Sunrise July 10 at 05:35. At the previous camp I suspected there was smoke in the sky. I am now sure there is wildfire smoke at the horizons and for the first time I can smell it. Later I see smoke has reached me up close.
July 10 at 05:54. Head net on against mosquitoes and blackflies soon after arising at 03:30. Looks like I must have forgotten about the net and spit while it is in place.
Canoe loaded ready to go. No tarp over the gear as there are two portages in short order.
Stopping for breakfast at 07:30 on a bare rock point swept with a bit of breeze where I can finally doff the head net. I do not usually eat early before moving on from camp especially when the bugs are so bad.
Approaching the first portage at a cabin (house) that used to primarily be a trapper's cabin.
The river downstream from the cabin flows through thick cattails.
Looking back at the canoe's track leaving the 100 metre portage. The landing is wet 10 metres up onto shore and my feet get damp loading the canoe.
Venturing into the cattails the route I take hits a right angle turn too sharp for the five metre (17') canoe.
Backing out I successfully try another direction.
I still have to push my way through thick cattails and other reeds.
Stopping for lunch at noon I find a bit of shade beneath a small jack pine. Boots and socks drying in the hot sun. My feet got damp loading the canoe at the portage but wet now when I slip on the slick rock shore into the water over boot tops.
The second 80 metre portage. Because of high water levels I can take the shorter trail rather than the 100 metre one which I will surely have to use on my return in the autumn.
At the start of the trip two of the barrels containing grub each weigh 38 kg (83 lb). It is difficult to hoist them onto my shoulders so the lighter Kitchen Barrel (27 kg, 60 lb) serves as a handy platform. Still I have to take a wide stance with bent knees, snug up the chest belt and lean forward pushing off with hands from the bottom barrel. The joy of portaging ... "Anyone who says they like portaging is either a liar or crazy, or both.” “… portaging is like hitting yourself on the head with a hammer: it feels so good when you stop.” Bill Mason (1929 - 1988).
Both portages require placing the canoe in the water and loading from the stern.
Looking back at the second portage exit.
Moving on down the river thick with water lilies.
A mother with her ducklings keeps paddling ahead. Feeling bad for the wee ones, I apologize and ask why they don't just move off to the side to let me past.
Finally at the last lake I start down five km of its length to the third and final 100 metre portage of the day.
The cascading waterfall at the outlet of this lake is testament to the amount of rainfall Harvey said they had in June. I wonder how much waterflow will there be when I return.
Erecting the Tarp shelter is different every location. At this camp to anchor the one corner of the bottom rope I string it around three logs held in place with stones.
The small wagon I use on the third portage trail called "Lee Avenue" in honour of the man who built a cabin on the lake at the upper end.
A salad of dandelion leaves and not quite fully ripe red currants.
A salad of mature fireweed leaves, a few raspberry leaves and a single dewberry.
Cotton handkerchiefs. I alternately use the red and blue handkerchiefs rinsing one at a time. They dry quickly and are indispensable for mopping my face, neck and head when sweaty on portages or in camp. These are much appreciated gifts from daughter Andrea years ago.
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Summary:
Mosquitoes continue to be terrible so use head net or Bug Tent much of the time. Weather is hot and humid rising to an oppressive 36°C while portaging; sweat-soaked I feel faint forcing me to lay down on the trail to recover. Get cooling rain which freshens the air nicely. Meet the owners of the little wagon used on the third portage. Distance to camp 2 is 15 km with three portages (100, 80, 100 metres).
July 10:
Up before the 03:30 alarm mosquitoes are bad so wear the head net which I keep on for the next four hours until stopping for breakfast on a breeze swept bare rocky point. Moving on to the first 100 metre portage it goes past a cabin (house) which used to primarily be a trapper's cabin. Carrying the heavy loads I am sweating in the hot sun made worse because I have to wear the head net again. My new boots get soaked as I carry gear 10 metres through the wet landing to the canoe but my feet are just a bit damp; the Gore-Tex waterproofing is doing its job. I have not carried the canoe since last year but I manage the portage fine. When I push off downstream I am temporarily stymied by the river course through dense tall cattails. After backing out of one dead end I try a second spot and have a heck of a time reversing from a too sharp turn for the long canoe. Returning to the first location which appears to be the main current I realize I just have to force the canoe through thick cattails and horsetails touching bottom at one point. Moving on I stop for lunch where I can sit under a bit of shade from a jack pine. I planned to take off my footwear to dry anyway but now I must in order to dump water from them when I slip into the lake over the boot tops.
