August 10 morning, foreboding altostratus clouds.
August 10 afternoon, dark cumulus clouds yield rain lasting all night.
Tent door after some animal scratched holes during the night while I was in bed. At first I assumed it was just a mouse running along the Tent but when it persisted in one spot I banged on the canvas from the inside with the fly swatter. On arising in the morning I was dismayed and not pleased to see actual claw holes. The animal was probably a small one such as a snowshoe hare or weasel.
A large red squirrel midden well prepared for winter with harvested black spruce cones piled high beside several underground tunnel entrances.
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Summary:
Move to camp 11 (old camp 2), portaging 200 metres on camp 10's island and 1700 metres along the series of falls. Having cleared the trail considerably I am pleased that the five carries go well, including canoe. Several areas on the path still need cutting out some more trees before taking the canoe. A small animal interrupts my sleep by scratching on the Tent door unfortunately clawing several holes in the canvas. Fishing is unsuccessful at camp so must take canoe out to catch supper, landing a bigger pike than needed. A black bear approaches camp surprising both of us before running off. For the second time a bear and small animal are telling me it is time to move on.
August 9:
From my journal: "Up to alarm at '04:30' which is now running fast so up even earlier. 6°C, can see my breath. No rain last night ... yay!. No heavy dew so Tent roof tarp and Tarp shelter are only damp. Breakfast and bathroom before leaving." After portaging 200 metres from camp to the lower end of the island I canoe to the upper end of the 1700 metre long trail beside the series of falls. First carry is the Rubber Pack with Miscellaneous Pack on top containing the tools; in one hand is the encased gun and Bug Tent, the other hand steadying the top load when needed. I note several spots still with obstructing trees for the canoe so take the saw on the return walk to cut out even more than done yesterday. At the upper end I place the saw in one pack to carry back down. On leaving each load at the lower landing I take a big drink of LifeStraw® water. From my journal: "Second carry is the canoe, hoisting over my head on the first try ... yay! No problems, not needing to set down anywhere on the trail. Even making the step up at the gorge where I thought might need to lower the canoe and pull up. Definitely not a place to stop; need to continue momentum to complete the climb. Thank goodness I cleared my old trail at the gorge; no way I could have carried loads up the the other spot. Still a few tight areas on the trail but manage all right. What a difference from my experience in the spring!" Carrying the two empty barrels, one in each hand with Kitchen Barrel packed on my back works well, steadying myself as required by touching the barrels to the ground. With each of the other loads I use the spare paddle as a walking stick to steady myself on the many slopes and side hills; otherwise it would be easy to stumble and fall, not a good idea. After the fourth load I am stumbling a bit and feel a little lethargic. Each empty walk back on a portage does provide a rest of sorts but has its limits. Thank goodness I ate breakfast before leaving camp but now need to rest and reenergize with lunch before the last carry.
After loading the canoe I paddle the two km to camp 11 (old camp 2), arriving in good time at 13:00. It is still a gorgeous day, not bothered much by bugs and not using headnet all day. Even though it would be faster and easier to set up the nylon tent I decide to erect the canvas Tent, especially if the weather turns wet and cool again. Before exiting the Tent I light a mosquito coil. Tent up, firepit dug to boil water I erect the Tarp shelter. From my journal: "17:00, 22°C, sun still nicely warm at the lakeshore facing west. Have a much needed bath. Head itchy, no shower for several days. Cold water but feels oh so good! In bed by 20:00, tired and weary. Sore neck from carrying loads above packs especially when I used a tumpline over my forehead once (to help stabilize the top item so wouldn't fall off). Feels so good to lie down. Sometime after darkness falls, pitch black, there is scratching at front of Tent. Thinking just a mouse at first. But remains persistent so I get up to hit the Tent door with the fly swatter. After rising in the morning wish I had used the swatter earlier because can see claw holes in the Tent door ... bugger! Maybe a member of the weasel family. Though could have been a snowshoe hare; have had them play silly beggars on me before." After the animal scratching episode I sleep well, neck soreness gone (but back the next day)."
