Crew: Martin S. - Interpreter Robin H. - Advisor & ASM Phil F. - Advisor Matt F. - Crew Leader & SPL Michael A. Ben C. Colin H. Nathan M.

Back row: Ben, Matt, Mike, Colin Front row: Phil, Nathan, Robin, Martin

Getting There
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Home Again

Getting There - Aug. 13-14

23 of us plus Nathan M's family flew from San Francisco to Minneapolis on the 13th - Crew (the overly-full of testosterone A team) consisted of Dillon O. (Trip Leader, Crew Advisor & ASM), David C. (Advisor), Richard G. (ASM), David O. (A Crew Leader), Davis C., Jonathan C., Aaron D. and Matt S. Our B team was as above (minus Martin). The C team was headed by Sue W. with Steve H. as Advisor, Crew Leader Joe G., Ben A., Jeff B., Pete G., Jamie H. and Colin V. Upon arrival in the Minneapolis airport, we said good by to Nathan's family (they are going on their own family canoe trip, picking up Nathan after our trip and staying on for some additional days to visit relatives in the area). Our coordinator, Steven H., had done an awesome job and everything went smoothly the entire time! We found our bus (driver Gene) and spent the next 5 hours driving north to Ely and the Somers Canoe Base. Sue and I got the front seats right behind the driver.

Just minutes before our arrival at the Base, Sue called to me to look to the left - there on a dirt side road, standing in full view and staring back at us was what we thought was a large coyote - about the size of a german shephard. He was gray with beige to white shading on the chest and legs. His yellow eyes seemed to look right at me through the bus window. His tail was bushy and faintly ringed with darker gray. We were thrilled to see him! When we described him to the staff at the Canoe base, they informed us that the coyotes found in Minnesota are small - about the size of a fox. From our descriptions, what we had undoubtedly seen was a wolf! A great start to our adventure!

The Canoe Base has a great carved sign out front and a stockade entrance that really sets the tone.

NT sign outside Base

Stockade entrance to Base

We got settled into 4 small cabins near the Dining Hall (one for each crew plus one for Sue and me to share - sometimes it pays to be a woman in the BSA!!) and had a good dinner.

We wandered around the base, checking out the canoes (the aluminum ones - the kind we would be using - did, sure enough, weigh 80 lbs.). I feared that I would not be able to carry a canoe on any of the portages. One of the staff members told us that one of the interpreters always used a wood and canvas canoe - weighing 120 lbs. - but always carried it himself. A really big guy, I asked? No, just likes that kind of canoe better, he replied.

The next day was spent getting oriented, meeting our interpreters (Pete for Crew A, Brian for Crew C and Martin for us) and checking out our gear for the trip. I was thrilled to find that our interpreter, Martin, was the interpreter who used the wood and canvas canoe. Clearly someone dedicated to the experience.

We had to move from our nice cabins near the Dining Hall to six-sided rondettes out in the boonies of the base. Again, Sue and I got one to ourselves and had lots of room to spread out, while the guys were shoe-horned into theirs.

It was great to find that Dillon's homework had paid off, and we had all the right clothing and gear. The medium-large dry bags were great - kept each individual's gear together and dry and yet easily fit into the large gray personal gear packs (weighing ~60-80 lbs. each, depending on how evenly the goods were distributed). For each crew there were 3 gray packs with personal gear (clothing and tents), there were one or two green food pack/s and one green dining equipment pack. The interpreter had his own pack with his personal gear. This meant that for each canoe with three people in it, one person carried the canoe, one a gray pack, and one a green pack. The two with the packs carried the paddles as well. The interpreter always carried his (or her - we did not have a female interpreter, but some groups do get one) personal gear and a canoe (!). For our group of 8, where one canoe had only 2 people, we were able to fit most of our food into one green pack and the left over amount was carried as a 2nd pack by one person until we ate it up. Martin had not gotten the message that our crew was one person short - 8 total instead of 9 -so we had one fewer person to carry the food and gear and we all ended up carrying extra extra weight. (And I gained weight trying to eat up the "extra" food - Ugh!!) Each person also carried their own fanny pack.

