several much appreciated meals.

This year due to weather and preoccupation with portage cutting, I only fished three days, catching five meals of northern pike.  Brian generously donated a freshly caught lake trout for another meal.

Meals were supplemented with fresh salad (fireweed greens and leaves or catkins of birch, alder, poplar, willow) and near the end of the trip some lingonberries and red currants.

Although having unfortunate encounters with two black bears, I saw no large game.  I did encounter the usual many small animals, birds and bugs.

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Since the trip, I often find my mind in the last spot before turning back, standing on the shore gazing down the lake.  I hope to be back there next season.

"Memorize places.  Settle your eyes on a place and learn it.  When you are far away, you can call it back.  When you need it, it is there, in your mind."  From "The Ghostway" by Tony Hillerman 1984.

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Some of my most interesting experiences:

Very strong wind and rain (videos: camps 1, 3, 4, 9, 11)

Dark threatening skies (photos: camps 2, 10, 12a, 12i, 13, 14, 15, 16)

Beautiful sunrises that foretell bad weather with heavy rainfall (photos: camps 3, 5, 9, 15, 16)

Cottage where I cached canvas Tent and stove and spent five days (photos: camp 3)

Some beautiful blue skies (photos: camps 4, 6, 7, 12b, 12c)

Five fast rapids, the lower four which I ran (photos: camp 4)

Beautiful flowers (photos):

- camp 4: violets, white saskatoon flowers, yellow marsh marigold

- camp 6: pink lady's slipper orchids, white lily-of-the-valley, white prickly saxifrage

- camp 8: pinkish-white lingonberry

Two loons calling (video: camp 4)

A gull keeps me company, hoping for something to eat (photos: camp 4)

Bright early morning fireplace flames in the pre-dawn (photos: camps 5, 8, 13)

Deceptively fast rapids that I have to wade, line and paddle up along the shore (photos and videos: camp 6)

Large otter "playground" (photo: camp 6)

Beautiful white clouds mirrored on the lake surface (photos: camps 8, 12h)

Very large anthill (photo: camp 8)

Shoreline trees perfectly mirrored in lake (photos: camp 9)

Two different black bears steal grub (text):

- camp 10 one week supply in food pack

- camp 11 one full barrel of four weeks food

Clearing and cutting portage trails (photos):

- camp 10, two trails

- camp 12b, 250 metre virgin trail, one day's work

- 1860 metre virgin trail, seven days of cutting:

 - camp 12c, 300 metres

 - camp 12d, 850 metres

 - camp 12e, 130 metres (with 50 metres unusable)

 - camp 12f, 70 metres

 - camp 12g, 460 metres

 - camp 12h, the final 100 metres

First fish caught breaks brand new replacement rod (photos: camp 10)

Very bothersome mosquitoes (video: camp 11)

Moose bed after I put her up (photo: camp 11)

Nest with four eggs of bird that witnessed theft of a barrel of food by bear (photos: camp 11)

Cabin that served as a base camp to cut portages to target river (photos: camp 12a, 16)

Canoe transported on motorboat (photo: camp 12a)

Moonset (photos: camp 12d)

Fetching firewood poles in motorboat (photo: camp 12e)

Small frog in canoe (photo: camp 12h)

Heavy dew highlights thousands of cobwebs (photos: camp 12h)

Red squirrels at cabin (photos: camp 12i, 16)

The continuous all day rainfall makes me soaking wet as I carry five loads on the long portage and set up camp in the rain (text: camp 15) 

Building a campfire with wet wood (photos: camp 15)

Beautiful rainbows (photos: camp 15)

A common merganser, the most common duck that I see (photos: camp 16)

Floatplane lands to return me and gear to my vehicle (photos: camp 16)

Central Saskatchewan 2020 Camp 1 (May 31-Jun 1)

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Summary:

Preparation for canoeing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.  Canoeing in the presence of extremely strong wind on my very first day.  Having to make camp in an exposed less-than-desirable site.  Detailing new gear.  Distance travelled eight km.

