06:48 and 07:27 August 12, red sun reflected on lake surface through wildfire smoke which lingers all day. I decide it is not bad enough to mask.
07:44, 08:06, 08:20 and 08:27: entering the bay leading to the outflow of the lake and finally docking at the portage landing where I eat breakfast.
Bunchberries not fully ripe but good enough to eat. When there is a large number I focus on picking the bigger bunches.
A red squirrel on the portage watches me while clearing a blocked section of trail.
Dropping my first load to unpack saw in order to cut out the fallen spruce tree across portage.
I set the gun about 30 metres from the lower end of the trail.
On my return for another load I pick up garbage left along the path. I place it at the upper end where motorboat users would have come for a walk to inexplicably toss it aside along the trail. I also see some bottles tossed into the river. Aie! Plastic will take eons to deteriorate. Bears have chewed on some items. Hopefully but unlikely someone will pick it up to dispose of properly. If I was camping here I would burn it.
The beautiful but smoky view from the portage trail high above the river gorge below.
I portage most of the gear to stop at the top of a very steep portion of the trail. It is not safe to walk down carrying more than one pack, having to hang on to birch trees growing alongside. As usual while still fresh I carry the canoe on the second carry.
Lowering the canoe down the hill using the upper (stern) painter to tie off. If the canoe got away from me over the side of the hill amongst trees it would be a challenge to fetch it back to the trail. After finagling it around the big boulder at a turn the canoe does slide off the path but I manage to pull it with the lower (bow) end painter the rest of the way.
At the lower end of the portage I partially load the canoe amongst reeds along the river shore with the intent to gradually push the canoe out as I add more gear. I only heave the canoe out a short distance when it hits an immoveable boulder. Moving the canoe over the same thing occurs. Aie! Not bothering to walk out in the wet bottom I know there is no way to launch here.
Walking about 40 metres through thick grass and wild mint between bush and shore reeds I find an alternative, upstream another 10 metres. It is necessary to cut out branches and small trees to create an opening.
After unloading the canoe I haul it to the new landing where I place it directly in the water at a pool that eddies back from the rapids below the gorge. Loading is a bit of a challenge but like everything in the bush take it slow and careful; do not step into or out of the canoe while carrying anything. Hoist the gear in or out from solid footing outside of the canoe. Believe me after paying the price severing a shoulder ligament after falling for doing it the wrong way.
Launching the canoe I paddle upstream in the eddy to the boulders at the outlet to look up the gorge (from a standing position).
Turning the canoe to head down the river along the rapids.
Soon passing a beaver just below the rapids from the gorge.
Moving down the river valley.
The next rapids where I stop for lunch and to have a look to decide if I portage or run them. After walking beside the rapids back and forth twice I choose to go down the rapids. Shipping a fair bit of water I stop to unload and tip it out.
There are several beaver lodges along the way where there is good food source of birch tree regrowth after forest fire.
Paddling towards two more beavers below the second rapids.
Reaching the river outlet leading to a high set of waterfalls where I will camp on the shore above the falls on the left.
Landing late afternoon I lay out emptied packs at 17:22 to dry in some welcome sunshine but smoke still very evident. The SPOT™ device rests on the stove to notify my contacts. As usual at a long or difficult portage or rapids I have activated it twice already today, at the first landing and at the rapids I chose to run. I realize it would have saved the time and effort to dry gear if I had portaged the rapids instead of running. C'est la vie, all's well that ends well.
August 13 early next morning taking advantage of sunshine I lay out contents of the Canvas Tent pack to dry. This site has a large expanse of open rock next to shore.
View up the river above camp 10.
One of the multitude of small toads sunning itself on a tarp.
Where I dock the canoe is a patch of bur-reed growing from the shallow water bottom, the lower stems edible.
The main falls of the set of waterfalls.
Looking down the bay away from the main falls past another small falls. Two others are dry because of low water levels.
Ripe tasty gooseberries beside the falls; I eat several handfuls on the spot.
