05:42, 05:57, 06:04 August 5, sunrise through thick smoke at camp 7.
Facing away from sun, smoke is dense all around, visibility is limited to much less than one km.
N95 mask worn just after exiting tent. The mask really helps filter out smoke, very noticeable in my breathing when I slip it off to check the difference.
Leaving camp 7 island. To the left is some of the shoreline from which I fished.
Approaching and then going through another narrows down this large lake.
Past the narrows, headed to the small isle where I will stop for breakfast.
After wearing the mask for over four hours, I will be glad to take it off to eat.
Humid and cool, I start a small fire to help warm up. Looking down the lake to yet another narrows. Smoke has cleared considerably but is still seen at the horizon reaching quite high.
After breakfast, paddling to the next narrows.
An old plank boat at the short narrows. It has seen better days, now replaced by aluminum craft.
Paddling across a wide expanse down the lake.
At the far side of the broad section I misjudge the heading and paddle an extra four km.
Entering the final long bay towards the lake exit.
Approaching the lake outlet.
View of the waterfall which empties the lake. A portion of the board portage is hung up on the top of the falls, washed away from its location in the spring.
The board portage with plastic skids for motorboats pulled across either solely by manpower or with the aid of a portable winch.
Canoe and unloaded gear at the bottom of the 10 metre board portage.
A short and easy portage indeed. Canoe loaded again without Tarp cover because I may camp soon.
Looking back at the falls and board portage from downstream.
Paddling one km from the falls to the small island where I have lunch and check to see if I might stop for the day. Approaching the isle the view of large fallen trees makes me apprehensive if camping would be possible. I had intended to paddle farther but the extra distance off course has changed my mind.
On checking the site at 15:00 I decide to stay although the down trees limit the camping options. Just enough space to park the canoe and to situate the tent.
August 6 heavy midday rain is welcome. Rainfall stopped, I have moved close to the fireplace standing on a clean mat of spruce boughs. Note the deteriorating old bench from a long ago fish camp.
Spring bear scat in several places, I think a sow with last year's cubs. Bears are good swimmers and do visit small islands, this isle perhaps because of its history as a fish camp.
Thick smoke August 6 morning clearing in afternoon.
Dark grey clouds August 7 with heavy rain midday. Smoke at horizons.
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Summary:
Wear N95 mask for over four hours against thick smoke, ironically building a warming fire on stopping for breakfast. Paddle extra four km when I take the wrong heading so stop before reaching target location, just enough room for camp amongst many fallen trees. Wear head net and use Bug Tent against gnats that do not shoo with fireplace smoke. Welcome rainfall but still smoky. Uncomfortable gusting wind blows rain into Tarp shelter. Thinking it easier to fetch poles near shore at camp ... proves not to be so when I slide clothed into lake dropping axe in the water out of sight. Arduous lengthy walleye fishing from canoe in presence of strong wind ... to only catch four small pike. Travel 18 km to camp 8 including an extra four km out of the way and 10 metre board portage beside waterfall.
