May 29 at 09:52, starting my trip down the first lake against a stiff headwind. The drive here from Prince Albert was through heavy rain and fog. Fortunately, the rain stops just as I arrive.
Later, on May 29, the view from my campsite down the lake in the direction I will continue.
The weather continues cool and rainy through the next four days, finally clearing on June 3.
Landing at the first campsite, three km from start point.
Salad for supper every day is young birch leaves (above) and alder catkins (below).
The canvas Tent and stove are welcome in the cool wet weather with temperatures just above freezing. I erect a tarp to be able to saw stovewood protected from rain.
I have always used a bow saw for clearing trails and campsites and cutting stovewood and firewood, but last season even a new blade did not perform well (presumably because of poor blade quality). As a replacement with a stiffer sharper blade I am using a "Silky Big Boy 2000 Professional" saw, that soon proves its worth.
Dissatisfied with my ability to sharpen the axe with a file, I used the services of a professional blade sharpener. Thanks to Brent Highfield of High Tech Services http://hightechservices.ca/ for such an excellent job. I now realize the axe never had the proper bevel angle and the difference in performance is impressive, only having to lightly file occasionally to touch it up.
A new 18" Great-West Metal "Air-Tight Stove", the fourth in as many decades. The old stove had a burned out liner after 10 years of use. Retail stoves were not available in the spring because of supply chain issues for raw material due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but thanks to Marcus Williams of Great-West Metal http://www.greatwestmetal.com/ for managing to ship me one of the few remaining in the production warehouse.
Looking for a lighter compact replacement for my old camp chair, I purchased a "Helinox Incline Festival Chair" that works well, having feet that do not sink into the ground and no hinge parts to break. Initially I used a piece of closed-cell foam to line the seat but found it unnecessary. I use a towel to line the seat to help keep it clean.
A new "Writing Bag" ("Luxspire Bike Casual Crossbody Messenger Bag"), the best I have ever had, sturdy and with good storage pockets.
My MEC "Aquanator Rain Jacket" purchased last year has proven to be not only economical but sturdy and functional, rain quickly and easily beading off it.
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Summary:
Inauspicious beginning due a dead vehicle battery. Wet cold weather delay made comfortable with canvas Tent and wood stove. Welcome addition of some new equipment. Distance travelled three km.
Preamble:
I decided to do a canoe trip in the eastern central region of Saskatchewan and western Manitoba bordering the Churchill River. This is a route I have done before. In 2017 I started a circle route but just south of the Churchill River had to fly out because of forest fire, unfortunately having to abandon my canoe on a small island. In 2018 I completed the last leg of the trip by paddling in with my old Grumman aluminum canoe to retrieve the cached Clipper (still my current boat). This route is more practical than some other journeys during the COVID-19 pandemic. I think this trip will be a somewhat relaxing one with lots of good walleye fishing. Hopefully next year I will complete my 2019 trip via a different route to get across the height of land, but with COVID-19 still active this year, the parking and transportation requirements are more complex. (The 2019 trip could not be completed because the river I had to ascend was too high to wade, too fast to paddle, too wide into the bush to line.)
May 28:
Up 03:50 to get an early start, I take my daily walk after exercising and am ready to leave by 08:30 for the long drive to Prince Albert. The van packed the day before, I say goodbye to Jeanette, turn the ignition key ... the vehicle will not start ... dead battery. Aie! I had thought about changing the battery but figured it would be good until autumn. As Jeanette says, when you think you should do something, usually best to do it. Luckily the NAPA Auto Parts dealer has the correct battery and after installing the new unit I leave by 10:00.
May 29:
Up before 04:00, I leave the Prince Albert hotel by 05:30. There is a very dense fog for the first hour, followed by heavy rain all the way to my destination, arriving by 09:00. On the drive I spot three black bears, three elk, a whitetail deer and dozens of young snowshoe hares, a good omen. Taking a chance on rain, I do not cover the canoe load to paddle the three km to where I plan to camp. For my introduction to the first paddle of the year, there is a brisk north headwind, which is responsible for the wet cool weather. The campsite looks unused since I last was here in 2018 when I travelled in with my old Grumman to retrieve the current canoe left behind in 2017. Because of the inclement weather I erect the canvas Tent thinking I may be here for a while. Starting a fire to boil water for supper, I put up the Tarp shelter to eat protected from the rain that has been falling all afternoon. The Tarp ropes are not in an ideal location but with a suspension pole underneath, the shelter is adequate. Weary and tired after two days of driving I am in bed by 19:30 to the sound of falling rain which continues all night.
