The first lake 50 metres from camp. Note the forest fire smoke especially visible at horizons.
First camp, 200 metres from the bush road which is one km from the gravel highway. Thanks to Jim for letting me park at his place and to Cory for giving me a ride from my vehicle.
The spruce boughs over the barrels are to help provide shade. The barrels are tied to spruce trees and close enough to the tent that hopefully I would hear the bells on the ropes if a bear intrudes.
A very safe firepit dug in the sandy soil.
My 16 year old canoe needed two repairs after last season's trip, a crack in one of the bulkheads and two holes worn in one of the keel's old skidplates (which I had installed myself, hence the sloppy glue work). Thanks to Jeff McDougall of "The Old Boathouse YYC" for doing his usual excellent repair job. http://www.oldboathouseyyc.com/
Hat scarf worn because of bothersome blackflies.
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Summary:
Glad to reach my first campsite after a long drive from home. Forest fire smoke haze and smell. The first blackflies already. Portage 200 metres from bush road to campsite beside first lake.
Preamble:
I have planned a trip to try to access the height of land to reach the Churchill River from northern Saskatchewan by a different route. My 2019 trek 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. Ironically this year I am concerned about water levels being too low as it was a very dry winter with little snowfall. Concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic are much less now and Jeanette and I no longer mask routinely but we will continue the new regimen of sanitizer and thorough hand washing forever. Unfortunately the spring is early and dry and there have been severe forest fires in Alberta and central western Saskatchewan in early May already with thousands of people evacuated, not a good omen. Despite precautions Jeanette and I both acquired COVID-19 in mid-September of 2022. To make matters worse I came down with long-COVID which affected my autonomic nervous system causing heart, blood pressure, breathing and digestion issues, functions that we take for granted. I had to back off on my routine exercise program and build back gradually. Fortunately within seven months my symptoms were mostly resolved and I felt comfortable proceeding with the canoe trip. I had continued to make preparations so am ready to leave by the end of May. The planned route is through an area that burned significantly in 2010 when I had to flee as it approached, luckily under my own steam with no need to fly out. When I subsequently returned in a month it was to see the region razed far and wide by the fire. It is now 13 years later and am hopeful, but not completely optimistic, that I will be able to ascend a different river than I planned in 2019. There will be significant portaging and lining/wading and I am also concerned about my physical ability after just recovering from long-COVID. Much as I hate to admit it I may have to take it easier than usual. But I am committed to keep on keeping on. One piece of good news is that my right shoulder injury of the 2022 season is much better; I have continued to use physiotherapy exercises as part of my routine which have aided in regaining almost full mobility.
Saturday May 27:
Up by 03:00 at home for an early start, I make good time, weekend truck traffic minimal. I spot many antelope along the highway in Alberta. With minimal stops, I drive straight through to La Ronge, arriving at the hotel at 16:15.
May 28:
With an early start, I drive the gravel highway, quite rough in spots, stopping a few times to check and tighten canoe straps. On the way a wolverine crosses the road, a rare sight; there are many young snowshoe hares at the roadside, one spruce grouse, six mallard ducks on the road and one black bear running madly away in the ditch before heading into the bush.
Supper is at 17:45 in camp. There are a few mosquitoes landing on me but not biting as I shoo them away. The meal is a simple one of LifeStraw® water, mixed seeds and three protein bars. Having not eaten a good diet today, my stomach feels unsettled. Playing catch-up, I have been drinking lots of LifeStraw® water since portaging gear 200 metres from the bush road. I am weary after driving 1500 km over two tiresome days; I hate the driving, but I like the arriving. The nylon tent and Tarp shelter are up. The latter shields me from a hot sun; an onshore breeze from the lake feels good. There is forest fire smoke haze at the horizon across the water but so far no smoke smell. After supper I get undressed to bath in the lake but standing at water's edge the breeze is quite cool and I chicken out after dipping a foot in the cold water. Getting dressed again I have only had a fresh air bath. To the tent for the night by 19:30 still in full daylight.
May 29:
Waking at 06:00 I have slept 10 hours after an excellent rest, much longer than my usual seven hours. Starting unclothed laying on a sheet, by morning I have pulled on long underwear pyjamas, snuggled in a fleece shell with sleeping bag open and pulled over me. On exiting the tent, I can smell smoke and see a light layer of ash on the fly, smoke visibly layered over the lake. Blackflies are bothersome so I don a hat scarf. After digging a firepit in the sandy soil, I periodically stand in the smoke to chase blackflies away. A lone Canada goose honks as it flies overhead, probably nesting locally instead of migrating farther north. Two gray jays softly talk to each other nearby. I have left the pail with gas stove, Coleman fuel and a "Platypus® Water Filter System" in the van and hope forest fires do not make me regret it. A cool wind from the lake causes me to put on a heavy long-sleeved shirt over my light one. To fill the pots from the shallow lakeshore for boiling I get my leather boots wet, an indication of the low water levels. If I need more water I will put on my rubber Crocs™ sandals. The all-butter bannock is definitely tastier and more wholesome than that with shortening; I eat a quarter bannock each breakfast and lunch. By midafternoon, temperature rises to 23°C but the breeze makes it feel much cooler. To warm up I go for a walk and pick salad greens (young birch leaves and alder catkins) to accompany supper. At 19:20, with the intent to move on tomorrow, I fill in the firepit and turn in.