Preamble - preparation for canoeing amidst COVID-19 pandemic:

Canoe and camping gear was dried, inventoried and repaired after returning home in late September last year.  Checklists were revised, schedule prepared, trip plan developed and topographic maps organized.  Some replacement gear was purchased in late 2019.  Most food was purchased and packed in early January, thank goodness before restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic declared on 2020 March 11, when I may have had difficulty buying large quantities for four months worth of food, or at the least have been "shamed" for what may have appeared to be hoarding.  Note that, contrary to epidemic preppers, I did not take extra toilet paper, one 280 sheet, two-ply roll per month being more than adequate.  All my health appointments were complete before then (routine medical, eye and dental checkups).  In December one of my teeth broke and luckily I had an extraction and implant performed soon after.  Unfortunately the appointments for installing the crown were cancelled because of COVID-19, but the only side effect has been a slight lisp, not a bother as I do not talk much in the bush, and the animals do not care.  I could have booked another appointment later but that would have interfered with the canoe schedule (my priority), so I am to have the procedure finished this November.  The target date to start canoeing was May 31.  Originally I had planned to attempt to complete the failed 2019 canoe trip by a different route to go over the height of land where I was stymied, but because it was more involved with third party parking and transportation requirements, I decided to develop a different plan that I had thought to do in 2021.  Even so I prepared a new trip plan with two different possible exits, but as the seriousness of the pandemic became more and more evident, I settled on the plan that would allow me to drive directly to a safe parking spot to which I could return, minimizing involvement with other people.  On April 24, I got approval to park at the secure site.  Later that day, all of northern Saskatchewan was declared closed to most travel because of a COVID-19 outbreak.  Aie!  Continuing to plan for my trip, hoping the blockade would be lifted by the end of May, I worked through my checklist: vehicle serviced, vehicle licence purchased, "SPOT™ Personal Tracker/Satellite GPS Messenger" tested, satellite phone (upgraded, enabled, tested), parking spot re-confirmed, travel insurance renewed, fishing licence purchased, cellphone topped-up, perishable food purchased and packed (butter, cheese), canoe retrieved from storage, batteries charged, computers backed-up, travel food and gear assembled, haircut at home. (Among many talents, my wife Jeanette is a hair stylist.)

Thankfully, northern Saskatchewan travel restrictions were lifted on May 19, except for the northwest La Loche area.  Blockades still existed on direct routes to First Nation reserves, but I did not have to travel through any such communities either driving or canoeing.  Of course, new this year in my checklist were items for pandemic travel safety (masks, sanitizer).  The only stops I made were two gas fill-ups and a drive-up motel, no visiting this year.  When I passed the area where there had been checkpoints, there were still signs indicating local traffic only, there were blockades at the access points for reserves and I was apprehensive until I reached my parking spot.  However, I did not breathe a sigh of relief until I was in my loaded canoe paddling away on the lake, tired and weary but relieved.  I had no close contact with people and hopefully never encountered the virus, but made a note in my calendar for June 14, 14 days after my last encounter.  No better place to quarantine than the bush, unless one falls ill.

Start canoeing - May 31:

From my journal: "Strong side wind makes for hard paddling ... and on the first day!  Clouding up and looks like rain building for later.  Stop for lunch at a small island about two km from vehicle.  Very hard paddling all the way until reaching a bit of shelter along the second large island, eight km from my launch.  By then, the side wind blowing very strong through the channel between the two large islands, eddies in my direction of travel somewhat and helps for a bit.  I pass several common loons and common mergansers as I paddle.  When I reach the end of the island at 2 p.m. the wind is very very strong and I would have to battle the wind for five km to my target campsite.  Not sure I could do it.  Would be late reaching camp and already weary from paddling ... and on my first day.  Weary from travel from home.  Weary from last minute preparations.  Weary from changing plans multiple times.  Weary from dealing with COVID-19.  Weary from "the trip is on" to "northern Saskatchewan is closed" to finally "blockade lifted".  Weary from wondering as I travel from home if I will get turned back.  Aie! Aie! Aie!  Weary from setting up camp here on the tip of the large island.  Not my first choice of camp and a bit of a challenge.  Campsite not ideal.  A bit exposed to the wind although still sheltered somewhat by 30 metres of open trees.  Tent site not ideal, situated between/beside three trees and over top of the stump I cut from the fourth tree.  Expecting an uncomfortable bed, but surprisingly good, although have to sleep towards the opposite end of tent than usual.  Had to axe-head and shovel a down tree stump at rear of tent to make room for rear vestibule.  Tried three positions for tent before erecting on final spot.  Landed canoe stern first along the steep one metre high 45° sloped rock-face shore but luckily there is a large down birch tree in water to land between it and shore with a largish spruce tree to tie to.  Unloaded and placed the bottom of wet packs in sun to dry.  Hope the water in canoe of about one litre is just from the waves splashing as I paddled.  Then cleared tent spot, buried coolers (containing butter) in thick damp stair-step moss and put up tent, cleared spot for Tarp shelter and erected it.  There is a bit of an old fireplace and some old cut firewood that I cleaned out, and with stones added from digging out the stump behind the tent, I had enough to border a 24"x18" hole for fireplace.  Dig hole to expand to that size, only one metre from lake edge and above water about one metre.  Lots of down dry firewood, spruce and balsam fir, mossy dry branches and fallen birch bark.  Good new growth leaves of birch for salad tomorrow.  Took self photo - afraid it shows a weary Barry!  Supper my go-to comfort meal of macaroni and cheese with hot water to drink.  Washed with hot water before bed.  Heavy rain during the night with lots of thunder and lightning.  Continuing very strong wind battered the tent all night but it is tethered well and the windward rear vestibule is full of gear which helps anchor the tent.  Hot after working and supper, so to bed with very few clothes on to lay on sheet on sleeping bag until cooled off.  Then don "PJ's" (cotton undershorts, long underwear, socks) and into fleece shell.  Later into sleeping bag until too hot then back to fleece shell until too cold at 3 a.m., then back in sleeping bag till arising."

June 1:

Up at 5 a.m., I feel good.  It is rare for me to get a headache, but I had a stress headache until midnight so glad it is gone.  I bake my first cinnamon bannock of the season and eat a leisurely breakfast near the fireplace - half the bannock with Parmesan cheese, bacon crumbles, a mint and hot water to drink.  Mmm ... good!  By 10 a.m. the wind is very strong but now from the opposite direction and I move to the Tarp shelter which is better protected by bush.  Photos and movie of the lake do not fully illustrate the strength of the wind.  The wind now would help me move on, but I am staying here for another day.  It is rare that I only spend one day at a campsite, usually when I am behind schedule or because of a compromised campsite due to location, weather or a bear problem.  The one tall anchor tree for the Tarp is bending so much in the wind that the roots look unsafe, rocking back and forth lifting the soil up about 15 cm.  All trees in the north have shallow roots, as illustrated by the down tree at the rear of the tent.  So I get out more rope in order to extend the peak rope to a different tree; then I have to rejig the bottom ropes.  Not hungry for lunch, I am trying to do a puzzle but fall asleep repeatedly; I have some catching up to do.  Loons nearby are calling repeatedly to keep in touch with each other.  A crow with a very musical repertoire landed outside the tent just before I got up this morning.  Wonder what he was saying?  At 1:30 p.m, I retreat to the tent to have lunch sheltered from the cold wind.   Do more puzzles and read some two year old Reader's Digest which I save to read while camping.   Reader's Digest is timeless, no matter how old.  If my trip was shorter duration with more pack space, I would bring a long novel per month to read.  Feeling the cold, I put on my hat and down jacket.  It is 14°C which should not feel that cold, but the wind and my tiredness make it seem worse.  As I get acclimatized to camping I will not feel the cold as much.  My usual supper preparation of 4 p.m. passes, but I have to delay a fire because of the wind and finally start a fire at 6:45 p.m. when the wind dies a lot.  Because of the cramped nature of this campsite, my tent is a bit too close to the fireplace and the smoke is blowing towards the tent so hopefully no ash hits it.  After 10 years of ultraviolet exposure the tent fly had a small leak so I installed a new fly; it would be terrible if I get holes in it at the first camp.  I did check inland for a better site with no luck.  Planning to move on tomorrow, I pre-pack as much as possible.  In bed by 8:45 p.m.

