A beautiful clear start to the day, an early morning view from camp 2 towards the bay with the first portage, 1.5 km away.
Looking back in the direction of the previous camp from the portage.
The start of the 300 metre portage trail in shallow water. Fortunately there is a mostly dry area at the side if I avoid water-filled holes.
Poling and then pulling the canoe as far as possible before starting to unload.
Having unloaded most of the gear, I am able to tow the canoe closer to dry ground.
I can manage to carry the gear by walking at the side of the muddy trail, but fortunately can haul the canoe using the painter rope to dry ground and keep my boots relatively dry. Sometimes it is necessary to walk directly through mud and water but I try to minimize getting wet and extra dirty.
The view on the dry trail up a gentle slope through bush of mature spruce, cottonwood and poplar.
The top of a steep slope down to the end of the portage at a small unnamed lake. My gun is resting against a tree at the side of the trail, where I place it about 30 metres from the gear dropped near trail end. There is no point in keeping the gun with the pile of gear; if a bear was to bother the gear, I need the gun where I can retrieve it.
An easy place to load and launch the canoe, resting on shore, level with the lake surface. The canoe does not need to be tethered, but I still lay out the full length of the painter behind "just in case".
Heading down the small lake to the next portage, my handkerchief drying on the load; portaging is sweaty work.
The upper end of the 80 metre portage over a beaver dam. The trail is beside a small creek that is included in the dam.
Near the lower end of the creek.
The lake water runs through the dam trickling down the trail about 30 metres. I pull the canoe down the wet slope so it can be carried on dry footing.
Two of the grub barrels are each a heavy 36 kg (80 lb) so after fastening the harness I lift one onto the lighter "Kitchen" barrel to then hoist onto my back. I have to spread my legs to lower myself far enough and then fasten the chest harness, probably a harder task for a taller person. When I first started using the 60 litre barrels, I learned the hard way how best to get them on my back, falling down as I tried various methods. The Kitchen barrel is so-called because it not only contains in-use food, but cooking equipment and other kitchen items.
The paddles are fastened together with two Velcro straps for easy carrying, much more convenient and lighter than a bag. I should have used this new system long ago.
Camp 3 on the next biggish lake after 2.5 km of travel including two portages, 300 and 80 metres.
Gorgeous pink lady's slipper orchids. The brown stems are remnants of last year's plant.
Somebody met their demise, a probable duck, species unknown. Thanks to biologist Geoff for the identification: "I think it is most likely a duck. [Near centre] is a feather with distinct V markings which is typical of many ducks. Most other feathers are upside down with little for distinctive markings. Sorry that I can't say what kind of duck." I always wonder how an animal met its demise; over the years I have found big and small and can still remember many of them. (But ask me to remember peoples' names ... .)
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Summary:
Distance travelled 2.5 km including two portages (300 and 80 metres). A wet muddy start to portaging. Beaver dam on a small creek. Some new equipment. Felling a large overhanging dead tree above the tent. Gorgeous pink lady's slipper orchids. A pile of feathers.
June 4:
Awake to the alarm at 03:00, everything outside dripping wet so return to bed. A fitful sleep all night, in and out of sleeping bag to the fleece shell, then back to the bag when it got quite cool. Up by 05:00, I pack all the sleep gear and items that go in other packs (Writing Bag, chair, fly swatter, gun). I did not want to go outside and get boots dirty to get back in the nylon tent to pack. On going outside, it is clear, a light wind, a good day, the rain having cooled the temperature nicely. The tent and the Tarp shelter are soaking wet. There are surprisingly no bugs as I have a cold breakfast beneath the Tarp. Taking the Tarp down, after shaking it to get as much water off as possible, it gets dirty on the ground when folding as I had only placed a few spruce boughs beneath to serve as a clean mat for last night's supper. Then I pack the tent, again shaking the fly to remove some of the water, but it gets packed wet. Leaving by 08:00, I am two hours later than usual when moving camp. A short 1.5 km to the 300 metre portage, it is wet and muddy for the first 100 metres, making it easy to pull the empty canoe to dry ground. Too bad that does not work for the gear, but I manage to keep my boot tops above water and my clothes relatively mud free. It is a gorgeous day, and I am happy to be moving on past the road-attached big lake. As John Muir wrote: "Going to the woods is going home." It is a short paddle on the small lake to the next portage which is downhill and only 80 metres long. Beavers have dammed the edge of the lake at the mouth of the small creek that flows down the slope to raise the level of the lake for their lodge. Some water trickles over the dam and down the trail on the 30° slope beside the creek. There is a beautiful well shaded rock cliff beside the trail opposite the creek with shade-loving plants such as ferns growing. While loading my canoe at the bottom of the trail, four canoes pull up of six total, 12 paddlers, so it is a bit crowded but there is good physical distancing. One fellow says "We don't have COVID." My reply is "That's what everybody says." I do make a note in my calendar of meeting them and a further note at the 14 day incubation period interval. I sure would not want to scout out campsites for that many campers. They are returning to their vehicles after a fast seven day outing.
