Red sun at sunrise through wildfire smoke (05:07, July 14).
Before leaving I paddle to the waterfall to see it from a different viewpoint.
Exiting the first bay below the falls I spot a white object at an island shore which I at first think is driftwood but soon realize it is a white pelican standing on a boulder.
Two Bonaparte's gulls allow me to get close before flying off.
Lunch stop. Seen in the first photograph is a cylinder of birch bark for tinder to take to the next camp.
Approaching the small island that will be camp 3 having paddled 20 km.
I think this is a loon egg shell.
Fireweed in bloom provides pretty pink petals for salad. The leaves are now well past their prime.
Red currants almost ripe.
Canoe loaded to go fishing (Kitchen barrel, Food Pack, Rubber Pack, Fishing Kit (fishing rod already assembled), pack with tarp and gun, bailer, PFD, sponge, some stair-step moss, fish stick bat). The first two items are in the canoe for food security against bears but also to act as ballast; an empty canoe is unwieldy especially in a wind. I kneel on the PFD and sponge. The moss is to lay fish on; after use I return it to the spot on my island where I gathered it.
A nearby location yields a pike, my first fish of the season. I cube it to be used for fish chowder supper.
Because camp is on a small island I fell a small spruce tree on a different bigger island to use the boughs as a mat/table.
Beavers do remove bark from spruce or pine trees but it is certainly not a favourite food source. Such debarked trees are a common sight and I wonder if they simply do it to place their mark. The outer bark would taste strong but the inner cambium is nutritious (for people too).
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Summary:
Smoke evident and Jeanette reports the first wildfires near me including the Flanagan fire [which will prove to be significant later in my trip]. Flashlight dies. Catch first pike of the season providing for a scrumptious fish chowder. Mosquitoes continue to be quite bothersome both inside and outside of the tent. Neck and shoulders ache from paddling. Nice cooling rainfall. Wind switches from north to south so I prepack with the hope to now have a good tailwind to continue to the next camp. Travel 20 km, the last distance against a stiff headwind.
July 14 Sunday:
Up to the alarm at 03:30 it is still darkish but light enough to easily pack. On exiting the tent I can smell smoke. Before leaving camp I insert new batteries in my small flashlight which I use when getting up at night. Last night when turned on it glimmered and then was out. This is a common occurrence with lithium batteries. Alkaline batteries on the other hand will give a warning as they slowly die. However even with new batteries the flashlight still does not work. This year I brought a small magnifying lens for small print on maps ... and to view the wee diagram for the proper orientation of battery poles. I now realize the batteries are not the problem but the bulb or the connection apparatus has failed. That makes sense because the batteries should not have died in one week of spotty use even though they are those last in use from the past season. I still have my headlamp but no backup other than candles. From now on I will bring two headlamps and no flashlight. I realize how much we seeing people depend on a light switch to function and how much sight impaired people have to plan their actions.
Stopping for breakfast after exiting the channel below the falls I try the satellite phone to check for Sunday messages but cannot get reception. Very cloudy the light wind is in my favour until heading north. Now I am paddling against a moderate headwind which keeps up for the rest of the day. Stopping for lunch and a rest I pick enough salad for two meals (clover flowers, some late fireweed leaves). The wind is stronger than ever the next few kilometres and worse when I near the small island in a larger section of lake where camp 3 will be. Landing at the south leeward end of the isle I initiate the SPOT™ device at 16:15. After a long day of steady paddling especially against the headwind I am glad to stop having travelled 20 km. My neck and shoulders are aching; it always takes a few weeks to get used to paddling again. After parking the canoe with some gear under I erect the nylon tent moving the base twice to find a level area for bed. Fortunately I am successful but still have to use the small folded tarp to raise one side of the bed pad. From my journal: "Beforehand I fell an overhead dangerous dead tree. After tent mostly up I notice another tree that had fallen and could continue onto the tent. Aie ... Barry, Barry, Barry ... look better than that! Manage to saw the dead pine in two and pull/push the top out of the way without affecting the tent. Thank goodness! Aie! Next time look more thoroughly! Stupid happens when overtired. You've done this before! After tossing in my sleep gear my younger self thinks I should right away tie barrels and erect Tarp shelter. Older self says no ... very small isle at least 300 metres to closest shore, farther other shores. Unlikely be bear visit as there appears to be no resident food source on the island. Barrels and Tarp can wait till tomorrow. Glad I do lay out sleep gear cause there are several mosquitoes inside so I light a mosquito coil while I get supper of mac & cheese, my go-to meal after a long day. Would have had to have cold supper in tent if older self's wisdom (lack of energy) hadn't prevailed." Gear normally stored under Tarp placed under canoe I am in bed by 21:00.
