Heading up the river two km from camp 14 towards the first rapids (that I had run when going downstream).
Approaching the rapids.
Looking back below the rapids.
I manage to turn around in the eddy beside the rapids to back into the portage landing. To get the canoe as far as the photo shows I exit and pull it through cattails to tie to a tree.
To securely set the barrels on shore I lay them on their sides before using the harness to carry to the upper end.
At the top of the rapids the water is low enough that I can walk directly beside the river instead of up over the steep inland hill. To safely take the loads on the sloping damp rock I place left foot on each of the three smaller boulders in turn as I step with the right on the slope.
Heading up the next two km stretch above today's first rapids.
Paddling up the quieter water towards the rapids at the gorge.
Gear carried to the bottom of the first hill. The trail to this point is soft leaf-covered soil beneath birch bush so I pull the canoe the 100 metre distance. I had left the harness on the Kitchen Barrel after the previous portage. The other two barrels are still at the lower landing where they remain until freeing up the harness so each can be carried directly all the way to the upper landing.
Pulling the canoe up the 70 metre steep hill requires tying to birch trees as I advance. If I release my grip on the canoe it slides back. The really steep part needs both painters fastened to the bow, one tied off to a tree while using the other to pull and tether farther up, and repeat four times until reaching the top.
Looking back on the trail to the top of the steep hill. I carry the blue Rubber Pack, the foreground Miscellaneous Pack on top and the gun to the upper landing. The latter pack contains the tools to clear any trees along the trail. While fresh(er) I return to carry the canoe. It takes several attempts to hoist the canoe because the path is too narrow, hitting the trees as I lift. I usually pick up the canoe standing beside it at midpoint but give up on that approach. Now I have to lift from the bow and step backward towards the centre, a more difficult method accompanied by much grunting and quite a few aie, aie, aies.
A section of the portage through tall birch trees which have shed many browning leaves, probably prematurely because of the dry weather.
A small bird on the trail has become a meal for someone.
At the river landing above the gorge there are a few northern leopard frogs, some jumping into the water.
August 26, several km above the second portage I notice a heavy plume of wildfire smoke puffing up in the sky to the west. Is the fire closer now?
August 27, from my 'sweet spot' for walleye fishing location I still see thick smoke to the west (billowing up in the centre of the photos at the horizon).
05:17, 05:30, 05:56 August 28 sunrise through thick smoke at the horizon.
14:40 August 28 eastern sky now bright blue with some white cloud, only a thin ribbon of smoke at the horizon.
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Summary:
Pack tent gear in the dark using candle. Drink 1500 mL water before leaving camp 14 which successfully allows me to ration the 500 mL canteen. First portage is 'flat' and easy. Second portage definitely not flat, the steepest hill requiring use of both painters to tether canoe as I drag it up the slope. Difficult to hoist canoe to carry, unable to lift the conventional way in the narrow confines of the trail. Good day for travelling, not too hot, nice breeze, but still sweat-soaked. Heavy smoke cloud in the west, thick plume of wildfire smoke puffing up in the sky. Difficult paddling and fishing due to strong all day wind August 27. Nice next day makes for good fishing but not where I initially try. Almost lose my drinking cup. Distance travelled to camp 15 (old camp 9) is 10 km including two portages (170 and 520 metres).
August 26:
Up by 04:00 in the dark I am well rested after an early bedtime of 19:30. I am glad to have stayed an extra day at camp 14 to recover from the long hard day three days ago. I light the candle in order to get dressed and pack sleep gear. (The IKEA® 100% stearin candle is a short one, half the 7" length for safety. The candle burns cleanly; it is the ideal diameter of 3/4" so that the entire width burns. For safety I use a heavy galvanized plumbing bushing (7/8" diameter x 1") as a candle holder, standing in an empty 106 gram sardine can serving double duty for use with mosquito coils. I make sure to use the candle in a safe location away from side of nylon tent and gear. If there was more than one person in the nylon tent I would be reluctant to use the candle for safety reasons. To cut the long candle in half I use the multitool sawblade, then the knife to pare the top of the bottom half at a 45° angle close to the wick; the bit of wax left around the wick melts when lighting it the first time.) Even when done packing it is still darkish requiring the headlamp. From my journal: "Very cloudy. Normally would think rain. This year with little rain and heavy smoke, predictions are all turned around. Fortunately today ends up being great day for travelling, not too hot, nice breeze first north switching to west." I drink 1500 ml of water before leaving, filling the 500 mL canteen three times before dumping the remainder of last evening's boiled water. Paddling upstream the two km to the first rapids I make good time, sticking to the slower water at the side. As I reach the rapids two bald eagles swoop back and forth over the head of the rapids low to the water; they must have missed a catch. There is a small back eddy beside the lower end of the rapids where I manage to reverse to land stern first. Luckily I can step out of the canoe on some boulders only getting boots a bit wet before pulling the canoe over some tall cattails. The 170 metre portage is in good shape only needing clearing of young alders at the lower area that would trip me up as I climb its short but steep slope. Luckily the upper end is walkable along shore while carrying loads but have to be careful, stepping on three boulders with left foot while spreadeagled a bit with the right on the damp rock slope. I even carry the canoe there. I had thought to eat breakfast but realize I would need to drink some of the precious 500 mL canteen water. Noticeable is that my pee is completely clear after drinking so much water before leaving camp.