Day One - Canoe Base to Bayley Bay (9 miles, one portage)

After breakfast at 7, we loaded up with our gear and headed down for the dock. Crew C was the first off, closely followed by the A team. As we were loading up, an eagle carrying a fish flew overhead. Our 2 man canoe was Martin and Matt, Phil shared a canoe with Ben and Nathan, and Mike and Colin joined me in the 3rd canoe. We left the dock at about 9:10 a.m. The wind was from the N and gusting strongly. Intermittent sun and clouds in the morning, but bright sunlight by mid-morning for the rest of the day. We paddled NE up Moose Lake and into Newfound Lake. We passed several loons on the water near the canoe, and an osprey flew overhead. Martin and Matt paused opposite an island to point out an eagle's nest on a tree top. This set the pattern of the trip. The faster wooden canoe with Martin and one scout was first, with Phil's and my canoe taking turns as second and third. The next lake was Sucker Lake and then we turned WNW toward Prairie Portage, our first portage (20 rods or canoe-lengths - a canoe-length or rod is 16.5 feet) and the Quetico park office. We met Crew A there - they were just finishing up and said they had been right on the heels of Crew C. It took about a half hour to get our turn, show our permits and fill out the last-minute paperwork to enter Canada. The park ranger said that her wind gage showed gusts to 46 knots - and we could see small white caps forming on Inlet Bay just north of the portage. We eagerly hit the water and paddled up the bay to a headland where we paused for lunch.

After lunch we continued through a connecting passage to Bayley Bay (part of Basswood Lake, a very large lake with many bays, peninsulas and islands). As soon as we came out of the passage and passed an island at the entrance to Bayley Bay, the NNW wind really hit. There were whitecaps and large swells - occasionally breaking into the bow of the boat. We were not taking a dangerous amount of water, but had to paddle fiercely to make any headway at all. Ahead I saw Martin's canoe turn and start to head into the leeward shore to our right. I cautioned my crew to angle gently - we needed to keep the bow to the wind to avoid taking in water. We thankfully made shore around 2 p.m. and all three canoes pulled out without incident.

Colin bailing the water from the canoe at Bayley Bay - Martin's green canoe in foreground.

We met a lone canoeist at a campsite next to the point, Milton D. from Wisconsin. He said he had seen two sets of canoes fight past the point and up the coast and had seen at least two canoes swamp.

Me on Bayley Bay shoreline - note the waves and whitecaps!

We headed up the coast on foot to see if it was our crew/s. Just a short way N. we found another Crew - not ours, but also from the BSA base, heading home on their last day. They had one canoe swamp and had come in to shore to dry out and wait out the high winds. They were due back at Base by 5, but feared that they would not make it. Their interpreter (a young woman) was planning to radio in to explain that they would be late.

We continued up the coast and found Sue's Crew, drying out and waiting out the wind. One of their canoes had swamped when it took a few big waves over the bow and one of the crew had jumped out. They were planning on continuing when the wind died down that evening or early the next morning. We thought that sounded like a plan an wished them luck.

Another 1/4 mile up the coast we encountered the A team. One of their canoes had taken water (Aaron, Matt and Richard's), so they had put in to dry out. They were just leaving. They planned to line their canoes up the coast (walk them along the shoreline) until they reached a peninsula to the north which would shelter them from the wind a bit, and then paddle the short distance to Sunday Island, a nearby island with a nice campsite and good fishing.

"A Team" lining their canoes up the coast in Bayley Bay.

We headed back to our canoes on the point, set up camp and chatted with Milton. We spent some time putting up the ropes to bear bag. Martin suggested we use a canoe as a windbreak for the stoves. Our first dinner- steak fajitas! Luckily, Martin uses spices and it is surprisingly edible - our only dinner with fresh vegetables and meat!

Martin, Chef extraordinaire (note large gray pack in background)!

The homebound crew set out for Base after dinner - the wind was still strong, but they were going into the smaller, more protected lakes to the south and figured they could make it. The wind did not die down until late that night, so we spent the night and continued on the next morning.

Day 2 - Bayley Bay (Basswood Lake) to Blueberry Island (Agnes Lake) (12.5 miles, 4 portages)

The next morning we are up at 6:30 a.m. We hear Sue's crew heading out up the coast, and wave good by to Milton, also leaving early. The air is still and the water calm. It is a beautiful sunny, clear day. We have a leisurely breakfast and get on the water by 8:30. We see Dillon's crew as we pass Sunday Island and yell and wave. Today Nathan is with Martin, Mike is with Phil and Matt and Ben is with me and Colin. Our first portage is at the north end of Bayley Bay over to Burke Lake. It is 84 rods and is called the "Yellow Brick Road" because is it so flat, smooth and straight. We land at a nice sandy beach. Ben and Matt carry canoes, and I manage the equipment pack very well.