At the next portage there are two options but because of high water levels I can take the shorter 80 metre trail instead of the 100 metre one I will probably need to use in the fall. There is a steep grade where I unload gear and another steep hill at the other end. Sweat-soaked part way through carrying loads I feel faint with rapid pulse. From my journal: "Have to lay down in shade on bare rock resting my head on a pack napping a bit until recovered. Definitely feeling the heat and humidity ... and age? Wonder how long this heat and humidity will last? Probably at least 30°C. Check weather for today's date at home. Hard work makes it worse. Frequently using LifeStraw® drinking lots. My pee is light yellow so good sign that I'm hydrating enough." (At home when I check the temperature for today's date near this location it was 36°C so no wonder I felt washed out.)
Paddling downstream again I cross an old beaver dam which can block the river in low water levels. Passing the exit from another lake I herd a family of ducks madly paddling in front of me eventually disappearing into thick reeds just at the entrance to a bigger lake. I count 12 ducklings, a big brood. I am sweating heavily as I paddle, another sign the temperature is high. Finally I reach the third and final 100 metre portage for today. Carrying my usual first load I reach the lower end of the portage and the campsite. From my journal: "Yay ... campsite is empty! Have never been here when someone else already camped." To reach camp 2 I have travelled 15 km including three portages (l00, 80, 100 metres). Leaving the canoe parked for the night with stove and canvas Tent packs underneath I carry the rest of the gear to camp. The heavy items I take in the little wagon that is left here by the owner of a cabin on the lake where I landed. I am weary as I finally activate the SPOT™ device at 19:30. The next chore is to set up the nylon tent and store gear. Again I am wearing the head net against the very bothersome mosquitoes. From my journal: "Even though I shoo bugs away from inner tent door after closing outer vestibule I know some mosquitoes will get in as I toss sleep gear inside ... buggers! Light a mosquito coil while I leave to do some more chores. After tying the two heavy barrels to nearby trees I wash my sweaty face and neck with cold water. Too anxious to get in the tent I check to see the coil is still smoldering so take a walk to escape mosquitoes and flies that mob me if staying in one place. Place extra water in the bailer and LifeStraw® container in the front vestibule in case I want to eat supper which I am not feeling to do now. Sweaty, hot and weary! All gear tossed into tent with me as I undress completely to start cooling; otherwise clothes will get even damper. Sweat soaked shirt, undershorts and socks I hang on clothesline in peak of tent. Laying on bedsheet by 21:30, no supper, no clothes on. Waking in one hour cooled down I powder feet, bum and crotch and don PJ socks and undershorts. (The body powder is a necessity when wearing the same clothes for up to two months, along with almost daily bath and occasional rinsing of shirt, socks and undershorts. I rotate three pairs of thick 'Mark's WindRiver T-MAX HEAT™' socks changing to dry ones daily. There is a complete change of clothes at the halfway point of the trip; these also serve as backup if required.) Sleeping for another hour I am cool and dress in long underwear PJs laying on top of the bed. Leg cramps every time I rouse to pee but have to empty 1L pee can twice before morn so know I hydrated well today. Sleep well."
July 11:
Up at 06:00 cannot sleep anymore. This is the first time I can smell wildfire smoke; I can see smoke up close, not just at horizons. Previous days have been a red sun and just a hint of smoke at horizons. There are fewer bugs making an appearance compared to camp 1. Breakfast and supper are eaten in the company of mosquitoes but I retreat to the Bug Tent for lunch after a nice cold bath. I wear the heavy shirt until my light shirt is dry after rinsing in the lake. I alternately use the red and blue handkerchiefs rinsing one at a time. They dry quickly and are indispensable for mopping my face, neck and head when sweaty on portages or in camp. These are much appreciated gifts from daughter Andrea years ago; when my supply runs out I may have a hard time finding replacements. Breakfast is a double one to make up for no supper last night. With another sweltering day I am hot and sweaty at bedtime laying on bedsheet unclothed until 23:00 not doing ablutions until morning.
