Sunrise through dense smoke (05:45, 06:27, 06:35) as I leave camp 10, turning right to head up stiff current. Wear mask all day.
Heading upstream in the strong current on the Churchill River.
The first major rapids of the day, Central Silent Rapids. Paddling up the last 300 metres on the left side to reach an eddy behind boulders is a slow go, stroking faster than one per second. As I compare progress with objects on shore I often seem to be standing still until making extra effort to move incrementally on.
Pulling canoe onto the rock shore I remove my Personal Pack to don wading gear. The middle photo looks back downstream to the point on the right where I paddled up. The bottom photo looks upstream along the left shore where I wade and line well past the rapids. Then getting back into canoe I must paddle hard against the current to reach the relatively calm waters at the second peninsula. In the past in such a situation I have decided to get into the canoe too soon and could not break the current's hold, being swept far back downstream to start all over again.
Just on shore are dock weed plants loaded with flowers and soon to be green seeds (all edible).
Just above the rapids are two bald eagles. In the last two photos one of the pair flies just below their nest in a tall poplar; I did not realize the shot included the flight until viewing at home.
Moving on upstream above the rapids still against strong current.
Two hours later I paddle upstream through thick smoke, past bush burned last year, pretty pink fireweed aptly named growing profusely.
Midafternoon I reach the next major rapids having to wade and line on the right side. The bush has been burned along most of the route all day.
Past the rapids I head for a green island off to the left side of the river. Steven and I camped here 35 years ago on our way downstream from far up the Churchill River at Patuanak. The island is 'mountainous' but there is an inland area on the upstream side that would provide a well sheltered levelish campsite but require packing gear up a steep hill. I do not remember where we made camp, but we were much younger then. While canoeing around the tip of the island I notice on the far shore an interesting possible camp location so cross the river to check it out.
Camp 11 on the right shore on the upstream point of a large island which splits the river, another rapids branching off farther right to the east. This photo looks downstream and back to the small island I checked out first. The downside of camping here is it is very exposed with only three large trees, one dead, providing shade. This island is so large it will likely have resident bears. I check farther inland for a better spot but the ground is terribly rough and hillocky. It too is quite open because beavers in the past have felled much of the poplar and birch bush.
19:14 July 16 heavy smoke, prematurely dark.
08:25 July 17, still quite smoky requiring a mask. I have canoed down to the rapids ascended yesterday but am parked on the opposite side. It is safe to paddle down close to the shore so as not to get caught in the strong current above the rapids. Fishing gear is laid out on the rock. The fire is to shoo bothersome blackflies. Hoping for walleye I catch one decent sized pike right away but thinking I will get walleye release it. Catching no more fish in the same spot I regret letting the pike go. Finally after much casting farther up the shore I catch a smaller 23" pike; trolling as I return to camp I hook another 23" pike for supper.
Looking down the rapids. The photos shows the far shore up which I waded and lined yesterday.
Raspberries and ripening pin cherries at camp. In the pan is supper salad (raspberries, pin cherries and fireweed flowers, buds, seed pods). I am not a fan of pin cherries because of its big pit in the centre. The unique taste of a salad with even just one freshly picked raspberry is amazing.
Pike fried, then sauteed in ghee with Parmesan cheese, sugar and lemon pepper, mixed with whole wheat couscous to serve.
July 18 thick fog, thankfully not smoke (05:58, 06:14, 06:34).
Two nice walleye caught from shore in the rapids to the right of camp while a loon keeps watch. And to think I paddled one kilometre to the lower rapids to only catch pike.
Looking at the start of the rapids to the right that branch off from the main Churchill River channel. Wherever I look is bush burned last year. At all horizons there is a thick smoke layer with clear blue sky above.
The view down the branched rapids. Walking from camp, I catch the walleye from the boulder shore jutting into the stream.
Early morning July 19 at camp 11 as I pack to move on. Strong wind July 17 was lifting the Tarp high in the air so I placed logs beneath the Tarp shelter front and back to tie to. The wind was certainly confirming the camp's exposed position. Heavy rain was blowing beneath the Tarp until tying it down. The tall tree behind the tent is dead and will eventually fall; it is the only suitable tree to anchor that side of the Tarp shelter. All the spruce trees on that side are dead.
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Summary:
Very smoky, I wear a mask for another two days. As I paddle up the Churchill River witness bush burned on one or both sides of the river. After paddling one kilometre to lower rapids surprised at only catching pike but am pleased to catch walleye in rapids right at camp. Get good rainfall the second day but still have to wear mask. Strong wind buffets tent and Tarp shelter proving the unprotected nature of camp. It is an exposed location with just three large trees, only two suitable to anchor the Tarp shelter. Camp 11 is on the northwest point of a large island that splits the Churchill River below Silent Rapids to run both south and east; distance travelled 11 kilometres including wading and lining 100 metres up each of two rapids.