Once on Burke Lake we head NE to a very short portage (3 rods) called Singing Brook. Mike and Colin take the canoes over the portage into Sunday Lake. It is a nice paddle of almost exactly 2 miles from the West side of Sunday Lake to the East side, where we take the first of two very long killer portages: the Bitch (193 rods) from Sunday Lake into Meadows Lake to be followed within minutes by the Bastard (140 rods) between Meadows Lake into Agnes Lake. Phil carries a canoe on both these very long portages and has sore shoulders the rest of the day. At each portage I ask Martin what it will be like - easy or hard, flat or hilly and rocky. Every time he says every portage is good - not very forthcoming!

On the first long portage Colin tries to carry the canoe - but it is a narrow path, uphill and he cannot carry the canoe very far. He and Ben switch, Colin taking over the gray pack and Ben taking over the canoe. Ben also can not carry the canoe farther than a few rods. I suggest they leave the gray pack at the side of the trail (to come back for shortly) and each take one end. They slog along for another few rods (we are passed by two very buff young women, who jog past us carrying canoe and pack with ease). I am wheezing along with the equipment pack and Colin's and my backpack (we have opted to share one rather than each taking a fanny pack) and all the paddles. Martin shows up (his standard procedure is to run his canoe across the portage (simultaneously carrying his personal gear) and then to run back to see who in the Crew needs assistance). Martin takes the canoe from Ben and Colin, Ben goes back for the gray pack and Colin takes my backpack and the paddles while I continue with the equipment pack. It is a long, hard portage and everyone suffers. About 5 minutes across Meadows lake and we are ready for the second killer portage. Colin takes on of the gray packs from Phil's canoe and Phil and Matt carry the canoes. The portage goes on forever, but we finally make it to Agnes Lake.

Ben (left) and Nathan (right) carrying the canoes on a portage.

Once on the water, it is a short haul to Louisa Falls. We leave the canoes at the shoreline and hike up to the Falls and go for a swim (with life vests on!). The water is cold, but great - like a strong massage on the back under the falls. We eat lunch (salami, jalapeno cheese spread on pita and trail mix) by the falls.

Playing in the falls.

We continue N. on Agnes Lake - passing a couple of occupied camp sites on the East shore - for ~3-4 miles. It is slightly overcast, but there is no wind (yay) and it is a very nice temperature. Martin points out a pictrograph on a cliff on an island we pass - 2 stick figure men in a canoe - but it is too faint to photograph well.

We find a camp site on the north end of an island in a narrow part of the lake. We name it Blueberry island, as it is covered with blueberry bushes. Unfortunately, the blueberries have already come and gone. Fortunately, since there are no berries, we do not have to worry about bears, and do not have to bear bag tonight. Matt and Nathan fish and both catch smallmouth bass. Matt's is very big - but still "breeding size", so he lets it go. No fish for dinner tonight. The next night Nathan also catches a big one (see below!).

The view north on Agnes Lake from Blueberry Island.

Matt's big fish

and Nathan's big fish.

Martin and I each have our own tents and Matt and Phil share a 2-man while Mike, Colin, Ben and Nathan share a 4-man. Each night I progressively camp further and further from the 4-man tent in hopes of not being kept awake by the late-night chats. Martin has it figured out early and always camps a ways off.

Getting ready for dinner on Blueberry Island. Mike, Matt, Nathan (back to the camera), Martin, Phil and Ben.

Colin getting water.

In the night my tent is visited by a skunk. I hear a rustling and snuffling outside and yell - and then get a whiff. Please, Mr. Skunk, don't take offense! Luckily, he doesn't and leaves shortly. Not so luckily, I have forgotten some left-over-from-lunch trail mix in my pfd pocket. The skunk (or some other critter) finds the trail mix - not by opening the velcroed pocket, but by chewing a hole in it.

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Day Three - Blueberry Island (Agnes Lake) to Mary-Jane Lake (named by Mike) (13 miles, 4 portages)

We leave the Island at 8:20 a.m. Today Ben is with Martin, Mat with me and Colin. Phil has Mike and Nathan with him and they bring up the rear all day. It is gray and rains off and on, so we are in our rain gear. It is not cold, though, and if it must rain, we might as well be paddling through it. We make great time to some petroglyphs (pictures incised in the rock rather than painted on) of deer and moose, and pictographs of 2 rabbits nearby.