July 15:
Sleeping in until 07:00 the sky is full of dark cumulus, only a glimpse of blue in a few spots, 14°C, light north wind continues. Looking like rain first priority is raising the Tarp shelter. As I check the spot for the Tarp even younger self agrees it was best to wait until now as there is a down tree in the way plus it will be tricky situating the support ropes. It takes three attempts to tie the ridge rope in a suitable location, having to be just so to fit with a bit of MacGyvering too. Today I have satellite phone reception; Jeanette says there are fires north of me including 'Flanagan' [which will prove to be significant later in my trip]. Rain falls on and off all afternoon interrupting a brief period of sunshine so I spend time under the Tarp shelter updating my journal and doing some puzzles. I am fed up with the ballpoint pen refills that no longer work well, skipping terribly ('Fisher Space Pen® PR4 Ballpoint Refill'); after using this brand for years I will need to find a replacement. It is a pressurized unit that is supposed to write in any condition and has previously. The north wind is cool and as I eat lunch mosquitoes are biting through my shirt so I add the heavy shirt which helps take care of both problems. I do a few chores that include sewing a hole in the ropes bag, duct tape patching a hole in tent vestibule and fixing a buckle on a pack which is turned the wrong way. Mosquitoes are worse under the Tarp than in the open, sneaking up on me without hearing or seeing them, biting my fingers before I realize they are there. Two loons frequent my area, rather I frequent theirs. From my journal: "In bed by 20:30 I am attacked by a single mosquito. Later have to empty pee can and 3? mosquitoes enter. Turning on headlamp I manage to swat 2 on the side of the tent. One obviously got me first - blood stain on inner tent, third such stain already this year. Back in bed another mosquito lands on my eyebrow. Swat and didn't hear from her again." By midnight in addition to the fleece shell my lower half is in sleeping bag which is pulled up high by morning.
July 16:
On arising by 06:00 it is 12°C with grey clouds completely covering the sky. Canoeing towards the two islands to the west I try fishing along their shores. Between the second island and the mainland is a channel growing cattails, great bulrush and other water plants beneath the surface, a likely spot for pike. In short order I catch a 22 inch pike. Landing on the steep rock mainland shore I place a large flat stone on another to serve as a filleting table. The pike yields two cups of cubed fillets for fish chowder supper. I stop at the larger of the two islands to fell a three metre spruce to form a bough mat in camp; my island is small and it would be a shame to cut trees there if it can be avoided. From my journal: "I was careful not to slip in the water where I filleted the fish along a steep rock slope. Waited to slide one foot into the lake back at camp!" There are many bothersome mosquitoes and horseflies. The tent vestibule had dozens of active mosquitoes this morning when I exited and some entered the tent so I light a mosquito coil. Although cool I knew temperature was not below 10°C when mosquitoes are mostly inactive. At 13:00 it is 21°C. I move to the north end of the isle where there is a rock point good for bathing. Bugs are less bothersome here than under the Tarp shelter. As I sit in the shade of a few jack pines updating journal and doing some puzzles crows are cawing nearby. A few flies buzz past; I always wonder if they have a destination in mind. A duck lands in front of me and swims away seemingly oblivious to my presence. There is a light north wind, the sky mostly clear and sunny with a few small white cumulus clouds scattered about. I just had a wonderful bath and feel so much better. My neck still aches mostly on the left, my usual paddle side. I see in the compass mirror there are several blackfly bites on my forehead and below the eyes ... buggers. After supper the wind shifts to the east and then south. With the south tailwind (if it remains) I will leave tomorrow so I prepack now. As usual out loud I say: "I'm planning on moving on tomorrow. If possible could you continue the tailwind and hold off on rain until I reach camp, better yet till camp set up."