July 16:
Up at 03:30 alarm, away by 06:30, calm, very smoky, I wear a mask all day. Paddling against strong current, I reach Central Silent Rapids, the first major rapids of the day. Paddling up the last 300 metres on the left side to reach an eddy behind boulders is a slow go, stroking faster than one per second. As I compare progress with objects on shore I often seem to be standing still until making extra effort to move incrementally on. Pulling canoe onto the rock shore I remove my Personal Pack to don wading gear. I wade and line well past the rapids. Then getting back into canoe I must paddle hard against the current to reach relatively calm waters. In the past in such a situation I have decided to get into the canoe too soon and could not break the current's hold, being swept far back downstream to start all over again. Stopping at a small peninsula about 500 metres ahead I change back to dry regular clothes and have breakfast. While eating I check for a possible campsite which would be doable but not very comfortable. Following the map I move from landmark to landmark. There continues to be lots of previously burned bush on both sides, some green in between, some islands spared. Later I stop for lunch on one isle before heading up the narrower channel of the Churchill River inflow into Black Bear Island Lake. From my journal: "Momentarily confused about the correct direction, map and compass set me straight. Would be embarrassing to head westerly back into the lake. It's one thing to look at the map and know where you want to go, another to properly identify and keep track of landmarks to steer correctly. Wouldn't be the first time miscalculating only to have to retrace back again."
Reaching the next major rapids I try paddling upstream on the right, get past the fast drop but then am taken back. Fortunately I am able to soon turn towards shore to paddle up again docking in the eddy beside the rapids. From my journal: "Wading gear on I wade and line up the right shore until far enough upstream to paddle again. Luckily today only get wet to midthigh. Lucky because there are some deep water spots but manage to step on boulders to wade or hop onto shore to line past." As usual when I get far enough to be safely free from the strong current I sponge out water that my wading clothes introduce. I paddle upstream and over to a 'mountainous' island where my map indicates son Steven and I camped coming downriver when he was a teenager, 35 years ago. It is a green oasis amongst all the brown dead burned bush. At the upper end I find a level tent area on an elevated bench set in spruce bush inland about 50 metres but probably double that to climb a steep winding route that would have to be cleared. It would be a long haul up with gear. A fireplace would have to be on rock near shore.
Having circled the entire island I notice a potential campsite on the other side of the river. It is quite exposed and with few trees to anchor the Tarp shelter. The site is not ideal, nothing is, but less work to prepare camp. There is lots of bare flattish rock along shore. An old fireplace exists on top of the highest, but flat, moss-covered rock. Deciding to stay I activate the SPOT™ at 16:15, too late in the day to paddle farther upstream where the prospects look bleak with burned bush as far as the eye can see on both sides of the river. From my journal: "Get canoe partially unloaded to open Kitchen Barrel. Fire started I set all pots full of water to boil on fireplace grill. Lots of open space inland from this point of land where beavers in the past have toppled large poplars. Very rough up and down ground, no tent sites there. Tent up next between two tall trees, pine on one side and dead spruce on the other, gear tossed inside, otherwise stored in vestibules or canoe. Tent turned sideways to shore, not ideal because it is more exposed to winds but the only suitable way. Sit in chair beside fire overlooking the river flowing past on the left and on the right. Eat supper of protein bar, oriental noodles with spice, Parmesan cheese, sardines ... mmm good! No Tarp shelter up, not sure how to situate but would have to be beside tent on inland side as those two trees are the only ones to tie to. In bed by 21:30, of course sloping bed downwards and to the side! Aie! Give thanks for safe travel, making headway with very little wind, hence the bad smoke perhaps. Can't have everything! Got what I wished for, calm (but no tailwind). I sleep okay having to place pack at side of mattress to keep me in place." Camp 11 is on the northwest point of a large island that splits the Churchill River below Silent Rapids to run both south and east; distance travelled 11 kilometres including wading and lining 100 metres up each of two rapids.
