Sunrise through smoke haze at camp 22, July 29, 04:58 - 05:19.
05:33, eating breakfast, sitting near shore in light breeze where there are fewer mosquitoes.
06:15, looking back at camp 22 site. From this vantage, the location deceivingly appears to be well sheltered.
06:19 (different exposures), skirting the long point of the island where I caught two pike. Camp 22 was farther to the left accessed from the far side.
06:22, view to the east horizon where the the difference can be seen between the heavy smoke below cutting across the cloud above.
06:29, moving farther away from camp 22 island which extends farther to the left.
There are multiple islands on the lake, this one home to gulls. I am always amused and somewhat surprised that these birds with there large webbed feet perch on spruce tree tops.
The tenth rapids, class 1+, before entering the Churchill River just around the corner at the right hand side.
July 29, 10:37 - 11:38, some of the ten small islands and about the same number of shoals and tiny islands in an area 2½ km up the Churchill River from the tenth rapids, stretching over a distance of about two km. I canoe near all of the islands, stopping at these four which are well forested with mature spruce. Some of the other islands are unsuitable because they are recovering from forest fire, others with no appropriate shoreline. The top photo of the first island investigated is where I finally return to set up camp at 12:05 after checking the others, taking 1½ hours and paddling an extra four km to decide it is the best site.
One of the reasons I decide to not settle on the first island right away is the recent bear scat. However when I stop at three other islands there is bear scat, albeit not quite as fresh. After paddling past all ten islands, I realize that the very first one provides the best campsite ... "So back to the first isle! Aie! Well I pick the one with the freshest bear poop so maybe he'll visit it last next time. Just kidding (I think); it is the best spot."
Looking downstream on the Churchill River from camp 23 at 18:55, July 29, quite cloudy with the smell of smoke, definite smoke haze at the horizons.
July 29, 04:23 - 05:13 sunrise through smoke haze.
July 30, 05:20, three 17 inch pike for supper caught from shore.
Camp 23 on the Churchill River.
A nearby long dead fallen large pine tree provides enough firewood for my stay.
The island provides a generous salad of pink fireweed flowers (plus seed pods and leaves), yellow salsify, partially ripe lingonberries, small orange bunchberries, red currants, plus a few blueberries, larger orange northern comandra berries and raspberries.
Camp 23 location is beautiful, with spruce trees, many large, some overmature with large holes made by pileated woodpeckers to get at bug infestations in dying trees.
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Summary:
Still smoky. Gulls perch on treetops. Finally go down the last rapids, the tenth, to reach the Churchill River. The season progressing, find enough berries and plants for supper salad; fireweed now has lots of bloom. Paddle an extra four km to check ten islands for a campsite, four investigated by foot to find each with recent bear scat, finally returning to the first to set up camp, the one with the freshest bear sign. Camp 23 is on a small island on the Churchill River after travelling 16 km from the previous site plus four extra km searching for a campsite.
July 29:
Still quite dark when the alarm sounds at the new time of 03:30, I manage to pack gear in the tent without flashlight. The tent fly is wet, confirming it did rain last night although at the time I thought I was dreaming. There is a very light wind that becomes calm for the rest of the day. Smoke smell is obvious with visible evidence especially at the horizons, a straight line of demarcation of smoke across clouds extending above. Mosquitoes are a bit bothersome so I eat breakfast near shore where the breeze thins their numbers. I make good time, stopping three times for a pee break, a drink and to stretch. I was not properly prepared for the rapids at the outlet of the lake, not wearing PFD, but I did kneel; I was thinking this was a simple exit, not realizing until I get home that it was a class 1+ rapid. It would be embarrassingly careless to bottom out, take on water or worse in such rapids. Much of the bush near the outlet and along the Churchill River is recovering from previous wildfire. Canoeing up the river (officially a lake within the Churchill) against the current, I stop at the first island, a forested one that escaped the flames, although another island beside it did not; it only takes a few embers blown to an island to carry the fire. There is an old fireplace not used for years, small trees well established within it. I carry on a debate whether I should camp here, but there are ten small islands within the next two km, plus as many shoals and tiny isles indicated on the map. From my journal: "... so I move on. One deciding factor for continuing on is the presence of recent bear scat. And this isle is at least 100 metres from mainland on the one side and the same from what looks like mainland on the other but the map indicates is a very large island. I paddle farther and wouldn't you know it, the second island checked has bear scat, a bit older than the previous! Paddling upstream past the last island, I continue back around to the very first, for a total of four extra km. I stop at two other islands, each having bear poop; he must have visited all? the isles. The bear would probably be searching for food, unlikely to decide just for the heck of it to go for a swim. There are berries on the forested islands where the tall trees have helped shade them during the heat waves this summer. The other islands didn't look like good sites from the water. So back to the first isle! Aie! Well I pick the one with the freshest bear poop so maybe he'll visit it last next time. Just kidding (I think); it is the best spot." It has been calm all day and I am sweat-soaked just from paddling; the temperature when I check at 18:00 is 26°C but I think it probably reached at least 30°C when the sun was at its highest with sparse cloud cover.