August 10:
Up by 04:30 I try fishing along the point of my peninsula hoping to be successful early morning so as not to have to take canoe out. Water is shallower now than in the spring and the hook is snagged almost immediately on rocks. I manage to free it by releasing line and walking far up the shore to try a different angle thankful for not having to fetch the canoe to retrieve the lure. Realizing the futility of fishing here I head back to camp to gear up the canoe. It is a beautiful day, 8°C, bugs okay, sunny, clear, light wind. After paddling one km to a nearby island I land two pike filleting them there on shore. Back at camp I fetch a big pile of long firewood which I limb and break up or saw, providing good kindling and dry wood to store beneath the Tarp shelter. Breakfast at 09:40 includes freshly baked bannock; temperature has risen to 13°C but the warmth of the fire is welcome. The small flashlight I use during the night needs two new AAA lithium batteries; when I got up to pee the light flashed once and died. I utilize Energizer® Ultimate Lithium™ batteries exclusively in all devices because they last much longer than alkaline (advertised as up to 9X longer) but they die a quick death. In the canvas Tent I do use a candle but still need a flashlight to locate it and to return to bed (so last night I used the headlamp). Before lunch I take a walk within the peninsula bush eating a few lone blueberries and lingonberries, not finding enough for supper so settling on alder leaves which are way past their prime. There is some recent bear scat containing berries presumably found off peninsula in the extensive fire-razed area. Temperature has risen to 21°C by 13:30 as I sit under the Tarp shelter updating my journal. From my journal: "Just finished a puzzle. And ... see a black bear walking toward camp about 50 metres away. When it spots me sitting under the Tarp it stops. Then I stand and it runs back the way it came and stops again, looking towards me. I move a few steps and it runs away. It's a small bear probably a two year old now out on its own, much smaller than the huge bear at camp 9." By suppertime the sky is dark and very cloudy, looking like rain. Mosquitoes are getting a bit bothersome. I fetch more firewood to store under the Tarp shelter. Sitting doing more puzzles after supper of sauteed fried pike I am chilled and the fire sure feels good. During the night some small animal scampers along the side of the Tent. It is probably a mouse but taking no chances I get out of bed to slap the sides of the Tent several times with the fly swatter. The rain finally starts and lasts all night.
August 11:
Camp 11 on August 11. It seems light at 04:30 so I doublecheck the time; it must be the location getting more early morning sun than the previous two camps which were more protected from the rising sun. With another bear plus the scratching animal that poked holes in the Tent door I have already decided to not stay long in camp 11. Rain seems to have stopped but undecided about leaving I walk to the lakeshore to get a better view, not once but twice. Most of the sky is dark with clouds, 10°C. Finally making a decision to stay I erect the stove for breakfast and hang up the wet bath towel and yesterday's damp socks and shirt to dry. (Clean undershorts are donned at each ¼ time of the three month trip, other clothes including three pairs of socks at the halfway point. Every bedtime I use Gold Bond® Medicated Extra Strength Body Powder on feet and bum and don dry socks daily.) I am glad to have stored dry firewood, stovewood, kindling and birchbark under the Tarp shelter. From my journal: "Happy with camp and Tent sites here. Gets good sun, is dry, level and drains well. Just heard gray jay. Haven't seen or heard my spruce grouse since arriving; he moved on or was eaten, probably the former? Wonder how large their local range tends to be? And how often they move?" [I have not been able to find any such specific information about spruce or ruffed grouse.] After breakfast I decide to take canoe to catch supper's fish hoping it does not rain. Early on I land on the big island near camp to explore for edibles with no luck. It takes paddling and fishing all morning over a two km diameter area of lake until finally hooking a pike. Before that the hook gets snagged on rock and cannot be retrieved, another good lure lost. Trying for another similarly sized fish I land a 30 inch pike, the latter really broad and deep. If I had got it first I would have stopped fishing; it has a damaged eye so cannot be released. When I fillet it on the nearby shore the gut contains the head of a good sized fish, the only part not yet digested. Back at camp at 13:10 for lunch it is 19°C with blue sky interspersed with mostly white cumulus. Today would have been a good travel day after all. Planning to leave tomorrow I pack stove, prepack some other items and have a cold bath. Supper is pike chowder. I also crispy fry the other half of the catch to take with me tomorrow, not something I usually do or recommend but do not want to stay another day just to eat the fish. From my journal: "Dumb me! Lose two big pieces of fish, dropping into dirt and coals in the firepit before they get to the Dutch oven. Aie! Continuing my dropsy when cleaning the pan it lands upside down in the dirt. Aie!" Before bed I finish prepacking, only leaving out the large pot with potable water. In bed by 20:30 I fall asleep realizing that for the second time a bear and small animal are telling me it is time to move on. There is very light rainfall during the night.