A 27" pike caught from below the falls. The cubed fish boils for five minutes before adding dry ingredients to make chowder, a quick favourite yummy meal. Northern fish such as pike and walleye can harbor tapeworm so adequate cooking is imperative.
At first I situate the Tarp shelter facing away from the morning sun. After cooling heavy rainfall on August 14, the next day I turn the Tarp the opposite direction to get the warmth from an extended fireplace.
Doing something in the field that I should have done at home before the trip I add duct tape in two layers in large sections on both sides of the Tarp corners. This is to prevent the grommet from tearing out which has happened before because the suspension ropes have to be stretched tight to properly suspend the Tarp. I specifically buy heavy duty tarpaulins from Inland Plastics™.
The best descent from the lower end of the portage trail to Sisipuk Lake, still a steep 45° slope down the notch between even steeper rock.
The very steep 60° rock slope directly down from the lower end of the portage, unsafe in dry conditions, treacherously dangerous in wet. When water levels were 'normal' I have loaded from here but now it is a long way down to the water and would need to use extra ropes to attach the painters to anchor points on shore.
A closer view of the top of the previous photo honing in on the motorboat now very high above the lake surface crushed under a large fallen tree. There is a painter tied from the bow of the boat to a tree illustrating it was at one time close to the water. Unlikely this boat will ever be used again.
05:47 August 13, smoky sunrise at horizon.
06:45 August 14, difficult to tell if smoke at the horizon with so much cloud.
Birch trees already turning yellow. It might be because of drought versus early autumn.
05:52 August 16, foggy morning.
05:31 August 17 sunrise.
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Summary:
Smoke in the air all day as I travel the 10 km to camp 10, including a 470 metre portage and running a set of rapids. Portage is above a beautiful gorge but is a steep up-and-down trail with an even steeper hill that requires careful descent especially with the canoe which must be lowered down with rope. Partially packed canoe at lower end of portage cannot be launched when it hits a boulder, having to unload and move after clearing a new path. Frustratingly pick up several pieces of garbage along trail and spot more from canoe as I depart. As I paddle the river I pass several beavers. Run 200 metre rapids shipping a lot of water having to stop, unload and drain the canoe. Sweat-soaked upper during portage and water-soaked lower in the rapids. Welcome but late arrival so only partially set up camp. Smoke continues but visible only at horizons for most of my stay. Hot temperatures up to 31°C until welcome rainfall. Reinforce shelter Tarp corners with thick layers of duct tape. Disappointedly do not catch any walleye, even pike more difficult to land than usual, all having moved to deeper water. Most disappointing is the extremely low water level down at least two metres in the lake below the waterfalls! Reduced water flow forces me to clear an upper extension to the next portage; trail must jog at the lower end to bypass the very steep treacherous rock shore to a still steep but doable path.