August 5:
Up before the 04:00 alarm, the air feels cool and damp. On exiting the tent I realize how smoky it is and put on an N95 mask right away which definitely helps my breathing. The smoke is thick with poor distance visibility. On my way, after passing through the next narrows I head to a small isle. Despite its steep shores I find a nice spot for breakfast. When I stop paddling, just in my light shirt, I am chilly so start a small warming fire. Now after more than four hours of wearing the mask I remove it to eat. The smoke has cleared a lot but is still visible high up on horizons. After paddling across two expanses joined by yet another narrows I take the wrong heading. Soon realizing I am on the incorrect route I know I should turn back but see a cabin in a protected bay of a large island so decide to have a look. From the map I estimate the extra distance to be four km. As I continue a float plane that flies low overhead lands to dock at the cabin. Now I will not stop to investigate but keep on moving past. On the far side of the island I turn to head down the channel separating this island from another towards the long bay leading to the lake exit. There has only been a slight breeze while paddling so make decent progress. Arriving at the waterfall emptying this lake into another I dock at the board portage used by motorboats which can then be dragged over the rock shelf. Unloading and carrying gear the 10 metres to the lower side I pull the canoe over the boards. There are several broken boards with holes so have to be careful. Portaging directly across rock itself would be an option for a canoe, not a motorboat. Undecided yet if I will continue several more kilometres down the lake as planned I stop at the island one km below the portage for lunch. Smoke has cleared considerably but is still in the air. Approaching the isle the view of large fallen trees makes me apprehensive if camping would be possible. I had intended to paddle farther but the extra distance off course has changed my mind. With foreboding I walk inland to see several big pines fallen over one level spot. At least they have all toppled towards the bush out of the way and there are no other standing trees threatening the location. Several tall pines have toppled across another levelish area to the side. There is just enough room to park the canoe beside a down tree at shore where I landed. Inland there is still a decent area for fireplace and tent so I decide to stay. After eating a late lunch I carry gear to their respective spots. Tent and sleep gear laid out, I arrange stones for the fireplace grill and start a fire to boil water in all pots including one to make mac & cheese for supper. Even though the several bear scats are from early spring they prompt me to tie barrels to nearby trees. Gear stowed in tent and under canoe, I head to the tent for the night. On bed by 19:30 and in pajamas at 21:00 I sleep well, later in fleece shell, feet in sleeping bag by early morning. It is chilly and feels damp because of high humidity. I am glad I decided to stop rather than continue to where I planned to camp. To reach camp 8 I have travelled 18 km including an extra four km out of the way and 10 metre board portage beside the waterfall.
August 6:
Up by 05:00 I start a fire because it is a cool 15°C, very smoky. From my journal: "Also start fire for smoke to shoo blackflies ... which don't shoo ... buggers! I then call them gnats only to distinguish from blackflies that flee from a smoky fire. I realize blackflies are gnats; would be interesting to know if the smoke-haters and smoke-doesn't-bother-gnats are actually different species or different hatches of the same species; this always occurs later in the season although usually closer to September. Head net on till chores done when I will use Bug Tent." I clear brush before erecting Tarp shelter, then fell some spruce trees from the deeper bush for bough mats. Next task is to bake a fresh bannock to accompany breakfast at 09:30 in the Bug Tent. There is a steady rainfall for one hour until 10:55 when I get a temporary glimpse of the ruby red ball of sun up high showing how far the smoke has risen. Because of the rain I decide to assemble poles in case I need to use the canvas Tent. There are many suitable spruce trees about five metres tall in a copse beside shore near camp. I need two to use as vertical ridge rope support poles. From my journal: "Thought it would be easier to fetch poles from the thicket beside camp than walking farther into the bush. Doesn't prove to be entirely easier! After limbing lower branches from one spruce with the axe I fell it with the saw. Then carry the tree the short distance along the sloping rock shore to throw up on the mossy bank. Will finish limbing and saw the pole at the nine foot mark (stepped off conveniently in my 12" boots). Returning to get a second similar pole I walk farther along the shore having to hang on to small trees on the bank to keep from slipping down the slope into the lake. After limbing the tree I start carrying some useful boughs plus the axe. Next thing I know I'm sliding into the water up to my knees, thank goodness not deeper. Aie! Soon I realize I don't have the axe; it and the branches fell into the lake. Soaked from knees down I take the floating boughs to the bank beside the first pole. Return to the limbed tree to fell it and carry back. Can't see the axe. Carry the felled poles to camp. Then use a pole with some jutting branches to try to fish the axe out of the water, sight unseen. No luck. So back to camp to remove all dry clothes above knees and store in Kitchen Barrel under the Tarp shelter to protect from any wind blown rain. Wring