July 28 at 08:34, heading down the Churchill River looking east through the narrows at the site of the cliff pictographs. Thick smoke obvious in the direction of where I now plan to travel, not a good sign! With a favourable wind I get a reprieve from masking today.
Through the narrows and heading across a wide section of Black Bear Island Lake, the smoke can be seen tracking south from two areas.
Moving down rapids beside a large island on the left. Later I hope to catch walleye here but only land pike.
Camp set up on the island beside the rapids at the downstream tip, a nice protected location with an established campsite.
The dried head of a very large pike washed ashore or left by a scavenger.
July 29 (05:27, 05:41), sunrise through dense smoke, back to wearing a mask.
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Summary:
Active smoke emanating from two spots due east in direction of travel, not a good sign. Run 100 metres down the next major rapids where I hope to catch walleye, but only land pike. Camp just below the rapids on a nice protected site. Due to low water levels am able to paddle up the rapids to fish, always having had to wade and line previously. At six weeks a refreshing change of clothing and pajamas. Awake to the smell and taste of smoke and wear mask in bed most of the night; prepacked to continue eastward, now I am not so sure. After travelling nine kilometres Camp 16 is on the downstream tip of an island splitting the rapids of Churchill River in Black Bear Island Lake.
July 28:
From my journal: "Thinking to stay another day when I arise by 04:00 I exclaim 'POI', I'm moving on. Don't want another day exposed to strong west wind." No prepacking done I start a small fire to dry the pots. A cool 10°C, I don my rain jacket. Paddling downstream, at an old campsite on the opposite island I stop for breakfast. It is more protected from the west wind so a good place to shelter while eating. Although still somewhat functional the site is spoiled with garbage and discarded cooking oil but also with many wind toppled trees; so despite the exposed nature of previous camp 15 I am glad to have stayed there. As soon as getting out into the Churchill River channel I can see what appears to be active smoke due east in my direction of travel. Making good time with both current and west tailwind I soon pass the cliff pictographs and a big island to enter a wide expanse of Black Bear Island Lake. Now I can definitely see the smoke emanating from two active spots in the distance, not a good sign. Heading down the next major rapids bordered by a large island on the left I pull in on its downstream side at an existing campsite. Having made such good time I am of two minds about staying or moving on. Staying will allow me to try for walleye at the rapids. Moving on will place me closer to the smoke. After this internal discussion, I decide to stay. I activate the SPOT™ at 10:45, a quite early time to stop. As typical of the last few days the sky is overcast with dark clouds looking like rain so I set up camp right away. Tossing sleep gear in the tent and some under the Tarp shelter to be stored beneath the canoe later, I place the usual gear in the canoe to leave camp (Fishing Kit, Rubber Pack, Food Pack all covered with small tarp plus Kitchen Barrel). This is one of the best camps so far, certainly more protected than the last site. Paddling up the main rapids to the far side of the river where a small peninsula juts into the stream I try casting into the area where fast and slow water meet. Hoping for walleye I catch and release two small pike. Walking across to the upper side of the peninsula I land a nice 23" pike and fillet it there. Back at camp in the tent I lay out sleep gear and hang up bedclothes to air and dry. The old fireplace is a jumble of rocks so I rebuild it and put on pots to boil. From my journal: "A red squirrel perches on a lower limb of the huge spruce tree beside the fireplace. The squirrel watches me intently as I talk to it but doesn't answer. A small woodpecker gently taps on the trunk higher up the tree but no matter how hard I look cannot see it." At supper of pike chowder I sit close to shore beneath the big spruce in front of the fireplace; the tree is double trunked rising high above, long sheltering branches reaching far out. I look downriver where smoke is billowing up from two spots to the east, advancing north to south; the more southern is two fingers high at the horizon, the other one finger of outstretched arm. At bedtime I exchange the dry in-use pajamas for clean, a nice feeling as was the change of clothing this morning. After travelling nine kilometres Camp 16 is on the downstream tip of an island in Black Bear Island Lake at a section of the Churchill River with rapids splitting down both sides, the main flow being on the south side.
July 29:
Up by 05:00 I think about having breakfast but decide to try fishing at camp shore with no luck, even when casting far out into the river below the rapids. Then I paddle to the opposite side of the island's other rapids. They prove to be so low there are no actual rapids and cannot get past the too shallow midway island point. After trying a few spots I paddle to the main rapids where I went yesterday. This time I paddle up the right side next to the island where I could not manage to ascend a few years ago because the river was too swift. I land two small pike, too deeply hooked to release. Landing on the upper side of the peninsula where I fished yesterday, having given up on walleye, I walk farther along the mainland shore and finally catch a 27" pike after much casting. After filleting the fish I return to camp. At breakfast I replace line on the fishing reel because the old was knotted and tangled; I was lucky to have been able to use the old line to catch the pike. After wearing a mask all morning the smoke clears with blue sky overhead but to the east is smoke two fingers high across the horizon with one spot puffing up smoke. My squirrel keeps running across the campsite always eluding the camera. At one point another squirrel runs directly in front of me and tries to climb the big spruce but is scolded away by the first making me chuckle. Midafternoon I enjoy a wonderful bath. The water is so shallow that I have to crouch low, hand on boulders so as not to slip. I am being extra careful after my first attempt resulted in skinned wrist and ankle. Updating journal and doing some puzzles I keep falling asleep. After lunch I have not had to wear mask for which I give thanks, also for the lack of bugs including flies. I comment on the fact that for some reason at one point there are no sounds of birds or insects, just the peaceful quiet rolling and gurgling of the river below the rapids. After a scrumptious supper of sauteed fried pike in couscous I head to bed. Prepacking is done with the intention of continuing east despite the smoke which is an ever present question mark. About midnight I awake to the smell and taste of smoke; I slip on the mask wearing it the rest of the night. As I fall asleep I remark 'Not a good sign! Don't know about moving on in morning.'