Day 12: Friday 9-19
Rained all night, heavy at times, but he tarp kept my tent dry. Poked my head out at 8 AM and it was still raining, cold and windy. My new found thermometer reads 48 degrees but the wind chill is much lower.
I am always concerned about my down-filled sleeping bag wet, even from condensation, so I have developed a habit of bringing both my day pack and PFD into the tent. I prop the PFD against the tent wall, above my head, and the day pack at my feet. That way neither end of the sleeping bag ever touch the tent walls. Just a tip I thought I would pass along.
10 AM - and still raining. I am getting hungry, so decide to try boiling water with 2 tea-lite candles. I put the candles in my ashtray and made a "bridge" (using two packs of cigarettes) to keep the pot above the candles. Measured one Thermos cup of water and began the process. Took 20 minutes to (almost) boil but hey, I ain't goin' nowhere anyway! Besides, the dry heat from the candles is very welcome. Added a pack of Lipton's Cup-o-Soup which warmed my belly and really tasted good, especially since I had not eaten anything other than Trail Mix for 2 days. Boiled another cup of water and this time added 2 packets of instant grits. I would have preferred oatmeal, but that has a tendency to "go right through me" and I did not want to take a "Nature call" walk in the rain. Figured the grits would actually "bind me up", since they smell, look and taste like the glue we used in Kindergarten class. Why do Southerners eat that stuff(?); Even the name sounds "gritty". I added a little sugar and got them down.
My tea-lite system worked, but I need to find something a little better: Maybe one of those little fold-up aluminum Sterno stoves (if they still make them)? Also need to keep the candles from being in direct contact with the tent floor. I have a whole year to work on that problem.
2 PM: I fell asleep for over 2 hours; now I will be up all night. Rain stopped, so I put on my wet Gortex rain gear and wet boots (no sox) for a much needed stretch break. I have been in this tent for 20 hours! This island is small, maybe 50 X 100 yards, so it did not take long to cover it in search of firewood. Found some, but it was so wet that I just to placed it on a rock to dry out when the sun (eventually) shines again. Exercise, stretch felt good, but by 3:30 PM it started to rain again: Back to the tent! Dinner tonight will be a pot of Ramen cooked over tea-lite candles. Yum, Yum!!
Notes:
Boots: I only have one pair of boots, 12" Viking, felt-lined, rubber. I have used these for years and found them to be well worth the money. However, I really need a second pair of lightweight shoes to wear around camp. My boots are always wet, either from perspiration, rain, or stepping into deep water: Once wet, they are cold and heavy. A second pair of shoes would allow me to dry out the boots, either in the sun, or by the campfire.
Food: I found my "over the counter" (low $$) products to be adequate, but have decided to try some of the products offered by AdventureFoods. There are times when something with more "meat" would be a real treat.
Flashlight: I am not happy with the flashlights that I brought; just regular WallMart ones that use 2 -AA batteries. I have already used two sets of batteries. Have since "trashed them" and will try 3 new options: Halogen, LED and LED headband. There is a BIG difference in battery life.
Had plenty of time to look over the maps. If I launch from here, I am 12 miles, and 3 portages (totaling 360R) from the ranger station at NYM Lake, Atakokin. From there, I can call a cab, or hitch-hike the 13 miles into town. Two of the lakes to cross are big ones, so the wind would be a big factor. Will wait until the AM and see what the weather does.
Why even bother going into "town"?:My #1 concern is to contact my family. Just want to make sure everything is okay, especially with my 85 year old father, and to let them know I am okay. Also getting (very) low on rum and cigarettes. A hot shower, steak dinner w/salad, laundry and a few cold beers also sound enticing, especially after the long, cold, wet day I have spent here.
Day 13: Saturday 9-20.
Woke up at daybreak (I am really rested) and it looks like it will be a nice, sunny day: No wind and the lake is beautiful, with a fine mist rising off the water (picture attached). This is decision time:
Do I leave camp set-up here and paddle the 12 miles, 3 portages (total 360R), or do I move 2 lakes closer to Atakokin and set-up for a short (5-6 mile paddle)? Either way, I will only take my day pack with dirty laundry and empty (to be re-filled with rum)) plastic water bottles, first aid kit, and rain gear, so I can "single carry" the portages, which saves 2/3 the distance, and the canoe will be light. My concern is that I have to cross two large bodies of OPEN WATER, Batchewaung Bay and Batch' Lake. If I get "wind bound" on either one, I have no camping gear. Flip a coin, John!
Observation: Normally, after a front moves through, like the one yesterday, you get a day of calm. Everything is still soaking wet, and it would take me 1/2 day to re-locate, so I have decided to "go for it". Skipped a fire and launched early, 8 AM.
Paddled the (less than) 1 mile, through Jesse, to the first portage (165R) leading into Maria Lake. My notes read "muddy MF". There are 3 sections, maybe 10-20 YDS long (each), where there are 4' logs placed across the deepest mud spots. Problem was, with all of the rain, some of the logs were floating, and VERY slippery. My boots were still soaking wet, so there were several times that I went around the logs and just sloshed through the mud. Tough enough to just "hike", but carrying a canoe made it "challenging" (to say the least). On the positive side, I am well rested, after having spent almost two days in the tent.