Petroglyphs of deer and/or moose on Agnes Lake.

Pictograph of rabbits.

We make it up to the North end of Agnes Lake by about 11:30 and take the first portage of the day - ~ 70 rods into Reid Lake. It is very up and down alongside a creek and is long and tiring. We pass a beaver lodge and stop for lunch. It seems colder and although the rain has stopped, we are glad to rest for a bit.

Our next portage is a short one - ~15 rods. Just as we get there, Nathan realizes he has left his day pack back at our lunch stop. Martin and Phil race back to get it, flying across the lake. It takes them only about 25 minutes to do the two mile round trip.

Back at the portage, Colin carries the canoe - another hilly trail, but at least it is short. We canoe about 3/4 mile to the end of a nameless lake to the Portage from Hell (only 12 rods on the map, but seems MUCH longer and the entry and exit are muddy and slippery). The start point is at a creek mouth with murky water and big slimy rocks. You cannot see the bottom and it is very hard to keep your footing. I have to abandon the green equipment pack in the canoe and wade to shore with just my backpack. I return for the equipment pack and somehow keep my footing to make it to shore. I can't imagine how the guys with the canoes will do it! When I get to the other end of the portage, I find Colin has just pulled himself out of a mud hole and is covered to mid-thigh in mud. I try to avoid the hole, but ALSO sink my left leg in the mud. I get the green pack off, and pull myself out and we direct the rest of the crew to the side of the path to avoid the mud hole.

Colin after the Portage from Hell mud hole (AFTER washing off)
(Ben in the background).

It is only about 5 minutes across the next lake to our final portage of the day - ~20 rods. This is a fairly easy one and we head on about half-way down a narrow lake to the south end of a small peninsula where we make camp. The rain has continued on and off - misting when it is not raining. We are all glad to get to the campsite. Granite shelving gradually up to a low hill covered with moss and lichen. It is a beautiful spot. Two negatives: the peninsula base (where it meets the mainland) is swampy and mosquito-y - and there are yellow jacket nests nearby - one right by Phil & Matt's tent. Colin gets stung twice by the wasps when he and Nathan are gathering wood and his left forearm swells up (and stays that way for the rest of the trip).

Mike laying the fire.

We put up a jury-rigged rainfly (we had left the "real" one, but Nathan has an extra small tarp we use. We huddle under the small fly to cook dinner and Matt, Ben and Nathan fish.

Phil under the rain fly (note pots and pans piled on
Cook gear box piled on food box - Martin's "no bear" bag alternative.

Ben throws his catch back, but Matt and Nathan both catch keepers (after dinner, though, so we put them on a stringer to save for breakfast tomorrow).

Ben with his catch of the day.

Day Four - "Mary-Jane" Lake to Shade Lake (9 miles, 8 portages)

The scouts sleep in. Martin is up early fishing - a lovely morning. There is an almost full moon still up in the sky, the sun is coming up and mist is on the water. It is so quiet and peaceful - just let everything dry up quickly! The fish left on the stringer last night are gone! A bit of "fish debris" left on the bottom where the stringer sits indicates that they were eaten - Martin thinks by a snapping turtle.

Early morning on "Mary-Jane" lake.

We are under way by ~9:30 - the sun is out and it is warm and lovely. Martin takes Mike in the canoe with him, Phil has Matt and Colin, and I have Ben and Nathan. The scouts have named the canoes - Phil's canoe is "The Hoser", my canoe is "The Pirate Loon", and Martin's is "Old Woody". The cry of the loon is our battle cry, and the boys are all saying "argh" in a husky voice like Long John Silver.

The smaller narrow lakes we are on today give us lots of scenic interest while we paddle, each turn of the lake showing us a new, lovely vista.

Matt, Phil and Colin clowning around on "The Hoser".

At the south end of the lake is our first short (~12 rods) portage. We cross the southeast end of a lake to our second (22 rod) portage. This one is very rocky. Another nameless lake - again crossing just one end - to portage number 3 - 39 rods. This one is very difficult - rocky and marshy (along a creek bed). We cross the narrow part of another small lake to a 32 rod portage into Silence Lake. This portage is marshy, but not too difficult. At one point the portage crosses a creek and continues up a granite shelf. The Hoser crew (Phil, Matt and Colin) turns right and continues down the creek by mistake. They make it out next to the portage path, but have taken a more difficult route.