Paddling on the next two km I land where I launched on the downriver journey. Having just completed a short relatively flat portage I am not looking forward to the next one, definitely not flat. It dawns on me now that the gorge portage became 520 metres long, an extra 50, when I could not launch directly at the end of the original trail on August 12. Another time it could be reduced to its 470 metre length by shifting it directly through the bush after clearing a few more trees. Landing is easy because there is a large back eddy beside the outlet from the gorge, just have to stay close to shore to get there but far enough away to avoid grounding on boulders. Hungry I start eating breakfast at 09:30 as I unload. I carry gear to the bottom of the first hill. The trail to this point is soft leaf-covered soil beneath birch bush so I pull the canoe the 100 metre distance. I had left the harness on the Kitchen Barrel after the previous portage. The other two barrels remain at the lower landing until freeing up the harness so each can be carried directly all the way to the upper landing. I carry all the gear to the top of the 70 metre steepest hill. Carrying up is more difficult than the descent, having to grab a birch tree with one hand while carrying a load, so no doubling up on top. Then the hardest task, hauling the canoe up the slope. Pulling the canoe requires tying to birch trees as I advance. If I release my grip on the canoe it slides back. The really steep part needs both painters fastened to the bow, one tied off to a tree while using the other to pull and tether farther up, and repeat four times until reaching the top. Next I take the blue Rubber Pack, the Miscellaneous Pack on top and the gun to the upper landing. The latter pack contains the tools to clear any trees along the trail, fortunately not required. On the return walk I toss off a few down branches and trees by hand. Next in line is the canoe while as fresh as I am going to be before carrying the rest of the gear. It takes several attempts to hoist the canoe because the path is too narrow, hitting the trees as I lift. I usually pick up the canoe standing beside it at midpoint but give up on that approach after two attempts. Repeatedly raising it only to have to lower it when I cannot turn it to lift above my head is not going to work. Now I have to lift from the bow and step backward towards the centre, a more difficult method accompanied by much grunting and quite a few aie, aie, aies. If that was not successful I was prepared to carry another load first then return with the saw to widen the trail in one spot to allow me to pick the canoe up the conventional way. There are no trees appropriate for setting the bow of the canoe to allow me to walk under to rest the yoke on my shoulders. C'est la vie. There are other hills to climb heading upstream but none as bad as the steepest hill. Having delivered the canoe I tie it in the river ready to be loaded. I had carried the painters in the Miscellaneous Pack on my first run. Back to the bottom of the steep hill I carry the Kitchen Barrel to the canoe, followed by the remaining gear and barrels.
From my journal: "Drink one swallow of water from canteen after each completed carry. Finally loading the canoe have lunch and finish the rest of the 500 mL canteen. Thank goodness weather cooperates with cooler day and wind, though from the dreaded west smoke source; that and filling up with water at camp saves the day. A good day. Glad to be done portaging for today. Still, I'm sweat-soaked from hat to midthigh." High overhead today I heard some early migrating Canada geese, snow geese and sandhill cranes. When I reach a few km ahead of the gorge I can see longer distances. Now visible is a heavy smoke cloud towards the west and south, a thick plume of wildfire smoke puffing up in the sky. Is the fire closer now? Perhaps I am returning at an opportune time, heading the 'right' way. Fortunately the wind switches from west to north and by the time I am nearing camp at 16:15 the plume stops heading towards me. Weary I am pleased with the time and the day's work. Even before completely finishing unloading I unpack the Kitchen Barrel for the pots to start water boiling. I am soon drinking hot water, letting it cool just a bit. Leaving the canteen cap off I fill it to cool before bedtime. Thank goodness for the quickness of macaroni & cheese, eating it as I finish unloading and set up tent. Supper done, I tie the two heavy barrels and erect Tarp shelter. In bed by 20:15 there is still good light, smoke and clouds driven away by the north wind. A cool night I am in the sleeping bag most of the time, at some point pulling on a pair of heavy socks. Distance travelled to camp 15 (old camp 9) is 10 km including two portages (170 and 520 metres).