 

My new camera this season is a compact digital waterproof "Fujifilm FinePix XP140".  Hopefully it will be protected better against dampness.  The 12 year old "Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital ELPH" compact camera has served well despite getting dunked at least once when I fell into a lake and being exposed to my sweat-soaked pocket where I carry it.  This season I take the Canon as backup, and as it turned out the new camera ran out of charged batteries after eight weeks so I would have needed to use the Canon if continuing as planned.  Sadly, the total number of batteries I carry, cost more than the cameras and they are camera specific.

Also new this year is an over/under .22LR rifle/20ga shotgun "Chiappa® Firearms Double Badger" gun (lower photo). My old "Savage" over/under of the same calibers had damaged sights from too many rough portages but has done well since I purchased it used 47 years ago.

At the end of the 2019 season, my 10 year old canoe was repaired by a professional who did a much neater job than any fixes I have made.  Thanks to Jeff McDougall of "The Old Boathouse YYC" for such good work (http://oldboathouseyyc.com/).

There were three cracks in the hull, both end tanks were leaking and one keel skid plate was badly worn. The damage has occurred over the years from hitting boulders in rapids and the keel abrading on rocks.  The cracks were not leaking, testifying to the robustness of the layup of the Kevlar®/S-glass (S-fiberglass) of this "Western Canoeing Manufacturing, Clipper Prospector" 17' canoe.  I asked Jeff about the advisability of buying a lighter weight Kevlar®/S-glass or Kevlar®/Duraflex® canoe, and he advised against as it would not handle this level of abrasion.  Or as Jeff said "You would trash it."  As it is, this 32 kg canoe is lighter than my other portage carries, not that I would consider asking Jeanette if I could buy a new canoe (yet).

On last year's canoe trip one of my big toes was very sore despite all remedies I tried, especially problematic when portaging heavy loads.  Thankfully since then I discovered "Pedifix Visco-GEL® Toe Spacers".  Using "Gold Bond® Medicated Extra Strength Body Powder" on my toes and to coat the spacers at night, I find the spacers last at least one month with daily heavy use. When not in use, I store the spacers in a pill bottle.

Central Saskatchewan 2020 Camp 2 (Jun 2-4)

 

June 2, camp 1 at 5:41 a.m., canoe loaded ready to move on.  Note that the gear in the middle of the canoe is covered with the tarp used for the Tarp shelter.

The now empty camp 1 site for the Tarp shelter.  Note the large root of the tall spruce tree in the left foreground lifted above the surface of the ground   This is the root that was rocking 15 cm up and down by the force of the wind so that I rejigged the ropes on the Tarp in case the tree actually toppled.  Because the direction the tree would have fallen would be away from camp, I thought it was otherwise safe to leave the Tarp, just no longer attached to the vulnerable tree. 

The vacant spot used for the tent at camp 1.

Looking back at the camp 1 area as I canoe down the lake.

On route down the lake to the next camp, the clouds look like rain.  Note that much of the horizon is islands but from a distance looks like mainland.

A happier, not so weary Barry.

Washing the dishes, using some hot soapy water, then rinsing with hot water, followed by drying the metal pans on the coals.

Limbing a spruce tree to use the boughs as a mat, clean and dry.

Baking a cinnamon bannock for breakfast, half saved for two lunches.  Note the timer, a godsend, before which I would guesstimate how long before checking the baking bannock, but would often start doing something else and burn it.  Breakfast consists of a mint, half cinnamon bannock, seeds, peanut butter and hot water to drink. 

Lunch under a spruce tree on a mat of spruce boughs - a mint (in my mouth), vitamins, gum, hot water, quarter cinnamon bannock, almonds, cheese.  I am in sock feet giving them and the boots a chance to dry.

