Having just left camp 16 I head to the 10 metre board portage across the falls into the next lake.
The board portage is in need of repairs. Have to be careful not to step into a hole or break through a rotten spot. Gear and canoe could be carried over the rock instead.
Below are photos of the usual discarded garbage of drink cans and plastic, the effect of any waterbody connected to a road. A clear bag of flattened cans I had cleaned up previously still hangs on a nearby tree where I hoped someone would take them; it is now a bit torn by a bear who apparently does not recycle either.
"New" (recent) garbage beside the board portage.
"Old" garbage I previously hung in a nearby tree with a note on it to be removed for recycle. The bag has now been damaged by a bear.
Heading up the channel away from the falls.
On getting to a wide open area of the lake I am greeted with good fortune by a strong tailwind. The swelling waves are visible in the photos. I waste no time taking advantage. When I near the next channel the waves have picked up momentum and height, unnerving when they slide under and past the canoe, sometimes breaking beside me to splash the load. About half km near the channel, the waves worse, I scoot across the wind to get behind the shelter of some islands.
Make excellent time with the strong tailwind as I head up the narrows to finally approach camp 17 island.
After two months wearing the same clothes only rinsing some occasionally I change into a completely clean set. The old jeans with the patched tear serve as backup until reaching home where they are destined to be discarded. I always carry a spare Tilley® hat; if the only one I had got lost or damaged it would be not only inconvenient but dangerous.
The following photos are taken September 1, a very smoky day.
06:41, sunrise through thick smoke.
14:31.
18:03, very ominous looking sky.
**********************
Summary:
Tent surprisingly dried before morning by the wind after all night rainfall. Breaking camp earlier than expected a strong tailwind makes for a fast paddle to camp 17, 14 km including 10 metre portage. Canoe embarrassingly grounds on an unseen boulder in the middle of a channel forcing me to step into the water to push off. With no LifeStraw® anymore, empty peanut butter jar will provide extra drinking water while travelling. Will continue to drink at least 1500 mL of water before leaving camp on a travel day. 52nd wedding anniversary for Jeanette and I. Thick smoke continues. Welcome change of clean clothes. Good walleye fishing.
August 31:
Having turned the alarm off because of the rain during the night I still get up by 05:00 thinking I may have to stay another day. Donning rain jacket before leaving the tent I place gear on the boughs beneath the Tarp shelter, the only dry spot. It is 15°C but feels cold because of wind; smoke smell is strong, ominous looking grey clouds but little visible smoke. The tent is surprisingly dried by the wind after the last rainfall; the bottom corners and lower vestibule skirts are damp. I decide to pack and leave. Too hot as I pack, I take off the rain jacket but when I reach the board portage one km away the wind is cold and could have still benefited from the jacket. Because of missing, broken or rotten boards I am careful to step where they are nailed to the underlying support beams. As more deterioration occurs it would be better to portage directly over the rock. There is the usual discarded garbage of drink cans and plastic, the effect of any waterbody connected to a road. A clear bag of flattened cans I had cleaned up previously still hangs on a nearby tree where I hoped someone would take them; it is now a bit torn by a bear who apparently does not recycle either. While portaging I eat breakfast. Leaving the portage I paddle up the bay against the wind until turning. Now I make good time with a strong tailwind all the way to the next camp. My request for a favourable wind has been honoured.
Near the end of the long paddle across an open area of the lake the 18 inch quartering waves bearing whitecaps are pushing me around too much. While I near the next channel the waves have picked up momentum and height, unnerving when they slide under and past the canoe, sometimes breaking beside me, occasionally splashing the load. About half km near the channel I scoot across the wind to get behind the shelter of some islands. From my journal: "Going through the centre of the channel joining one large bay with another at a good clip aided by the wind. Well away from shore on either side the canoe suddenly and embarrassingly grounds on an underwater boulder just below the surface. As I try to back off the canoe simply pivots around the boulder. No choice I have to step out onto the boulder to luckily push off. I think 'Would make an interesting walking on water photo'. My left boot goes completely beneath the surface. I have a sloshy boot until reaching camp where one of the first things done is to replace the wet sock. Then I have a blue sock on one foot and black on the other; I remark 'Hope they're okay with the mismatch.' (For half the trip I rotate three pairs of heavy 'Mark's T-Max® HEAT™ Socks' before exchanging for another three pairs.) Through the channel into the next large bay I quarter into the wind to prevent being pushed onto the long shore. There I would have to paddle across waves hitting shore; don't need any more boulder encounters. By the time I reach the entrance to the next channel at the end of the bay the last stretch again sees 18 inch waves."