Somtimes the footing is treacherous.

Silence Lake is very scenic - ~4 miles long. We stop on a grassy point for lunch. It is a lovely camp site and we are tempted to stay. About half-way through lunch we see another canoe with one man in it coming up the lake toward us. The canoeist looks familiar. It is Milton D., the guide we met at the Bayley Bay camp our first night. This is the first other person we have seen since we left Agnes Lake, and we holler to him. He joins us for lunch and gives our fishermen tips and suggests a campsite on Shady Lake we may want to try.

After lunch he heads north and we continue south. At the foot of Silence Lake is a 40 rod portage into Sultry Lake. It is hilly where it is not marshy, but not too bad. Maybe we are just getting used to portaging. Across one "wing" of Sultry lake to a 16 rod portage to Summer Lake. Martin tells me that this is my portage. I am not sure I will be able to do it, but I give it a try. I cannot lift the canoe over my head to position the yoke on my shoulders, but with Martin's help I get the canoe up. The start of the trail is steep up and the end comes downhill more gradually. Unbelievably, I do not drop the canoe. In fact, it is not that hard. I am amazed.

My first portage - Martin following behind.

We cross Summer Lake to a ~12 rod portage onto Noon Lake. Another fairly easy one. Our last portage of the day takes us from Noon Lake onto Shade Lake. This is another short (~10 rods) portage, and I decide to try it again. I succeed in carrying the canoe, again without falling, and everyone cheers.

I carry the canoe (and Matt does on the right).

We take a sharp right from the entry point and pull into a lovely little cove - the spot Milton recommended. Three is a beach with sand - a great spot to put the canoes in the sun so we can dry our clothing (still wet from yesterday's rain) on the hot aluminum and we can swim in the warm water. The large camp site is set back from the water in a forest glad and we have lots of room to spread out.

We make camp around 1:30, swim, wash and hang clothes, and play frisbee in the shallows. Tomorrow, Day 5, we will layover here and have fun.

Sunset on Shade Lake.

Late that night Phil calls the guys to come see the Northern Lights, but I am already snug in my sleeping bag, so I figure it can be a "guys night out" without me. Phil tells me they see a greenish-blue glow low on the horizon below the North Star.

Day Five - Layover at Shade Lake

I am first up - around 7 a.m. A field mouse has fallen in the water bucket and drowned (note - cover the water bucket at night!). I bury the mouse and Phil cleans and disinfects the bucket when he gets up (around 8). Martin and the boys make their appearance around 9. Oatmeal for breakfast. I suggest that Martin is putting too much water in the pot to cook the oatmeal in and Martin gives me the blue eyed glare. Never criticize the cook! (I am right - the oatmeal is tastey, but a bit watery.)

The morning is sunny, but with intermittang clouds - not warm enough to swim yet. Some of the guys play cards (in their tent)! Colin and Martin and I read on the beach in the sun while Phil explores, trying to find the old portage trail that supposedly ended on our beach.

Nathan and Mat take one of the canoes out in our cove to fish. Colin, Phil and Mike decide to hang around the beach to keep an eye on the fishermen, while Martin, Ben and I head out in Old Woody to find the pictographs that are supposedly in a bay a bit farther down the lake. We see an abandoned beaver lodge just across the bay from our cove - a possible source of dry wood for a fire tonight. In the pictograph bay we see a muskrat lodge (smaller than a beaver lodge). We almost despair of finding the pictographs, but finally, almost at the end of the bay, we see 2 talons. The pictographs were supposed to be of thunderbirds, but all that is still visible is the talons. We continue to the end of the bay where a creek comes out and explore up the creek on foot to a moose meadow. Martin points out a footprint and the place where a moose has slept, but there are no moose in sight.

Abandoned beaver lodge.

Muskrat lodge.

Thunderbird talon pictograph.

Another thunderbird (talon) pictograh on Shade Lake.

On the return trip we gather our firewood from the old beaver lodge and return to our cove just in time for a late lunch. After lunch there is more reading, fishing and swimming. A great lazy day!

Colin & Ben unloading the firewood.