August 12:
Up to the alarm at 04:00 I reset for 04:30 because it is too dark. Away by 06:40, it is quite smoky but do not wear mask. Arriving in good time at the lake outlet by 08:30, I activate the SPOT™ as I usually do when starting a long or difficult portage. This one is the latter. After eating breakfast while unloading I heft the first load and start up the steep hill setting it down when the path is blocked by a medium sized spruce tree that must be cut out. A squirrel scolds me from a nearby pine but surprisingly stays in place for a few minutes to overlook my work and to let me take a photo. It takes one hour to clear the trail, half that for larger trees requiring the saw, the remainder small stuff that can be removed by hand. On the walk back I pick up several pieces of garbage including a Chapman's ice cream container, interesting because the factory is in Markdale, Ontario my home town. They ship all over but this is the first time I have seen it on a portage. I carry the litter back to the upper landing to leave it for someone to pick up the next time motorboat users come for a walk. Hopefully but unlikely someone will pick it up to dispose of properly. If I was camping here I would burn it. Sure to be over 30°C I am soon sweat-soaked but thankfully do not have to wear head net. This portage is most difficult at a 70 metre very steep hill where it is not possible to carry down both pieces of a load at once. For the second trip I carry the canoe to the top of the hill but then carefully slide it down the slope using a painter occasionally tying it to a birch tree so as not to get away from me over the edge. By the second last load I am running out of energy so I eat some of my lunch. I drink LifeStraw® water at the lower end each trip but probably not enough, sweating it out, not having to pee. Feeling better after food I complete the last of the carries. As usual the spare paddle becomes a walking staff when carrying each of the three barrels which really helps stabilize me especially on the steep descent. The hill would be really difficult if there were no birch trees to grasp as 'handrails' so shudder to think what it would have been like after the long ago fire swept through. At the spot where the pathway ledge is narrow and there are no trees I lean into the side of the hill bracing against it with my outstretched arm. From my journal: "All gear now carried to the lower landing I start to load the canoe with the bow pushed into the reeds. Pushing the canoe forward to make sure it will continue floating ... bang ... it hits something hard ... a boulder? Move the canoe over ... bang ... same result. Water too low. The main river channel is 30 metres out. Walk to my right 40 metres towards the rapids to investigate a better landing. Decide it will work. Have to then go upstream 10 metres to reach a pool of water without being obstructed by big boulders. Chuckling I remark 'so now I'm going back upstream'. Saw a small birch tree, a few birch branches and about 10 big branches off a huge balsam fir. If I'd known beforehand could have dropped my loads 40 metres farther, especially the barrels while each harnessed. C'est la vie. Lug the barrels without the harness the 50 metres." I paddle off after loading the canoe in the pool of a back eddy beside the last main rapid through the canyon. On leaving I see a can and a bottle laying on the bottom of the water. Aie!
Paddling down the river I see beavers in two different spots, tails slapping the surface in alarm as I go past. Stopping at the head of the next rapids I finish my lunch. Then I examine the rapids at multiple viewpoints from the shore, doublechecking my approach plan to run them. The portage trail is reasonably clear and now with low water levels the upper portion can be accessed along shore instead of having to take the steep go-around. Walking back to the canoe I throw off a few down trees from the path. There are a bunch of alders that will have to be cut out if I decide to portage. After changing my mind twice I decide to run the rapids so don wading gear and PFD. My lower clothes and boots are packed to keep dry and secure as is all loose gear (map, compass, sunglasses, camera). Stepping into the canoe to kneel in front of the stern seat I shove off upstream to paddle above the fast current before turning. I confirm that the water course at the far right of the rapids is blocked at one point and too shallow to be waded. Paddling back upstream and turning again I start my approach and soon my decision cannot be reversed. Slowing the canoe as much as possible I target the entry to the right of the long boulder separating two main rapids. Once through the chute I cannot go over to the right and farther on have to avoid the left where there is a ledge. From my journal: "Fast and exhilarating as usual. Ship a lot of water, too much to quickly bail. At least did not hit any undersurface boulders or capsize. Pull over to the left at a large open rock shore away from the grasp of the current. Unload gear turning any that were on the bottom to drain a bit. Tip canoe of water before reloading. I am water-soaked from thighs down, still sweat-soaked above from the previous portage. Don't have to try to avoid stepping into the water now! Change back to sweat-dampened lower clothes before getting back in canoe."