Paddled the 1/2 mile across Maria Lake in less then 15 minutes. I love to paddle this Mad River canoe, empty, in calm water: No problem doing 3.5 - 4 MPH. Next portage (48R) was not too tough, at least I have no indications in my log. That gets me into Batch' Bay (open water), which leads into Batch' Lake ( 2 miles of REAL open water). But the water is still "reflection calm". I mean, you could spit and watch the ripples go to the far shore. What a joy to paddle!! Large flocks of Canadian geese flying overhead (some landing in the lake) and lots of loons, and mergansers.
Took the narrow channel (in the hopes of seeing a moose) and took a break at the last point before crossing BIG Batch' Lake. No tea, so I had to settle for a few handfuls of water (Hey, people in Florida BUY this water!). Took a compass bearing, picked out a landmark (2 miles away) and paddled across the lake.
Note: It is an ABSOLUTE, POSITIVE essential that you have navigational skills (compass/map) up here. There are NO SIGNS, NO MARKERS, NO NOTHING in Quetico (and I agree with the philosophy). So, when it's time to cross a large body of water, you consult the map, take a compass bearing and then locate some detail on the far shore as your destination. Now, 99% of the time you can locate the portage by picking the lowest point in the landscape (after all, the Voyageurs would not blaze a portage over the high peak of the mountain). I usually favor one side or the other, so if I miss the portage I know which direction to paddle. When in doubt, trust your compass, it is right, you are wrong!
Further note: If you are paddling the Everglades, especially the NE section, you had better be VERY well versed in orientation skills. Every mangrove key, down there, looks the same as the next one and the tide turns, so you cannot follow the current. I sometimes think that Florida was originally settled by "lost" people, which does not say much for the gene pool down there. Maybe that's why they eat grits, have an IQ equal to their height (in inches) and talk funny? Not sure, just a theory.
Had a tough time finding the portage. I located the campsite that was supposed to be next to the portage, but all I found was a small brook running down the mountain. Spent 1/2 hour paddling up and down the shore looking. Went back to the original location and hiked up the brook. Turned out that WAS the portage. With so much rain, the lower portion had actually become a running brook. Carried over it (168R) into Nym Lake.
Nym Lake is not part of Quetico, so is "dotted with houses" on every island, and power boats are permitted. Water was still calm and I made the 1.5 miles to the Ranger station by 2 PM. Pulled my canoe up onto the floating dock and "stashed it" back out of the way. Map indicates this as a "Ranger Station", but the only thing there is a toilet and a phone. After a 1/2 hour of frustration trying to make a phone call, with both my credit card and phone card, two ladies walked down and were kind enough to use their (Canadian) phone card to call me a cab. We sat, and talked, for over an hour waiting for the cab (Roy's) to arrive. Turned out to be a Godsend because they were "locals" and gave me some valuable information. Told me to stay at the Old "A" (Atakokin Hotel) as being the least expensive, closest to town and serving the best meals. They were right on all three counts!
By the time my cab (eventually) arrived, and I got to the hotel, it was 4:30 PM. Was told, "this town shuts down at 6:30 PM" and will not re-open until Monday. I was here 2 years ago and know for a fact that nothing is open on Sunday. First floor of the hotel is a bar and separate dinning room. My room, on the second floor, was just across from the "shared" bath. First stop was an ATM machine to withdraw some Canadian cash; next, the LCB (liquor) store for rum, vodka and a six-pack of beer (all of which are very expensive in Canada; $13 for a six-pack!); next, the Laundromat. Started a load of clothes and used the phone to call home (my credit card worked on this one). I had not had any contact with the outside world for 13 days. Learned that all family members were in good health, but that we were hit with hurricane Isabelle. Fortunately, my neighbor had pulled my sailboat, and the power boat was fine: Big relief on all counts. Walked across the street to a store that sold outdoor clothes and bought 3 pairs of socks and a pair of lightweight shoes; Felt good to get out of those wet, heavy boots. Switched my laundry from the washer to the dryer and went outside for a cigarette and a few beers (probably illegal?). By the time the laundry was finished drying I only had 15 minutes to drop everything back at the hotel and get to the food market. Bought a Summer sausage, 1 pack each of sugar cured ham and turkey, bag of tea-lite candles, AA batteries and a disposable razor. Back at the hotel, I drank 2 more beers and took a LONG HOT SHOWER! Went downstairs to the restaurant and ordered a steak dinner - EXCELLENT meal: Steak was a generous cut and was served with a Garden salad, separate dish of marinated vegetables, bowl of baked beans, fried potatoes, creamed cauliflower and a small loaf of freshly baked bread. I commented on the generous portions and the waitress said, "Don't worry, everybody takes home a doggie bag". Took me an hour, but I ate it all. My original plan was to walk over to the local night club for a few beers and maybe some "action", but I was so stuffed that I just had one more beer, in the room, and fell asleep at 9 PM. I must be getting old?