Back for the second time to the first island at 12:05 after stopping here at about 10:30, camp 23 is 2½ km upstream from the last outlet of the tenth rapids, class 1+, 16 km from the previous campsite plus four km extra searching for a campsite. Hungry, I eat lunch before doing any work. Unloading the canoe, I first place it on bare rock near the water but realize it is too close to the lake if a strong wind comes up to wash water beneath. So I move the canoe inland but still near the water and store gear not needed underneath. Next I raise the Tarp shelter three metres behind the fireplace, lower end towards the shore against wind. Then I clear a nylon tent site behind the Tarp, the first spot too small, so have to prepare another next to it, but now having to fell a few small trees and using the axe head to pull in some moss to better level the base. The fireplace has not been used for several years, growing several small trees; I clean it out and expand it with some more rocks before starting a fire to boil water. After camp set up, I have a much needed bath, hanging my clothes to dry on a clothesline stretched near shore in front of the fireplace. A nice tidy camp is lined up in a row of canoe, clothesline, fireplace, Tarp shelter and tent, overhung by some very large tall spruce. Finally I get to eat a supper of macaroni and cheese. From my journal: "I was cool and fresh after the bath before eating. But between hot supper, plus a full pot of hot water, I sweat badly and my short shirt is soaked. Should have taken it off before supper. Aie! Hang up while doing dishes, but sun is behind trees so doesn't dry. In tent, layer short shirt inside long shirt to distribute the dampness over both and make it more comfortable to don in morning rather than one soaking wet clammy shirt. In bed by 19:30, tired and weary. Long day, 20 km paddling in hot sun. Sleep reasonably well, PFD and folded medium tarp under one side of bed and Rubber Pack at foot. Bed slopes to one side and downhill. Will try different position tomorrow."
July 30:
By 08:20 I have caught three 17 inch pike from shore for supper and eaten hot bannock for breakfast. It is 19°C, mostly clear, no sign of smoke. Crows are calling nearby and I talk back to them with a poor imitation "caw, caw, caw". Sometimes a crow will stay in a tree nearby and continue to caw back at me, but today, presumably disgusted, she flies away. A pileated woodpecker issues his loud raucous call in between hammering a tree. High overhead I heard sandhill cranes, with their high pitched rolling rattling call; are they migrating south already? Small flies are bothersome all day. The light wind carries the sound of rapids at the Churchill River's outlet to the next lake. I bake a second bannock to pack for future meals, making one on average every other day. After lunch I do more chores: duct tape a hole in tablecloth tarp, sew loose seams on both shirt pockets of my long shirt, rinse sweat-stained short shirt, pick salad, gather firewood, mark map. To find salad, I walk to the far end, meandering through at least half of the island. If this island is any indication, berries are sparse and small, probably due to the two heat waves, not a good sign for food for bears this autumn. Any time I walk along the shoreline, there is otter sign, and I spot at least one in the water checking to see when she can reclaim her island. The dominant tree on the island is spruce, but there are a few large birch and poplar, some felled or chewed by beavers, but none recently. There is an old beaver lodge at the upper end of the island. Midafternoon, I take off my clothes to have a bath, and even though it is 26°C, dark cloud blocking the sun, coupled with a moderate wind, makes me decline so I just have an air bath. Hoping to move on tomorrow, I prepack tools, clothesline and Fishing Kit. Just after supper is cooked, there is a light rain from a passing storm cloud. Fish chowder with bulgur instead of potato flakes is tasty; I had thought to revise my menu checklist to replace bulgur with potato flakes, but the former is a nice change and make a note to leave checklist as is. By 19:00, the sky is fairly clear, still 26°C, only a few mosquitoes, flies have disappeared, a gorgeous evening. I finish prepacking before bedtime, sleeping well, a bit chilly by morning in the fleece shell, lazily curling up in a fetal position to avoid getting into the sleeping bag.