Phil and Ben swimmming (floating!).

Phil and Ben showing off.

Martin steering.

Tonight there is a special dinner - popcorn as an appetizer and apple cinnamon fritters for dessert. It is Mike's birthday, and Martin makes a special extra-big donut-shaped fritter for him as a birthday cake (complete with candle). We all sign a card made out of a color photocopy of one of the maps and the guys come up with a number of joke gifts (fishing line to hold up Mike's droopy pants, a birchbark crown, etc.). We burn the left-over fritter oil in the fire (don't try this at home!) and enjoy the bonfire. In bed by nine for an early start tomorrow!

Mike blowing out his birthday candle.

And with his birch bark crown.

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Day Six - Shade Lake to Canadian Point on Basswood Lake (15.25 miles, 3 portages)

Today we start out with Colin and Martin in Old Woody, Matt and Mike with me and Ben and Nathan with Phil. It is sunny with intermittant clouds and there is a light wind. Our first portage on the map turns out to not be a portage, as the water is just deep enough for us to slide over the rocks at the end of Shade lake into a small connecting lake leading to West Lake. The short portage from the small bay or lake into West Lake looks like a good one for me, so I take the canoe.

Martin and Colin demonstrating good form in Old Woody."

At the Southwest end of West Lake is another short portage into South Lake. We make a shart left turn down this long skinny lake and quickly reach the ~12 rod portage into North Bay (on Bassswood Lake). This is a very scenic portage ending in a "bayeau-like" shallow area with lilly pads and cat-tails, marsh grass and reeds. We cross the remnants of a beaver dam quickly and glide for about a mile on a winding course through the reeds. When we finally come out into open water on North Bay, we pass some campers on the west shore. They have a rain fly up, and it looks as if we missed some rain by staying at Shade Lake yesterday. The wind is much stronger out in the Bay - and as usual, almost on the nose.

We paddle strongly into the wind and pass Cigar Island and White Island before stopping for a quick lunch on the east shore of Basswood, opposite U.S. Point.

After lunch we continue down the West short of Canadian Point. We pass another bald eagle perched on a tree top and see soaring osprey and loons floating on the water and diving for incredibly long periods of time. I cannot get my camera out while paddling into this wind, so again I miss getting a photo of a loon! Phil's group sees a couple more eagles making "fishing runs" until they are chased off by a flock of raucous ravens.

Bald eagle in a treetop.

The wind is really starting to kick up, so we are happy to round the bottom of Canadian point and pull into our campsite just opposite Ottawa Island at around 1:40 p.m. We have made great time today, despite it being our longest mileage day and having had a real workout paddling against the wind. Just as we get really competent, the trip is nearly over.

We enjoy a quiet afternoon (except for the roaring wind!) reading and chatting (too windy for fishing). We do a good job of cleaning up and covering everything before bed, as the overcast sky looks like rain.

Day Seven - Canadian Point, Basswood Lake to Somers Canoe Base, Moose Lake (9.25 miles, 2 portages)

I am awakened by a clap of thunder at about 5:15 a.m. and by 5:30 is is right overhead and the rain starts. The storm front has passed by 6:30 and we get up in a light rain. After a quick breakfast and pack up, we are on teh water by 8:30. Headwinds again (surprise!). I am in Martin's canoe today, Phil has Mike and Ben and Matt, Colin and Nathan share the third canoe.

We cross the English Channel (!) between Canadian point and the west end of Ottawa Island and continue past Washington and Lincoln Islands. Then past Squirrel and Norway Islands in Wind Bay (aptly named). We are wearing our rain gear, and the rain squalls on and off.

Phil in the last canoe sees lightning strike off the the southwest. He is worried that we may get caught in a thunderstorm while on the lake. About 15 minutes after he sees the lightning he sees a column of smoke rising in the distance and wonders if it is a tree fire started by it!

Our first portage of the day (130 rods) is between Wind Bay at the South end of Basswood Lake and Wind Lake. About 1/2 way along the portage we see 3 grouse - 2 running along the path ahead of us, and a short time later a third off to the side hiding in the bushes. Mike carries the canoe for Phil's group - his longest portage. Each of the boys has learned that they can do more than they expected and are justifyably proud of their ability to carry the heavy, unwieldy canoes.

Birches blown down by the July 4, 1999 wind storm.

Nathan with pack and paddles.