July 17:
There a few drops of rain on the tent before I am up at 05:30. I erect the Tarp shelter next to the tent on the inland side, the top tied to the two trees at either end of the tent, the bottom with several ropes tied together to fasten to small trees quite far away; as usual I stash some firewood and birchbark tinder beneath. Canoe packed to go fishing I paddle down to the lower rapids. Blackflies are very bad so have head net on. Stopping above current that wants to take me downstream I park on the same side waded and lined yesterday. After lighting a small fire to shoo blackflies I walk along the river but the water is quite shallow and boulder strewn below the rapids not suitable for casting. The other side looks much better. Back in the canoe I paddle upstream far enough above the current to safely cut across to the far shore. Then I paddle down as far as possible in calmer water, park the canoe and walk to the rapids outlet. From my journal: "Big hopes for walleye. Catch and release one bigger pike. After letting several small pike go with no walleye seen I wish I had kept the first fish. Finally I land a 23" pike. Upstream I see one jump right out of the water so try there. Get lure snagged on rock! Aie! Fetch canoe and retrieve lure deciding to head back to camp. Trolling as I paddle I hook another 23" pike." There has been very light rain intermittently all morning. On reaching camp there is a downpour that lasts one hour. I give thanks for the rain, for getting back to camp before heavy rain, for catching two fish for supper. Thank goodness I set up the Tarp shelter before going fishing this morning. I have been wearing a mask all morning; the rain helps clear the air but is still maskable. After getting gear from canoe to place under the Tarp, I dress in rain pants and jacket. On the flat rock shore I clean the fish in pouring rain. The rain eases and almost stops so I hang raingear on tent and Tarp guy lines to dry. 17°C at 12:40 I finish combined breakfast and lunch including freshly baked bannock. There is a light west wind, much less smoke but it is still necessary to wear the mask. Luckily I get gear put away before more rainfall. Interrupted by more rain, I manage to make supper of sauteed fried pike by covering the pan as needed. Wind is whipping the Tarp shelter up and down so I fetch two long logs to tie top and bottom down, then two big stones to anchor the logs. I make sure to spread the ropes between two grommets on each edge of the Tarp and that their long lengths are on the outer surfaces to lessen the chance of grommets getting yanked out. A few Cree boats have motored up or down the river to or from their cabins; I do not envy them travelling in such wet conditions. At 19:50 I am in the tent for the night, rain having fallen intermittently the last two hours. Before climbing into the tent I scan upstream for one last look; the forest has been burned on both sides as far as the eye can see, just as one or both sides of the river navigated yesterday. When the strong west wind gusts, the Tarp shelter on one end still noisily flaps up and down, the dead spruce there providing no shelter. The opposite end is protected by a large pine tree. The entire stream side of the tent is totally exposed to the wind but there is no other suitable place to situate it. By 20:45 I snuggle in bed. As a beaver swims past it slaps its tail; I reply 'good night to you too'.
July 18:
Thinking I will canoe upriver to Silent Rapids to fish when I exit the tent the fog is so dense I would not be able to see to cross the river let alone go farther. So I try fishing from shore near camp, walking out on the boulder rock shore jutting into the east flowing rapids. On my first cast I land a 20" walleye. Changing lures after a few more casts I catch a 16" walleye. From my journal: "I remark on the irony of paddling one kilometre yesterday to the downstream rapids to catch pike when right at home there is good walleye fishing. All good. The sauteed fried menu is better with pike anyway. Tonight it will 'just' be fried walleye (even tastier). Four loons greet me as I fillet the fish. This is after the fog has cleared. There was no such activity seen during the dense fog when nobody could see anything." At 09:30 I am half done breakfast with fresh bannock. I sit outside by the fireplace; the Tarp shelter is soaking wet with dew condensation on both sides. Dead calm, very little sign of smoke, just some at the horizons. The only sounds ... the gentle swish of the rapids, an occasional flying duck, a few flies zipping past some very close to my face, the occasional buzz of a bee. A good day. My two pelicans fly from upriver to land along the east rapids where I have noticed them since camping. I slept well last night propped in place with a pack, chilly by morning, finally giving in to tuck the fleece shell in the bottom of the sleeping bag. Midmorning two Cree motorboats pass heading upstream. One reason portages have fallen into disrepair is that powerful motors (and skill) allow locals to boat where they used to portage, even in some dangerous rapids; another reason is that much less trapping is done now. There is a light breeze, 19°C, clear blue sky with some small white cumulus. Midafternoon 27°C, I update journal and do some puzzles, occasionally moving my chair into better shade of the large pine as the sun progresses west. Darn little flies buzz directly towards and into my face but at least they are not biters like the nasty deer flies. At 16:00 when I start the fire for supper, I move to the shade at the far end of the tent. Sweaty after supper I have a bath and at 20:00 retire to the tent. But it is so hot inside, another downside of this camp, getting hit with the afternoon sun. Sweating so much just sitting in the tent, no clothes on, I lay down and sleep until 21:00 when I finally can perform ablutions before going to bed.