May 30 :
After midnight I have to get up to go to the bathroom, unfortunately not to just use the pee-can, a rare occurrence. Aie! My routine over the last three days has changed, the diet has been different and my body has not adjusted. In my long underwear pyjamas, I pull on boots and raincoat and don headlamp. It is cool and raining but at least I do not have to worry about mosquitoes yet. I am not about to dig a hole in the rain, so I make my way to the fireplace; I can place toilet gear under the Tarp shelter to keep dry. I will bury the evidence in the morning. The ground looks like it has snowed, but it is reindeer lichen standing up full and whitish wet from the rain. Regardless, I know I will erect the stove first thing. By morning I am snuggled in my down sleeping bag. Up by 06:00, late for me and a long time in bed, I feel well rested. It is 8°C, overcast, raining, with a light north wind. First priority is the stove, finding some soil for in and under it, sawing stovewood and splitting some kindling. With damp gear and clothing hanging in the Tent to dry, I bake bannock for breakfast, using too much water and having to add cornmeal to thicken. After felling several dead spruce trees, I saw a pile of stovewood, and trim spruce branches to line the doorway, removed from the trees cut yesterday for Tent poles. While in the Tent, I complete a number of puzzles and update my journal. To bed by 20:30, I had thought to let the stove die, but with the continuing rain, strong north wind and cold, I am up every couple of hours to stock the stove, damper only open a small amount. With the stove on, I sleep in just the light fleece shell.
May 31:
A stiff north wind, making the 8°C temperature feel even colder, blows in some blue sky which does not last very long, reverting to very dark grey clouds, dropping some rain in the afternoon. Stove on all day, I saw more stovewood to keep up. My second bannock on the stove is more successful having figured out to use only ¼ cup water, but still breaks up when I turn it to bake the other side. The bannock mix is revised to incorporate butter so I do not have to bring it separately (after a bear took the two butter coolers last year). However, with double the shortening/butter in the mix it is quite crumbly and will take some experimentation to perfect the baking process. From my journal: "Aie! The bannock with melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon was WAY better!!!" It rains intermittently all night, sometimes quite heavy.
June 1:
Waking to rain, it is a very cloudy windy 3°C, still a north wind bringing in this weather. From my journal: "Thank goodness for canvas Tent and stove! Any time I think to not bring them (to save two packs, one portage load), I remember times like this and reconsider!" Because of the continuing rain, I erect a tarp over my makeshift sawhorse of fallen trees in order to saw stovewood. Although the rain keeps up all day, I manage to fell more stovewood poles with the protection of my hat and rain jacket, but hang all exterior clothes to dry in the Tent. Feeding the stove every two hours after bedtime, the damper is open ¼ to give enough heat (door and window closed).
June 2:
Up by 06:30, there are only some coals in the stove. It is cool in the Tent and the thermometer shows why at only 2°C. Adding stovewood and opening the damper wide, the Tent soon warms. It rained all night which continues intermittently throughout the day, at one point being sleet. The wind is cold still from the north, very cloudy, temperature rising in the afternoon to 6°C. The ground is soggy wet but at least it did not snow. Over breakfast, I read a quote in Reader's Digest from comedian Evan Kessler making me chuckle every time I think of it: "Did you know you have the right to remain silent even when not being arrested?" We should all abide by this more often. I have to gather and saw more wood after which my damp clothes hang to dry in the warm Tent. After lunch I have a hot shower outside, the bag hanging from a nearby tree; I half-fill the 10 litre shower bag with cold water, then top up with water brought to a boil. From my journal: "Last shower was in hotel five days ago. Aah ... feels so much better." I do more puzzles in the Tent, bringing enough for two per day. Sun pops through clouds a few times, with a few blue patches and white cumulus showing through all the grey, but there is still a strong north wind, against which would be hard paddling.
June 3:
During the night I noticed how quiet it became after the wind finally died down. Up by 05:30, it is calm and sunny in a mostly blue sky with mist rising off the lake at 3°C. Midday temperature rises to 15°C dropping to 11°C by suppertime, a beautiful evening. Getting antsy to move on, I take a long walk through thick bush spotting crows, a junco and a sparrow. I have not had to fish yet, as I pack enough hard cheese for the first week. Instead of butter for dishes like stuffing mix, I use ghee which is okay, but not as tasty. Prepacking as much gear as possible, then to bed by 19:50, my alarm is set for 03:00 for an early start tomorrow to hopefully move on after sitting the weather out for six days.