I paddle past many ducks in the water that fly away then circle back to land again after the intruder has moved on. At about 17:00 I land above waterfalls that empty the river into the next lake which is part of the Churchill River system. Camp 10 will be on the top of an expanse of sloping rock above the river about 100 metres from the roaring falls. Distance travelled is 10 km including steep hilly 470 metre portage and running 200 metre rapids. It is later than I thought when I turn on the SPOT™ at 17:22, the sun having moved behind trees at camp. However there is still sun kissed bare rock where I landed so I lay out packs that were in the bottom of the canoe to dry. Removing gear from the packs I spread out any that is damp. The only pack I do not open is the canvas Tent one which I will deal with another day. The beauty of the barrels is that though laying in the bottom of the canoe they are completely watertight. Carrying dry packs and barrels to the camp area I ready fireplace for grill. Water boiling quickly in all three pots I make macaroni & cheese which I eat three heaping spoonfuls at a time as I set up tent. Gear in tent or under tent fly or canoe it is getting dark. Luckily there are few mosquitoes but I do camper's dance anyway before entering for the night to lay out sleep gear. My socks, undershorts and shirt are sweat-soaked from the morning portage so no point hanging them to dry on the tent ridge line. They go into a soggy pile to be rinsed and dried tomorrow. As usual I undress completely as soon as entering tent to stop sweating and start cooling down. Laying on the bed sheet by 21:30 I am in pajamas about half hour later and sometime after in fleece shell for most of the night. From my journal: "Tired and weary. Sleep well but have bad leg cramps. Sweated so much today. Not enough water even though used LifeStraw® frequently. Drink half the 500 mL canteen before bed. Eat TUMS whose calcium may help with cramps. [The main reason I carry TUMS is because I still have lingering indigestion effects of long COVID-19 of 2022.] Nighttime is cool enough that I need to warm up occasionally by quickly batting feet inside shell."
August 13:
Up by 05:30 to a nice day but with definite smoke at the horizon I lay out all the remaining damp gear from the Canvas Tent pack. Yesterday's sweat-soaked clothes hang on the clothesline after rinsing. Next task is to erect the Tarp shelter facing away from the morning sun; the front will be well shaded by bush in the afternoon. Breakfast includes the last prepared bannock for breakfast. At 11:00, thinking it later, I take early lunch, two protein bars because there is no bannock and too hot to bake; I will bake first thing tomorrow when cooler. Sitting under the shelter, a hot 31°C makes me glad I situated the Tarp away from the east; the downside is lack of full visibility to the shore plus having to use all of the ropes to suspend the Tarp, I think the first time ever. Technically I did not use all the ropes as one rope is missing that I must have left at one of the last two campsites. The sky is clear with smoke visible at horizons, only a light wind. In this heat I keep falling asleep while updating journal, wearing no shirt or hat and am getting a few mosquito bites mostly on my arms for some reason. There are many small toads the size of a quarter on the rock where the gear is laid to dry. At 12:30 still 31°C I tie the two heavy barrels before canoeing to the falls 100 metres downstream to fish hopefully for walleye. I load the canoe with the usual gear including the Kitchen Barrel even though only going a short distance; it does not take long for a bear to make mischief in camp. Before using barrels I have had a bear take a food bag from camp while I was just out of sight fishing from camp shore. Between waterfalls there is a small island where I will park the canoe. Having to step out of the canoe I haul it across shallow water flowing over a rock ledge into a small pool above the narrow falls to the right of the main waterfall. A fully loaded canoe would not make it to the portage farther to the right so will have to lengthen the trail to bypass it farther upstream. Tying up the canoe I walk the short distance to the top of the falls and then down the precipitous rock slope to the lake. Luckily there is a moss covered ledge 'step' to use to ease myself down. Beside me a bald eagle flies from its lookout perch on a tall spruce overlooking the lake below; it lands on a big dead tree trunk across the bay. As soon as I step down to slide my bum over the ledge I land in a thorny gooseberry bush loaded with pea-sized plump dark purple fruit. I eat several handfuls, quite tasty, having to tolerate getting poked as I pick. The gooseberry bush is amongst equally prickly wild rose plants bearing ripening rose hips. Three casts land a nice 27" pike for supper chowder, no walleye seen yet. The water level in the bay below the waterfalls is surprisingly low compared to that covered since starting my trip. The last time here was 2022 and the level is down way over one metre! Back at camp I have a bath before 18:15 supper, now still hot but 28°C so at least dropping. While pots on to boil I fetch a spruce tree from the bush to provide a bough mat 'table'. A frog exits the fireplace several minutes after lighting, hopefully unhurt. I speak outright several times "Come on rain! ... Come on rain!". The sky is only a bit cloudy not looking promising, but at least I now cannot see or smell smoke. In bed by 20:30, 27°C I lay on the bedsheet unclothed for the night.