July 12:
Light rainfall starts at 05:00 followed by thunder and visible lightning with one close large boom. It pours rain for at least one hour while I lay in bed sleeping on and off until 08:00. After finally doing last night's ablutions I get up at 08:30 when it stops raining. Clean undershorts and rinsed light shirt feel good. Donning rain jacket I adjust the rope on one corner of the Tarp shelter to raise higher so that the Tarp sheds rain better. Mosquitoes are out with a vengeance and I wear the hat scarf. Thankfully the ground under the Tarp is dry as rain fell with very little wind. I decide not to erect the Bug Tent because the wind is now very strong blowing from the south into the front of the shelter forcing me to tie a rope to stabilize the front ridge rope to a tree. If it rains again it will blow under the Tarp and would soak the Bug Tent. Cloudy and humid with very bothersome mosquitoes I decide to go back to the tent having to carry gear back again. Despite my best efforts to keep them out I have to kill at least 10 mosquitoes inside the tent ... buggers! From my journal: "Kill one mosquito with the swatter on the side of inner tent smearing my blood contained in her along the wall. Matches the smear on opposite side from the fly swatted yesterday. Takes several minutes to brush with my hand all the debris on the floor tarp brought into the tent from the damp ground on boots and pack. At 10:15 in tent it is 19°C as I sit on a towel with no clothes after eating breakfast of quarter bannock, protein bar, Parmesan cheese, bacon crumbles, canteen water. Canteen holds 500 mL so have to be judicious in its use. LifeStraw® and bailer with water in front vestibule but would have to brave the dozens of mosquitoes calling it home. I arrange the Rubber Pack behind me to rest against as I update journal and do a puzzle. Rain starts again. Rain good, mosquitoes bad!" At 11:30 for some reason there are hardly any mosquitoes left on the screen door. At 11:50 it is 22°C and I get dressed to go outside for lunch in the Bug Tent and to activate the SPOT™ device which I forgot to do when out the first time. Very cloudy and calm mosquitoes are as bad as ever. Going for a walk on a nearby winter trail I pick a salad of mature fireweed leaves. There are lots of red currants but they are not ripe yet. Back at camp after lighting a mosquito coil in the tent I set up the Bug Tent under the Tarp shelter and place all the gear needed inside. When I first went to the Tarp shelter this morning I spooked a common merganser near the shore and it flew with a startled quack at the intrusion. While bathing there yesterday I noticed many minnows which could attract the merganser. I saw two pelicans which appear to have good fishing in the bay below the falls. On entering the Bug Tent I kill a dozen mosquitoes and a few flies, then remove all clothes and eat lunch. Cooled off I get dressed and aliquot next week's grub inside the Bug Tent. There are dozens of mosquitoes on the outside of the Bug Tent screen eager to feast on me. Supper in the Bug Tent will be couscous with nutritional yeast and chicken soup base, the last of the cheddar cheese, protein bar, fireweed salad, cold water. I exit to prepare the meal wearing the head net. The fireweed salad is tastier than the dandelions which are stringier; of course both would be better with salad dressing. The darn mosquitoes bite through the shirt tightened against my skin when I bend over, the disadvantage of a lighter shirt. A storm has been slowly thundering its way here and I am lucky to have got supper ready. From my journal: "Mosquitoes definitely making up for any good years for me, perhaps bad ones for them. C'est la vie. Most people would probably not be happy with them. I'm not happy but not unhappy either just tolerant." In bed by 20:00 the storm bypasses me. I am hot and sweaty waking at 20:30 for ablutions and to don PJs. Chilled by early morning I climb in the sleeping bag to cover my lower body in the fleece shell. The bed uncomfortably slopes to the side too much; what looks like a level spot often proves me wrong.
July 13:
I only have to use the head net first thing in the morning and then the mosquitoes thin out, a welcome change. The large lake that the waterfall empties into is connected to a road. A motorboat arrives and I meet Duane and Spencer the owners of a cabin on the small lake above the falls. The wagon I used to help portage is theirs. They give me a ride to see the cabin in a smaller motorboat stationed at the upper lake and offer the cabin's use if ever required which is much appreciated. It was built by Duane's father and the portage trail is named "Lee Avenue" in his honour. Before the big lake was accessible by a road Lee and family went to their cabin by the same route of portages I have taken. I move the tent to a leveller spot which tonight proves to be better ... but still not level enough! Lunch and supper eaten outside would be better in the Bug Tent but I put up with the mosquitoes. Temperature 19°C the air still feels fresh from yesterday's rainfall; today is so much nicer than all this week. A pileated woodpecker is hammering nearby as it was when I was moving the tent but in both cases I cannot spot the bird. Planning to move on tomorrow I prepack.