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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.