Camp 7 sunrise (03:53, 04:25, 04:32, 04:48).
Mosquitoes very bothersome, hence the hat scarf ... and no breakfast.
Looking back at the campsite as I leave at 05:30.
Beautiful reflection of clouds in the water as I head to one of the narrows of the lake.
Through the narrows, I approach another after I stop on a steeply shored island for breakfast at 07:09. In the distance towards the opening at the side of the bay, there is a land feature that looks like a sleeping giant on her back.
After passing many islands I approach the turn to the narrow bay heading down to the outlet of the lake, the clouds more threatening all the time, light rain falling for about one hour.
Nearing the falls at the lake exit at 10:04, having made good time covering 13 km.
Landing at 10:37 having to carry gear up a steep slope. There is only one safe spot to unload and the canoe has to be tied to juniper brush but it serves the purpose.
Five pelicans are fishing just below the outlet waterfall. The 10 metre board portage for motorboats used by the nearest local community is partly submerged with the high water level and water is flowing past the usually dry side of the falls so I wonder if I will be able to find a spot to catch walleye from shore.
A tall dead pine provides firewood at the campsite; there is sparse wood otherwise.
The first Tarp shelter site and fireplace prove to be too exposed.
The new trail past the first fireplace to bypass the falls.
The second Tarp shelter and fireplace are 80 metres up the peninsula from the tent but quite sheltered and better stocked with firewood. The large spruce tree which anchors one end of the shelter's upper rope shields gear before moving the Tarp from the first location.
There are many small green caterpillars on the spruce branches I place under the Tarp to provide a level floor; the caterpillars crawl all over me.
The trail from the new shelter to the tent.
After catching two walleye from shore at the side of the falls on June 27, the next day is less successful but I land a nice 26" pike for supper.
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Summary:
Travel 13 km to reach camp 8. The waterfall outlet to the next lake has a short 10 metre board portage under water so will have to use a new 100 metre path instead. Bugs bad. Heavy rain and wind with big booming thunder and bright lightning while my arms and head hold up the Tarp shelter after the pole is blown down. In a funk over high water levels. Find a more sheltered spot for the shelter with a better supply of firewood. Good fishing in the rapids to the side of the falls accompanied by pelicans.
June 26:
Up to the alarm at 03:00 it seems dark; exiting the tent after packing gear it is quite cloudy with a red sunrise, calm, 15°C. Mosquitoes are very bothersome so I will eat breakfast later. As I paddle through the nearby narrows lots of fish are rising to the surface. I stop to eat at the last island before the next narrows and thankfully there are few bugs. Passing many islands before I reach the turn to the outlet, it starts to rain lightly for the next hour; I do not bother to don raingear as I keep warm and relatively dry paddling. As I make my way, I see many bald eagles, loons and a few mergansers. Reaching the next campsite by 10:00 I am happy to have made good time covering the 13 km. The priority is to get unloaded before more rainfall. From my journal: "There is one (only one) possible safe place to unload that has a 'step' at water level along the steep rock shore. I'm glad that the slope is still dry so I will not slip as I carry gear. Tie the canoe to prickly juniper brush, thankful that I can tether parallel to shore." First I walk to the falls to see if it would be better to land there. But water is flowing on both sides of the board portage which is quite wet itself, a testament to the high water levels. I will not be able to use this short 10 metre portage as there is no dry safe place to unload. I note that I will not be able to walk across the top of the rock face to fish beside the main falls but see where I may be able to cast from shore below the falls. Back to the canoe I check that I can portage across the campsite used in 2018, appearing untouched since; I will only need to clear some brush at the lower end to make a new trail. The path will be 100 metres, much longer than the established trail across the rock face of the falls. It is quite sunny and I wear the headnet as the blackflies are bad. After establishing a location on the peninsula for the Tarp shelter and fireplace inland 40 metres from the next lake, I carry the gear up the steep slope, one pack or barrel at a time. For now I leave the canoe part way up the hill to stow some of the gear. Then I move my old fireplace stones to the new more sheltered area and start a fire to shoo blackflies before I remove and rinse the headnet. There is not much firewood nearby, mostly dead alder in the bush of young birch and meadows of prickly juniper brush. The old tent site needs some clearing but the shelter spot has a lot of work required so I erect the nylon tent first and stow gear inside, occasionally walking the 40 metres to add wood to the fire. The sun is hot on the tent now so I lay out the sleep gear to dry. Next I unpack pots to boil water while I clear the shelter location of much birch and alder, more work than anticipated to make room for the Tarp. The anchor trees are small birch which I have to brace with ropes to others so they can hold the Tarp up without breaking or bending too far. While getting supper supplies and topping up the Lunch Bag, a thunderstorm moves slowly my way and it starts to rain just as I finish closing the barrel and pack. From my journal: "Then the storm proper hits. Man oh man ... big thunder and lightning, some bright flashes and big booms. Heavy heavy rain, blowing sideways under the Tarp. The pole holding Tarp falls. I stand beneath with hands and head acting as the pole except when sometimes the Tarp is blown skyward. Steady heavy rain for 15 minutes. Had cooked supper before the rain hit but have to wait till it stops to eat. Fire of course doused because it is small. Dry pan with toilet paper cause not going to start a fire again. Blackflies and mosquitoes now bad. Carry gear to tent, hoping to get inside without mosquitoes. Bring lots of debris inside on boots and Rubber Pack. Earlier before it rained I had checked SAT phone; txt from J: 'OK. Raining here. No fires 4u. Warmer week. No rain 4cast 4u.' Well, weather forecast can't always be right! It rains hard all night. To bed tired and weary at 20:00 but sleep poorly till late morn."