August 14:
At 05:15 I awake to crows sounding an alarm. Today I have to use the second extra notch in my belt so hopefully that is the last one required. At 06:55 breakfast, 20°C, dead calm I have made sure to bake bannock early. Some dark cloud allows me to sit outside the Tarp shelter facing east but only half done eating the sun is out bright. There is no smoke smell but perhaps some smoke at the horizon. At 07:15, 26°C dark clouds from the south move across the sun so I stay outside. From my journal: "Thank you cloud. Cool things down. We need rain. Plants and trees need rain; some are dead or dying." After pruning the lower large dead branches from the tall spruce tree between tent and shelter, I saw a pile of 12" sticks for firewood. 11:11, after the sky darkens looking like rain I am in the Bug Tent under the Tarp shelter having to kill about 10 mosquitoes that entered with me. A thunderstorm with very little rain passes through. Writing journal and doing a puzzle I keep falling asleep, making stray pen marks on the paper. At noon lunch there is a bit of sunshine and a light breeze feels good. After lunch I get dressed to go to the falls again. I add the tools to the load in the canoe. The plan is to catch a fish at the small falls beside the portage then clear the trail. After only catching and releasing a small pike but snagging and losing a lure I walk to the main waterfall. Instead of having to use the canoe again I easily step across the much reduced waterflow to the small falls. From my journal: "Finally I catch a nice walleye from the steep rock shore near the falls. Land it and like most walleye it is lightly hooked. Evades my grasp and flops back into the water. Had not thought through on such a steep slope how I'm going to keep a fish. There is no place to bring it in to give me time to grasp it. Flops easily back into the water while I'm madly trying to grab it without falling into the water myself. Shit! (Occasionally I slip up and utter the real word instead of aie.) Now I move over to a lower leveller area and get a 26" pike landing it no problem. Extracting the hook out of deep in its mouth (deeper than the reach of the pliers) I poke my left thumb on one of the teeth. Aie! It bleeds profusely. After rinsing it in lake water I wrap in handkerchief. Will only stop momentarily and end up using second handkerchief. Have to fillet fish, pack and return to camp making sure the handkerchief is grasped tightly in my hand. Loud boom of thunder while cleaning fish. Clouds to west and north nasty looking churning up like smoke." Back at camp I bandage the wound after cleaning with alcohol swab and applying Polysporin® Triple Ointment antibiotic. At 17:50 the pot of cubed pike is on to boil. I had hoped to fry but threatening storm changes my mind. Rainfall has me wearing rain jacket as I tend the fire. Bothersome mosquitoes force me into the Bug Tent under the Tarp shelter for supper. Still raining I head to tent early, in bed by 19:30.
August 15:
Breakfast of fresh bannock beside the fire warms me inside and out. The day starts very humid, dead calm, 19°C, sun not visible through thick cloud, strong smoke smell but difficult to tell how much of the cloud is smoke. Everything is soaking wet after raining most of the night with lots of lightning. My clothes are damp mostly from yesterday's sweat but some from the humidity. A poor mother duck paddles up and down the far side of the river forlornly squawking for a missing duckling. I noticed her yesterday when she brought her brood downstream as far as the falls. From around the corner near the canoe I haul three long thick dead pine branches each attached to a piece of the fallen trunk to saw for firewood. Wearing the heavy shirt I sit close to the fire on the uphill side with a dry bough mat 'table' on either side. Soon I exchange the heavy shirt for the damp light one so it can dry on me near the fire. Hanging it on the line would only make it damper until the sun appears. The Tarp shelter is soaked on the underside with condensation so have to avoid the tendency to touch it with the back of my shirt. After switching the Tarp to face the opposite direction I build an extended fireplace close to the front so that it is only one metre away from fire instead of two. A bonus is that I only need to use one extra rope instead of all eight (minus one left at a previous campsite). I can now hang items to dry on the upper Tarp rope and take advantage of the large dry bough mat inside the shelter while the fire dries the underside of the Tarp. After lunch I get ready to canoe to clear the portage. I move and bank the fire from upper to lower main fireplace and thoroughly extinguish in and around the upper.