Supper June 3 - a mint (in my mouth), pepperoni sticks, "Birthday Cake" protein bar,  bulgur (with added nutritional yeast, chicken soup base, butter, Parmesan cheese), birch leaf salad, hot water).

Supper June 4 - a mint, pepperoni sticks, "Birthday Cake" protein bar, potato flakes (with added nutritional yeast, chicken soup base, butter, Parmesan cheese), alder catkin salad, hot water).

The DEAD canvas Tent.

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Summary:

Navigation tools and knowledge required while remote canoeing and hiking.  Use of SPOT™ Personal Tracker/Satellite GPS Messenger device and satellite phone.  The move to my second camp.  A very windy and damp camp.  Camp setup activity.  Camp sights and sounds.  A hot shower.  Passing of weary spell.  Some meals.  The death of my canvas Tent and loss of use of stove.  Distance travelled nine km.

Some notes on navigation:

This large lake about 40 km long with over 250 islands is typical of waters in northern Canada where navigation requires topographic maps and compass and knowledge of how to use them.  When at water level in a canoe the horizon can all look like mainland, like in the two photos above where in fact much of their view is of islands.  A dead-end bay can look like an exit channel, and a channel can appear to be a dead-end. Pick a 10 km dead-end bay as your channel and you will be sure to regret it, paddling 20 km to the end and back is a whole day's work, made worse if there is a headwind on the return.  It is absolutely necessary to keep track of landmarks as you progress, as picking out a significant landmark from the canoe is usually impossible if you are not sure where you are.  One bay or island looks like another.  So you keep the map in front of you, such as I do on the hull of the canoe between my legs, the map turned to the direction of travel, with that direction parallel with the centre of the canoe.  Place the compass on the map lined up on the map's north grid lines.  Turn the canoe so the compass pointer lines up with the north mark on the compass (adjusted for magnetic declination); canoe and you are now facing the desired direction of travel.  As you progress, keep adjusting position of map on the hull towards the desired direction of travel.  Landmarks include bays, channels, islands, peninsulas, rapids, narrowing of channels, high points and hills (identified by crowding of contour lines on the map).  Do not make the mistake of picking out a distant "landmark" and then steering canoe to it.  Rather, use the procedure of orienting map, compass and canoe and then when you steer the canoe to follow the map and compass, identifying an appropriate landmark if possible to head to, not always a possibility if travelling across a large body of water.

I carry a GPS but rarely use it, sometimes not at all during a trip.  It is helpful when I generally know my location, but unsure exactly where; the GPS itself becomes the "landmark" to locate position on map.  It is very useful when cutting a virgin portage to mark and track start and end locations on a bearing taken with map and compass, and to track progress along the bearing.  The GPS also provides altitude from which you can calculate elevation from a water body, checking with contour lines on the map to help confirm location.  I would never depend solely on GPS or electronic maps.  The Global Positioning System (GPS) on which a "GPS" (GPS receiver device) depends is technology-dependent and can fail, misrepresent or even be politically or militarily limited or modified by the owners that control the satellites.  The map and compass will always be the standby.  Where a GPS is absolutely critical though is where there are few or no landmarks such as along long large body waters like the ocean or wide river channels, or in dense bush.  I have used a GPS to advantage when hiking through bush and not sure exactly where I am, with no visible landmarks.  It was after one such instance in 2014 that I purchased a GPS.  (http://wildernessfellow.blogspot.com/2014/11/northern-saskatchewan-lunches-and-getting-lost.html)  I spent many frustrating hours getting back to camp after I went for an exploratory hike, taking a "shortcut" back to camp but ultimately having to retrace my steps, arriving in camp just before dark.  That is when a calm head is required, and I did have a glimpse of the fear and panic that can grip people when "lost" with disastrous results.  Fortunately I was able to retrace my route; if not I would have had to bivouac overnight, the reason I always carry a pack away from camp with warm clothing, a tarp for shelter, fire making materials and some food.  This includes canoeing for the day as well as hiking.  Over the years I have been windbound a few times for many hours while canoeing for the day away from camp, sometimes even on small water bodies; it is especially hard to battle strong wind in an almost empty canoe.