June 27:
Before breakfast I fell a tall dead pine near where I landed, sawing it into four lengths of one metre each to take to the fireplace, leaving the larger trunk double that length. I need firewood to bake a bannock just before it rains again. There are 10 pelicans in the eddy of the main falls. Temperature is 12°C, rising later to 17°C, very dark clouds with strong wind bringing heavy rain falling on and off all day. The wind again causing it to be miserable under the Tarp shelter, makes it easy to announce that I am going to find a better more sheltered spot. The logical place is farther up the peninsula separating the two lakes either side of the falls. Walking up the sloping centre ridge of three parallel rock faces it is largely easy going over moss and blueberry bushes skirting a few birches. The two ridges either side are higher, protecting from two directions, heavily covered with birch so it is much more sheltered where I will erect the Tarp shelter near the foot of a steep hill at the upper end. The latter protects from a third direction and the distance inland helps protect the bottom end. Another plus is more and better firewood, although mostly poplar. First I move a shovelful of live coals to a spot with a naturally occurring raised rock ridge to form the back of the fireplace after scraping moss away for the base. Only some smaller trees and brush have to be cleared on the trail to the tent, but about 10 birch trees and the same number of smaller brush have to be felled to make room for the shelter. Before dropping the Tarp from the first location, I carry the Rubber Pack, chair and Waist Pack to the protection of the overhanging branches of a nearby large spruce tree. The rain mostly pauses while I move, for which I give thanks. After cooling enough, tipped away from the live coals, I move most of the rocks from the old fireplace to the new. With the Tarp in the new location and gear moved underneath, I lastly carry the Kitchen Barrel and wood from the first spot and settle down to eat lunch as it pours rain again. Boots and jean bottoms are wet from the underbrush. Working outside as weather permits, I give thanks for the better shelter for fireplace and Tarp as it continues to rain heavily. In midafternoon I head with fishing gear to the falls where I catch two walleye (15", 17") for supper. While fishing, I catch the larger fish first and another got away at shore; then it rains heavily for 15 minutes so I shelter under a big spruce nearby, one of few. I can cast from shore across those rapids below the falls running towards me past the board portage. And yay, I did not get snagged; I am in no mood to fetch the canoe to retrieve the lure so would have had to sacrifice it and the leader. From my journal: "Have been busy all day! Including fetching firewood constantly. Before getting up this morn, especially when a mosquito was bugging me, I was ready to turn around because of high water flooding portages! Aie! I was in a real funk! Chances are there will be more such problems as I go. But after moving fireplace and shelter and catching walleye I feel better so will push on." When fishing I see the pelicans near a shoal down the lake. A crow gives me a lot of grief at the new shelter, probably a nest nearby. The shelter could definitely benefit from spruce branches to fill in and level the big dips covered by a bed of moss and tall blueberry bushes that I sit on at lunch. I hope there will be a supply farther up the hill. Well before retiring to the tent at 19:00 I light a mosquito coil so hopefully a better sleep tonight. Getting chilled, in bed by 20:35 I give thanks for the new improved campsite, the walleye, better firewood. I sleep much better, the shoulder giving me less grief, or I am just more tired. It is ironic that J's weather forecast was no rain!
June 28:
The day starts clear and sunny at 10°C with a light wind. Up the hill I find a spruce tree for boughs to place under the Tarp shelter for a more comfortable base. By lunch temperature rises to 24°C, still lots of blue sky with some white cumulus. Between the fire and the sun my pants dry and boots with laces loose start to dry as I have my feet outside the shelter in the sun. I am really happy with the new shelter site, walking to the fire occasionally to stand in the smoke when blackflies target me, especially as I get sweaty doing chores. There is a good supply of firewood up the hill. Luckily I retrieve my sleep gear hanging in the sun just before it rains for five minutes after lunch. I move the canoe closer to the trail I cleared to the next lake as I plan to leave tomorrow. Hoping for walleye when I fish at the rapids, instead I catch a quite suitable 26" pike for supper, observed by two pelicans near the falls.