out socks and bottom of jeans. Because it has been raining lightly again, string clothesline under Tarp to hang wet clothes plus boot insoles. Donning Crocs™ sandals and no clothes I head back to the scene of the crime to get in the water to find the axe. When I get there I now can see the axe which I just manage to reach while hanging on to a small spruce tree on shore ... without descending into the water. I must have fished the axe with the pole but then the water was muddy and couldn't see it. I exclaim 'Well thank you. That was easy!' Already undressed I decide to have a bath. Fetch soap and towel. Then hallelujah the sun appears! Move the wet clothes to the line in the sunshine. Go for a wonderful bath. Because too steep and deep where I landed the canoe have to go to the shore away from camp winding my way past obstacles including all the big fallen trees. Being extra careful because I am naked (though I carry belt with attached bear spray and knife). Toweled off, back at camp I dress in the upper clothes and dry socks from my Rubber Pack, slip wet boots on. Fetch Clothes Bag from tent to get the second pair of jeans (intended to be changed into at the half way point ... which is not now); this is just temporary till the other pair dries. I state 'Hopefully I don't get them wet too!' Was going to eat outside but gnats back so into the Bug Tent for late lunch at 13:50, 19°C. So ... getting the two poles close to camp rather than farther into the bush ... definitely didn't prove to be easier! To top matters off, one of the poles is not long enough so have to fetch another ... but this time from dry land." At 14:20 it starts to rain again so have to fetch wet clothes to move back to the clothesline under the Tarp shelter. Rain stops by 15:30, lots of blue sky showing and bugs seem to have disappeared with improved weather. After supper eaten under the Tarp shelter the cool north wind prompts me to move to the lee of the fireplace where I have placed a dry spruce bough mat. Damp jeans back on feel good, drying completely as I stand next to fire. The thick socks are still quite wet and will hang in the tent all day tomorrow to finish drying. At 19:25, 16°C, sitting close to the warming fire wearing the light shirt, I have removed hat and heavy shirt. Crows are cawing raucously nearby probably objecting to my presence. A squirrel chatters; I have heard several often today. In bed by 20:30, pajamas on immediately and in fleece shell, early morning my lower half in sleeping bag.
August 7:
Up by 05:00, I try fishing for at least one hour along the shore in various places with no luck other than two small pike that I release ... and I lose a snagged lure. Walking to the east shore of the island to fish I pick and eat as I go, mostly the last fireweed flowers and unripe seed pods, one raspberry, a handful of lingonberries and bunchberries and a few saskatoon berries. I usually split one of the pods to make sure I will not be getting a mouthful of fluff ready to go to seed. Optimistically I decide to canoe to the falls to catch at least two walleye. Casting from shore into the rapids below the waterfall I hook two small fish that I release, pike and walleye. Using several different lures does not help. Back in the canoe I try several spots below the falls in the rapids with no luck. Today is not my day. Finally I paddle across the bay with the now moderate north wind pushing the canoe from the side. Along the west shore with considerable effort in various partially sheltered weedy indentations I catch four small pike along with many weeds. The wind constantly pushes me south so have to paddle back each time to try again. Returning towards camp along the west shore against the now strong north wind is a struggle. Finally reaching home I cover the fish near shore under moss then park the canoe. After carrying gear to canoe or Tarp shelter I eat a very late breakfast at 11:00. Just when I start to fillet the fish rain starts forcing me to run to rescue sleep gear from clothesline (which I had hung prior to breakfast) before it pours. Wearing raincoat I fetch the fish on a bed of moss to finish cleaning under the Tarp shelter but the rain tapers off so I return to shore where it is much easier to process the catch. Back at camp I move as much gear as possible to the tent because the north wind is blowing directly into the front of the Tarp shelter. There is no way in the limited space to situate the Tarp facing south instead. Lunch is another late meal. From my journal: "Late meals today! Not happy with the fishing. Plan to move on tomorrow. Wish now I had moved on instead of camping which was the plan till I paddled an extra four km. C'est la vie. Have already started prepacking. If this north wind keeps up though will be hard to paddle. Will see. [16:25] Brrr ... cold wind. Need to put heavy shirt on. Will start fire and sit on the lee side ... if it doesn't rain again. Had planned supper of fried then sauteed walleye, ingredients prepared already. Better switch to the quick-to-cook chowder so now have to cube fish and get new ingredients ready. 20°C but wouldn't know it with the wind." Raining on and off during supper beneath the Tarp shelter, having to sit as far back as possible to minimize the effect of the wind-blown rain, I am glad I switched the meal to pike chowder. At 18:50, 17°C, north wind died down considerably I move back close to the warming fire. All afternoon the north wind was moderate to strong plus very strong gusts and it rained intermittently. Catching up on my journal in the warmth of the fire, full with delicious chowder I feel much better. A cool night, sleep is a restful repeat of the last two evenings.