It takes one hour to clear the trail, half of that to cut and remove trees, brush and branches of an extended trail. This is to allow landing in the low water conditions with a loaded canoe above the impassable ledge. So the 100 metre trail increases by 50 metres at the upper end. But it also increases by 20 metres at the lower end due to the extremely low level in Sisipuk Lake. The latter is well over one metre down, now sure it is at least a shocking two metres lower than when I was last here in 2022, disproportionately more than the waters canoed to this point. Perhaps the heavy rains in June seen in the area where I started canoeing did not occur here or up the Churchill River. The rock slope directly below the portage into the lake is a long very steep 60°, unsafe in dry conditions and would be treacherously dangerous if wet. When water levels were 'normal' I have loaded from here; beside the danger, now the distance to the water would require extra ropes to attach the painters to anchor points on shore. One illustration of the change is the presence of a now stranded motor boat high above water, unfortunately crushed by a fallen tree. Walking along the rock slope to investigate the boat I realize how dangerous trying to load the canoe in the wrong place would be as I start to slide having to quickly move across to keep from falling into the water. The best descent from the lower end of the portage trail to the lake adds an extra 20 metres usually under water, still a steep 45° slope down the notch between even steeper rock but there are some ledges and boulders to step on so safe even in wet conditions. The lower landing is now at the base of the much reduced flow of the smaller falls.
Forgoing fishing, as I paddle back the 100 metres to camp I am escorted by my bald eagle majestically soaring above making several circles to take me home. Midafternoon, 20°C the sun finally appears in a mostly clear blue sky, some smoke at horizons. Hanging up all my clothes while I bathe in the river small flies are fascinated with my jeans, probably old sweat, hopefully not food. At supper I remark out loud "Tomorrow I catch a walleye." From my journal: "Mosquitoes become bothersome early evening. They now tend to be silent and sneaky biting before I realize their presence. Moving to the river edge to catch the breeze there are no mosquitoes. Aie ... spoke too soon, one arriving immediately after I write that." At 19:30 I pack up gear and head to the tent, on bed by 20:30, dreaming bad dreams for some reason, in sleeping bag by morning.
August 16:
On getting up it is 10°C, heavy fog, smoke only at margins but I can occasionally smell it throughout the day. I wear both shirts until the fire is going well, mixing a bannock on the Kitchen Barrel next to the fireplace. Paddling to the main waterfall with my hopes for a walleye I catch a 23" pike, hooked so deep I have to remove the lure when filleting, no more thumbs punctured. Before landing the fish I hook a pike which got the line tangled in something; hopefully it succeeded in freeing itself. There is a beautiful half rainbow through the prism of waterfall spray. Still trying for a walleye with no luck not even for another pike I return to camp. When I stayed here previously there was easy fishing for mainly walleye, what a difference; fish have gone to deeper waters. By the time I eat a late lunch at 12:55 I feel weak, not a good feeling. One advantage of being late is missing the worst of the heat from the sun at camp. After lunch I drop the Tarp shelter in order to add duct tape in two layers four strips wide on both sides of all Tarp corners over the grommet. From now on I will do this at home after purchasing a new Tarp. After having cheaper tarps tear in two, I specifically buy only the heavy duty tarps from Inland Plastics™ which usually last a few years. Because the suspension ropes have to be stretched tight to properly suspend the Tarp I have had a grommet pull out. Just before 18:00 supper of tasty sauteed fried pike I have a bath. Eating with no hat or shirt luckily there are no bugs, a nice evening, 24°C, obvious smoke at horizons. Soon cooling down to 20°C, I start getting some mosquito bites. Tired I am on bed by 20:30.