Even in the long narrows to the next large bay the wind remains a favourable tailwind. Arriving by 13:00 at camp 17 island (old camp 7) I have made fast time going the 14 km including 10 metre portage. While travelling I have spotted several bald eagles and two large golden eagles soaring in the wind. As I approach the island another golden eagle is perched on a short dead tree along shore before sweeping off with its broad wingspan. I remark 'Nice welcome. Today has been a great day!'. I only have a light shirt on; if not for the steady paddling I would have needed to wear another layer to keep warm. Camp is at the east end of the island so is well protected from the strong west wind. I am able to unload the Kitchen Barrel first so get the pots on to boil water right away. Canteen still half full, in keeping with my travel day habit I eat lunch while working. Drinking 1500 mL of water before leaving camp this morning pays off again; I will make it a habit on travel days, not just this season but for future trips. Unloading I park canoe, tie barrels, erect nylon tent to lay out sleep gear and setup Tarp shelter and clothesline. At 17:00 I am eating macaroni and cheese supper. Although 19°C I am getting chilled from the wind, feeling like an autumn day; the warmth of fire feels good before heading for bed.
September 1 Sunday:
Up by 05:00, 10°C, thick smoke, calm, humid with dense fog, sun a ruby red ball as it rises. I wear two shirts while fishing for 1½ hours with no luck despite trying multiple lures and various spots. I will try later so leave the fish gear on the canoe; I usually do not place it underneath after once forgetting it was there and breaking the top section of the rod when I turned the canoe over. At 08:45, 17°C, fresh bannock, hot water and warmth of fire feel good. Gnats are bothersome now, buggers. After breakfast I try fishing again right from shore at camp and in short order catch two nice walleye, a big change from no luck earlier. At 09:40 I check for satellite phone messages from Jeanette: "Good here. No fires 4u. Smoke from west. Possible rain 4u." It is our 52nd wedding anniversary today and I send a text message to Jeanette: "Heavy smoke depending on wind. Happy 52. Luv." An understatement, I owe a lot to Jeanette for putting up with me all this time. Today starts the third month of my trip so time for a clean set of clothes and pajamas. First though I have a bath. A change of wind direction is clearing some of the smoke and I am cool after bathing. From my journal: "Brrr ... might have to put heavy shirt on. Feels so good to wear clean clothes, especially more cushiony socks. Late lunch at 13:20 but celebrating changing clothes including pajamas." My dirty clothes are unusually fairly dry but I hang them on the line to make sure before packing them in the Clothes Bag. They will get washed when I return home but are backup before then if required. (When I camped for six months using three sets of clothes I did laundry in a 20 litre pail using detergent and a plunger; out of habit I carried on with this practice until realizing I could make do without on shorter trips.) I note that there are two huge pines ready to fall, hopefully when I am not here; much of the bark is hammered off all the way up the trunk of the dying tree by woodpeckers getting at invasive bugs. At 17:20 I am eating walleye chowder. Normally that would count as one of the required four fish meals per week but tonight's supper is payment for yesterday's macaroni and cheese which I borrowed from the next week's grub. Peanut butter and ghee plastic containers are now empty. I try washing the latter jar but very oily; giving up I sacrifice it to the fire. With no LifeStraw® the peanut butter bottle will suffice for extra peanut butter flavoured water to accompany travel lunches. I will continue to drink a large amount of water before breaking camp on such days. I make sure to go to the tent for the night by 19:00 because at 19:30 bedtime last night it was 'darkened' (by smoke and cloud). My clean clothes are already getting dirty; the jeans are actually brand new never used. Gnats are bothersome again, buggers!
September 2:
From my journal: "Sleep late, rather lay in bed, till 05:30 because of darkness. Catch an 18" walleye right away then no more. Then a small pike which I release. Can see fish rising out in the channel. Fillet the fish and leave gear out." At 09:00, breakfast half done, 20°C, sunny, yellow grey smoke above in the south. At 12:00, 27°C, almost calm and smoky explains why I am sweating and feel a bit knackered. I think the absence of wind allows the smoke to settle from the west. I catch another 18 inch walleye perfect for fish fry this evening. 29°C by 13:20, I sit in the shade of the shelter to update journal and do some puzzles. By 14:10, 28°C, temperature is dropping so I do some chores. Just before supper at 17:25 I take a bath. Flies are bothersome, landing on food as I eat. I finish prepacking before bedtime.