When canoeing, hiking, portaging or cutting a portage I carry a belt bag with emergency materials, including the "SPOT™ Personal Tracker/Satellite GPS Messenger" device which can be used to issue an "SOS" emergency message which alerts authorities for help.  Using the SPOT™, I send an e-mail "OK" message daily to notify contacts of my GPS coordinates with a link to a Google map of my position.  Occasionally, a day is missing a SPOT™ notification so I have developed a procedure by which my contacts do not notify authorities until after three consecutive days of not receiving an "OK".  A satellite phone is also carried which I could use to notify contacts if for some reason the SPOT™ was inoperative.  The closest to that happening was once when a bear took the device but luckily dropped it and I found it after an hour of searching.  (http://wildernessfellow.blogspot.com/2012/10/northern-saskatchewan-bears-and-wolves.html)  The SPOT™ must be placed for 20 minutes in a position where its satellites can be signalled.  After the bear incident, I no longer let the device out of my sight and have found that it seems to work even amongst a stand of trees provided I select a somewhat open location.  One of my contacts, usually my wife Jeanette, sends me a text once per week to my satellite phone to notify me if the home front is okay, forest fire report for my area and weather forecast.  The main reason for the phone is to notify me of fire danger, or for me to request assistance.  There are new devices that serve the same purpose as my first generation SPOT™ device, but also allow sending and receiving text, so would potentially eliminate the need and expense for a satellite phone.

June 2:

Up to "Wilson", my alarm, by 3 a.m. to very dark clouds, temperature 10°C.  Daylight comes early at this time of the year.  Leave by 5:45 a.m., making good time with a light tailwind, especially so soon into camping when it takes longer to get back into a routine.  At home I typically arise by 4 a.m., so an hour earlier is not a big stretch, and I prefer to leave early to take advantage of calmer weather and so that I can make camp well before nightfall.  In about two hours I pass the spot where I had hoped to make camp the first day but continue on to check out another large island, the fourth such island along my route, the islands varying in size from two to four km long.  My average distance canoed on flat water in one day is 16 km, making about three km per hour.  For comparison, in the city on flat pavement, I walk six km per hour.  Of course walking in the bush is not flat or direct, and walking on water not an option.

At the target island, nine km travelled, I check two places for a possible campsite.  They would be suitable if required but not ideal, being hard to land with steep bushy shores.  The only camp areas are very open and exposed, several metres above the lake with one levelish spot for the tent between two large pines, very pretty though.  Canoeing on farther, I see a lower location with an open area behind a narrow line of spruce trees interspersed with some jack pine, birch, alder and willow.  Landing, I see that there is easy access to the lake, bare rock face gradually rising to about two metres above the water.  Ten metres inland is an open area about 30 metres diameter, coated with a shallow layer of moss.  Behind this is a good spot for the Tarp shelter.  I hear the drumming sound of a male ruffed grouse nearby.  Tromping through the bush around the clearing, I settle on a thick mossy site for the nylon tent, near which there is lots of deep stair-step moss to make a "fridge" for the two coolers containing butter.  There are the remains of a very old fireplace near shore with some garbage to clean up.  I have made good time and activate the "OK" button on the SPOT™ at 8:50 a.m., three hours after leaving the previous camp, a short day but I am looking forward to a more comfortable campsite and a bath.  