August 27:
By 07:55 I am eating fresh bannock, two protein bars including last night's, hot water plus bacon crumbles and Parmesan. 10°C when I got up, it is a cool 14°C, light east wind, a bit of smoke at the horizon, sunny in a mostly blue sky. By 08:50 the wind is moderate and gusting making it feel even cooler than the current 19°C. Chores are finished: saw firewood, air bedding, level front of tent base, rejig Tarp shelter which I realized last night was situated too far uphill. I place a long heavy pole on each side of the bottom Tarp rope to help hold it down against the wind. The last chore is to catch fish for supper; however that makes for a busy day because it takes so long, not returning home until 16:20. The wind stays in the east which will help push smoke away but becomes strong making paddling and fishing difficult. Circling my island there is no luck fishing the southeast channel, previously my sweet spot for walleye, I think because of the wind. All day the hook gets snagged on weeds badly, thinking a few times I am going to lose yet another lure. No point in attempting to fish the west windward side, I try several places along the east shore. Finally battling a crosswind I head to a small isle about half km to the east where I successfully land two pike (17", 18") on the lee side. Two more small pike escape the hook so I finally give up; one more would have been nice. At the west horizon there are at least two big plumes of smoke looking like active fire, I wonder how close to Sandy Bay village which is about 14 km away. Hopefully farther away than they seem, I do not see or hear any helicopters so assume the community is safe. Getting back to camp against the headwind is hard paddling made worse because of the lightly loaded canoe and bad wind gusts. Temperature 20°C, the wind is too strong and cool to bathe so I just rinse my face with a handkerchief. Having forgotten last evening, the bedding gets soiled enough without at least rinsing. With the strong wind I do not think I sweated today at all. From my journal: "As I prepare supper of pike chowder put heavy shirt on but soon take it off along with my hat, but I do up the top button of light shirt. Definitely have higher cold tolerance since I've been out. Not so much heat tolerance though." The water level is only down about three inches since the last time here, what a difference overall compared to Sisipuk Lake. From camp because of the bush behind I no longer can see to the west so do not know the smoke situation there. Weary I head to the tent at 19:35; it has been a tiring day. Even on the lee side of islands it was difficult paddling.
August 28:
Up by 05:00 it does not get light until half hour later. At 04:30 I heard the click of the alarm clock, still quite dark. Outside the first thing I notice is the orange-red sky in the east. Thinking at first it was a 'sailor take warning' for later rain I realize it is the smoke effect, no surprise. With a moderate east wind I momentarily think of staying in camp but hopefully it does not get strong like yesterday. I load the canoe to try fishing two km up the east channel at 'blueberry peninsula', hoping for walleye. From my journal: "No such luck. Try various spots on the return, eventually going to my 'sweet spot'. In short time land a 15 inch walleye and a 24 inch pike. Yay!. Land at the usual 'fireweed meadow' area to fillet the fish. But first priority breakfast. Eat while repacking the fish gear, drinking from the canteen." While paddling near shore I see two beavers, a mink, an otter who jumped into the water with a big splash, both of us being equally startled. I also spot a northern flicker and a bald eagle. On return to camp I hang up the bedding; the tent does not get much sun, so well shaded by surrounding tall black spruce. Next I unload the canoe then haul it onshore to serve as a windbreak beneath the Tarp shelter. A beautiful day, 22°C, light east wind now, it feels like a nice fall day. Just before lunch I return the bedding to the tent then hang up the pajamas and pillowcases to air. Lunch is taken sitting in shade near shore two metres away and two above. Bugs have been good. From my journal: "Almost lose my stainless steel cup. It is sitting on a pot of water beneath a juniper bush branch beside my chair. I inadvertently jostle the branch and cup rolls down the steep 60° rock slope ... and into the lake. Luckily it lands upside down and floats making me wonder if that ability is by design. Momentarily think have to take off clothes to go after it. And I just got dressed after a bath. I lay on the sloping rock surface, barely managing to reach the cup handle. Whew! I remark 'How items are valued differently in the bush versus home; at home I would just take another cup from the cupboard or buy a new one. No cupboard or store here. And each item has a purpose, usually more than one.' Using handkerchief I dry out the cup to remove lake water, then rinse the cup with potable water." By midafternoon temperature rises to 27°C but the breeze makes it comfortable. At supper a crow calls raucously nearby. Before bedtime I finish prepacking to move on tomorrow. Laying on the bed I ponder about where I would place the canvas Tent if required. There is no good spot. I think I would move to the small isle about half km away that I checked last time I camped here. It would be a pain to move everything but really the best option.