Reloading at the end of the portage.

On Wind Lake we paddle West and the wind has clocked around so it is still on the nose. It seems that no matter which direction we are going, that is where the wind is coming from. Even so, it is a pleasant paddle, and we exchange greetings with some fishermen about half-way across the lake.

Our final portage, between Wind Lake and Moose Lake, is a long one - 175 rods - but quite pretty. We are in the midst of the blowdown area from a couple of years ago, and many of the birch trees are bent over and dying, with some uprooted at the side of the path. A lot of work has gone into re-clearing the portage trail. Possibly due to the many trees down, the path is lined with colorful flowers - asters, daisies and many others whose names I do not know. The birds sing like mad in the trees. I see a (?) track in the mud on the path - a big dog? A wolf? I can't tell. At the far end, the beach is lined with shale and the loose rocks make perfect skipping rocks. Nathan is able to get abut 20 skips with some of them!

Matt steadying the canoe for Ben.

Phil carrying the canoe.

Ben with a pack and his canoe cushion.

We are not supposed to land at the Scout Base until 1:30, so we paddle to the South end of Scout Island just across from the Base dock. We eat our final trip lunch as we look across at the promised land - showers, toilets, a bed!

Martin on Scout Island by the Boundary Waters sign.
The Scout Base dock is on the far shore behind him.

As we count the last minutes, we see another crew arriving at the dock across from us - a half-hour early! We pull out the binoculars and identify Crew C. Their interpreter, Brian, had to leave the day before, so they have done the last day on their own, and are without an expert to oversee their pull out. Martin wants to be sure that everything is done correctly, as this is one of the last trips of the season and the canoes may not be used again. We paddle like mad across to the dock so he can instruct them on proper canoe clean up, etc.

It is a bit crowded with 6 canoes at the dock, but we finally get everything cleaned up and turned in. Nathan's family arrives while we are still on the dock and gives us a joyous greeting. His Mom, Jane, takes unflattering photos of us all at our wet, grimey worst, and brings orange juice, milk and chocolate cake, which the scouts from our two crews completely devour. We say goodby to Nathan who is leaving with them.

Martin and the Base Staff insist that Sue and I head out as soon as possible so that we can shower and sauna before the guys take over the adult shower room. We leave the guys to the finish turning gear in and gratefully head for the sauna.

The A crew arrives a couple of hours later, full of fish stories. Despite being the only all-guy crew in our group (with a preponderance of the older, bigger scouts), they have covered less ground (and water!) and spent more time fishing and lazing around.

The afternoon (the rain has stopped and the sun is out!!) is spent cleaning up, drying out our gear and shopping in the Trading Post. After dinner we pre-pack as much of our stuff as possible - the bus will arrive early tomorrow morning!

At 8 p.m. is the final "rende'vous" in the Lodge. Martin is in full Voyageur regalia and tells the history of the Voyageurs or fur trade "haulers". We sing songs and the Crews do skits (A Team the "Titanic" skit, B Crew the Lake "Pirates" and C Crew the always funny (even the 100th time?) "Film Crew"). Joe Mattson, the program director, is dressed as a "Bourgeois" or the trader who runs the fort, collecting the furs from the voyageurs and giving them the trade goods to give to the indians and trappers in exchange for the furs. It is a fun show, and great end to an unforgettable adventure.

Jonathan and Martin as voyageurs.

The Program Director, Joe, as a bourgeois.

I am modeling a coyote fur and Sue (back) is wearing wolf.

Ben and Matt in the "Lake Pirate" skit.

Troop 5's motley NT crew on the Lodge staircase.
Back row: Colin H., Ben and David O.
2nd Row: Matt S., Mike and Matt F.
Sides and Front Row: Colin V., Jonathan, Jamie (back),
Davis, Richard, Aaron, David C., Dillon

Home Again

Up for a 7:30 a.m. breakfast, we are on the road in the bus at 8:30. We hate to say goodby to Martin! Our bus driver, Denny, stops in Ely to let Dillon buy cough syrup for the A Team and we check out the Humvee fire truck - complete with Dalmatian in the front seat. We make it to the airport by mid-afternoon and home to the San Francisco airport by about 8 p.m. - about 1/2 later than scheduled. Time to develop our photos and tell the rest of the Troop about our experience as Voyageurs.

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Email me at: reh@stanford.edu