In my usual routine, I unload the canoe, tying both painters to trees to secure the canoe parallel to the shallow rock ledge shore, making it easy to empty the canoe from the side instead of having to balance and walk all the gear off if just tethered stern first.  I am concerned about the water that was in the canoe on my first day of travel that might indicate a possible leak.  The water was probably from the waves hitting the side of the canoe, made worse by me fumbling a paddle stroke occasionally as the wind and waves hit my paddle.  From my journal: "Today no water, no leak ... yeah!  Jeff McDougall did a good canoe repair.  Place gear for camp inland by the old fireplace.  Two of the three barrels go under a spruce tree where I park the canoe.  Underneath the canoe I place the Laundry Pail, Canvas Tent Pack, Food Pack, Stove Bag and paddles.  [The Laundry Pail, like most of my gear, serves multiple purposes, in this case, besides laundry equipment, totes canteens and some canoe gear on portages.  The Food Pack takes some grub, not fitting in the barrels, to be used first.]  Clear the tent site of small trees and branches using saw and pruner.  Erect tent and lay out sleep gear to dry; very tall spruce and balsam fir, quite shaded so may not dry really well.  Blackflies bothersome as I sweat, so create new fireplace with old fireplace stones about seven metres farther inland, three metres from where will erect Tarp shelter.  Start smoky fire and blackflies leave after a few minutes.  Erect Tarp.  Using the branches and two small trees I cut out of the tent site, I place spruce and balsam fir boughs as a mat under the Tarp on one side.  Unpack pots and put on to boil water.  Then lunch.  Hang a few items on branches to dry but starts to rain a bit which passes over.  The sky sure looked threatening this morning.  I asked the gods to hold off on rain if possible till reaching camp and to give a favourable wind if possible.  Successful on both counts ... yeah!  15°C rising to 19°C by mid-afternoon."  [Out loud, I usually ask the gods the day before for fair travel weather if possible; I forgot and only asked on leaving camp, so I apologized for such short notice.]

After lunch, from my journal: "Aah ... have wonderful hot shower ... man that feels good ... actually made me smile!  Hung all clothes on clothesline before showering.  Bugs didn't bother, another reason to smile.  Mixed full 10 litre shower bag with five litres very hot water from large pot and the remainder cold.  Dried beside fireplace to which I had added fresh wood just before bathing.  Has been intermittent sunny periods with big grey-bottomed cumulus interspersed with blue sky.  Tent is catching some good afternoon sun which is great.  My "weary" spell seems passed."

June 3:

Completely overcast and grey when I arise, 9°C, dead calm, sure looks like rain.  Sit near fire for breakfast in the company of a few mosquitoes.  Uncomfortable sleep last night as both the head and foot of my bed slope downwards.  I put some gear under the head of the bed which helped.  It is interesting that sometimes when I prepare the tent base it appears level, or at least the head sloping down to the foot of where my bed will be, but when I lay down it is a different story.  Aie!  My neck aches and I think it is because of my bed or that I am new to sitting in chair to read and write, but remember the same thing happens every year as my body adjusts to long stretches of paddling.  With a full belly, napping as I sit, my head lolls on chest, which position does not help my neck either.  As I do a sudoku and a crossword puzzle, a gray jay murmurs nearby, a crow caws amid the loud taps of a pileated woodpecker who gives the occasional raucous call, kind of the Canadian kookaburra.  A red squirrel chatters and grumbles at my presence in his domain.  Two loons take off from my small bay pattering across the water in their slow lumbering ungraceful fashion, just as a merganser lands smoothly on the lake surface.  Canada geese honk as they migrate north, high above.  A loon calls hauntingly as he flies overhead.  A ruffed grouse drums ... there ... or is it there ... or maybe there?  The drumming is hard to pinpoint, and he performs periodically throughout the day.  Twice over the years I have made a point of finding such a grouse, but it takes a lot of patience as you think the sound is coming from a different direction than it really is.  I spend time fetching more firewood; it seems no matter how much you have it never is enough.  Rain starts after lunch and continues all afternoon.  Supper under the Tarp shelter is bulgur (with added nutritional yeast, chicken soup base, butter, Parmesan cheese), two mints, pepperoni sticks, hot water and a "Birthday Cake" Pure Protein® bar.  The latter is my supper dessert, not as yummy as Dairy Milk™ chocolate bars to which I am now intolerant, but better than no dessert.  Lack of dessert was actually better than white "chocolate" that I ended up burning last year.  Take two naproxen anti-inflammatory for my aching neck and head to bed.  I rarely use any such drugs but I know when the discomfort is this aggravating that I am better taking something early instead of allowing my body to compensate by tensing up and creating more problems elsewhere.  Through supper, I keep working on a "hard" sudoku, which I finally solve just as I am about to make an educated guess on one square ... yeah!  Extinguishing a large log by emptying the water pots, I leave a few embers in the rock fireplace for the rain to douse which has no sign of letting up.  Planning to move on tomorrow, I pre-pack as much as possible (tools, emptied pots, chair, writing bag).  As I get into bed, I realize my sleeping bag is still damp from last night; sleep gear did not dry much, if at all, today.  I did scout out a place today to erect the canvas tent and stove if need be.