Stopping at a small island by 13:45, the weather holds good. I am very hungry for a late lunch before unloading the canoe. Then I carry gear as it is unloaded to three spots (for nylon tent, Tarp shelter and canoe parking). The barrels are hot to the touch, not good for food stored inside; they were not covered by a tarp and were exposed to the sun longer than ideal. I lug the two heavy ones to the shade of some spruce trees, putting each by a tree where I will tether them. The butter coolers go into a moss "fridge", that I had trouble finding after several years away; it is now indistinguishable from the surroundings. The canoe is moved onshore about 20 metres to store some gear underneath (Stove Bag, Bug Tent, Canvas Tent Pack, paddles, Pail). Raising the Tarp shelter, gear gets stored beneath (Kitchen Barrel, Rubber Pack). I use a sponge to wipe off the dirt on the underside of the Tarp from the previous camp. Having camped here before, the tent site only requires about 30 minutes to clear of down branches and sawing two fallen trees. The tent is surrounded by bush but gets the afternoon sun which dries the wet tent quickly, and the sleep gear that I have laid out will air and dry before bedtime. From my journal: "after I erect the tent I notice a large overhanging dead tree, bent almost 90°. Later I fell it by sawing, putting the kerf on the near side so I can (hopefully) push it away from the tent. Success ... barely. I should have really moved the tent! Have to saw off the top end which landed beside the tent. Aie! Barry ... remember to check before putting up tent! You've done this before! That's what happens when weary ... but no excuse! Aie!" Next I get the pots from the Kitchen Barrel to start water to boil in the fireplace. Finishing all the sweaty work including tying the barrels, I string up the clothesline to hang all my damp clothes, uppers from sweat, lowers from water and mud, and two rinsed handkerchiefs. Luckily, with no clothes on, there are few bugs, just some bothersome flies. The water is quite cold but it is so nice to have a much needed bath. When I emerge from the lake, I do not get chilled, a sure sign the temperature is at least mid-20s. (At supper it is still 26°C.) Supper is macaroni and cheese, salad, warm water, protein bar. There are just enough fireweed shoots growing on a patch of dry moss on the rock face near shore that I pick while the macaroni finishes cooking; I am careful to break off the stems so the roots will produce again. After my bath I change to a third pair of socks, rinsing the wet ones from the muddy portages in a spot in the lake free of tree pollen. The clothes hanging in the breeze and sun are all dry except for the second pair of socks which I put on when reaching camp; they get wet as they help dry the water-logged boots. Supper dishes are washed and placed under the Tarp shelter, along with the tools and the boiled pots of water, some of which when cooled will be used to fill the empty canteens. Weary and a bit tired I head to the tent by 20:00, taking the chair, Rubber Pack and Kitchen Barrel to place inside.
June 5:
Sleeping in until 05:30, well rested, though my neck still aches, it was warm enough to just use the fleece shell all night. On going outside, I smell forest fire smoke brought on the wind. Walking to the far end of the island, not finding any fireweed for supper salad, I settle for willow leaves and birch and alder catkins. My walk discovers a pile of feathers that I cannot identify; there were no other body parts visible. When I have a bath, two loons are nearby, and we talk back and forth.