June 4:

Had planned to arise at 3 a.m. but has rained heavy all night, feels "damp" in tent.  Up by 5 a.m., 10°C, very cloudy, very strong cold onshore wind.  Decide to erect canvas Tent and stove, which I need to dry sleep gear and to warm me up.  There is no wind-free spot for the Tent.  Move the fireplace farther away from Tarp shelter and Tent site, unfortunately even closer to the windy shore.  There is still a bit of rain as I get a good fire going, unpack the tools and pots and get water on to boil.  I trim branches from the spruce anchor tree at one side of the Tarp to make room for the Tent.  Also fell one medium-size spruce about seven metres tall, and limb and trim it for two Tent poles.  Eating fresh cinnamon bannock under the Tarp, I am chilled by the wind.  Fell five more spruce trees and limb and cut to size for Tent.  Because the Tent site is almost bare rock, I gather large stones from under an uprooted tree along shore to hold down poles which will hold down the Tent sod cloths.  Breaking for lunch, I find a sheltered place under a large spruce tree in the bush behind the nylon tent.  It is largely out of the wind, and in partial sun.  Sawing off some lower branches to allow me to sit, I also carry some boughs from the felled poles to make a nice dry mat to sit on to eat lunch, sitting on the chair, boots off, insoles out ... feels good!  

Because the birch tree, which will anchor one end of the Tent, is too small, it bends too much, so for support I tie a rope from it to a tree 15 metres away.  From my journal: "Started erecting canvas Tent ... then bad excitement.  As I was tightening the ridge rope, the back end Tent grommet pulled out of the canvas.  S**t! S**t! S**t! S**t! S**t!  [I apologize later.]  Followed by ... damn, damn, damn!  Then an Aie!  I think I said out loud "That's not good!"  Removed the chain link (with its attached loop to hold a support pole) now hanging loose on the rope (using vice-grips and multitool pliers).  Installed it in the second-from-end grommet, then tried tightening rope ... and canvas ripped, so now this second grommet pulled out!  Aie! Aie! Aie! Aie! Aie!  (I distinctly remember five S**ts and five aies.)  Tried erecting Tent with vertical pole between second and third end grommet.  Finally had to accept that this Tent just DIED! The canvas is brittle and weak, as it deserves to be, as it is almost 40 years old.  [On checking when I return home, it is 35 years old.]  Aie!  Rolled up Tent and repacked.  Already knew it was on its last years but hoped not yet!  It is custom made by a company that no longer does such work.  Will have to find someone to make a new Tent of the same design, which is based on Calvin Rutstrum's 1968 book "Paradise Below Zero".  I hand-drew a design which I mailed to the company, pre-Internet, pre-e-mail ... the old days.  Am already thinking my plan is to canoe off course to Michael's cottage where I stayed in September 2018.  Michael is a friend who I met on a portage a few years ago when he volunteered his cottage for me to stay if I ever needed.  Trust a canoeist to make such a kind offer.  Sure going to miss canvas Tent and wood stove.  Can't use the stove without the Tent.  On the plus side, one less portage carry and more room in the canoe."

By midafternoon, the wind has died from very strong to just strong, so I move from the sheltered lunch spot to the Tarp shelter.  It is 18°C, with white cumulus and intermittent sunshine so I erect a clothesline to hang the sleep gear.  Too cold and windy for a shower, I just have a washcloth bath, and put on some extra clothing.  If you try showering with limited water in a strong wind, your body dries too quickly to lather the soap.  Again I pre-pack, hoping to move on tomorrow to cache the Tent and stove.  To tent by 7 p.m., the wind picks up very strong again so I zip the two end windows, just leaving a 30 cm gap at the top.  It is cold, 8°C.