This had been a long day: 12 miles of paddling, over a mile of portages and lots of rushing around town, but it was worth the effort. I now have peace of mind that my family is healthy, my boats are safe, my clothes are clean, my body is clean, I am well fed and I have enough supplies to complete the trip.
Rained all night, heavy at times, but he tarp kept my tent dry. Poked my head out at 8 AM and it was still raining, cold and windy. My new found thermometer reads 48 degrees but the wind chill is much lower.
I am always concerned about my down-filled sleeping bag wet, even from condensation, so I have developed a habit of bringing both my day pack and PFD into the tent. I prop the PFD against the tent wall, above my head, and the day pack at my feet. That way neither end of the sleeping bag ever touch the tent walls. Just a tip I thought I would pass along.
10 AM - and still raining. I am getting hungry, so decide to try boiling water with 2 tea-lite candles. I put the candles in my ashtray and made a "bridge" (using two packs of cigarettes) to keep the pot above the candles. Measured one Thermos cup of water and began the process. Took 20 minutes to (almost) boil but hey, I ain't goin' nowhere anyway! Besides, the dry heat from the candles is very welcome. Added a pack of Lipton's Cup-o-Soup which warmed my belly and really tasted good, especially since I had not eaten anything other than Trail Mix for 2 days. Boiled another cup of water and this time added 2 packets of instant grits. I would have preferred oatmeal, but that has a tendency to "go right through me" and I did not want to take a "Nature call" walk in the rain. Figured the grits would actually "bind me up", since they smell, look and taste like the glue we used in Kindergarten class. Why do Southerners eat that stuff(?); Even the name sounds "gritty". I added a little sugar and got them down.
My tea-lite system worked, but I need to find something a little better: Maybe one of those little fold-up aluminum Sterno stoves (if they still make them)? Also need to keep the candles from being in direct contact with the tent floor. I have a whole year to work on that problem.
2 PM: I fell asleep for over 2 hours; now I will be up all night. Rain stopped, so I put on my wet Gortex rain gear and wet boots (no sox) for a much needed stretch break. I have been in this tent for 20 hours! This island is small, maybe 50 X 100 yards, so it did not take long to cover it in search of firewood. Found some, but it was so wet that I just to placed it on a rock to dry out when the sun (eventually) shines again. Exercise, stretch felt good, but by 3:30 PM it started to rain again: Back to the tent! Dinner tonight will be a pot of Ramen cooked over tea-lite candles. Yum, Yum!!
Notes:
Boots: I only have one pair of boots, 12" Viking, felt-lined, rubber. I have used these for years and found them to be well worth the money. However, I really need a second pair of lightweight shoes to wear around camp. My boots are always wet, either from perspiration, rain, or stepping into deep water: Once wet, they are cold and heavy. A second pair of shoes would allow me to dry out the boots, either in the sun, or by the campfire.
Food: I found my "over the counter" (low $$) products to be adequate, but have decided to try some of the products offered by AdventureFoods. There are times when something with more "meat" would be a real treat.
Flashlight: I am not happy with the flashlights that I brought; just regular WallMart ones that use 2 -AA batteries. I have already used two sets of batteries. Have since "trashed them" and will try 3 new options: Halogen, LED and LED headband. There is a BIG difference in battery life.
Had plenty of time to look over the maps. If I launch from here, I am 12 miles, and 3 portages (totaling 360R) from the ranger station at NYM Lake, Atakokin. From there, I can call a cab, or hitch-hike the 13 miles into town. Two of the lakes to cross are big ones, so the wind would be a big factor. Will wait until the AM and see what the weather does.
Why even bother going into "town"?:My #1 concern is to contact my family. Just want to make sure everything is okay, especially with my 85 year old father, and to let them know I am okay. Also getting (very) low on rum and cigarettes. A hot shower, steak dinner w/salad, laundry and a few cold beers also sound enticing, especially after the long, cold, wet day I have spent here.
Day 13: Saturday 9-20.
Woke up at daybreak (I am really rested) and it looks like it will be a nice, sunny day: No wind and the lake is beautiful, with a fine mist rising off the water (picture attached). This is decision time:
Do I leave camp set-up here and paddle the 12 miles, 3 portages (total 360R), or do I move 2 lakes closer to Atakokin and set-up for a short (5-6 mile paddle)? Either way, I will only take my day pack with dirty laundry and empty (to be re-filled with rum)) plastic water bottles, first aid kit, and rain gear, so I can "single carry" the portages, which saves 2/3 the distance, and the canoe will be light. My concern is that I have to cross two large bodies of OPEN WATER, Batchewaung Bay and Batch' Lake. If I get "wind bound" on either one, I have no camping gear. Flip a coin, John!
Observation: Normally, after a front moves through, like the one yesterday, you get a day of calm. Everything is still soaking wet, and it would take me 1/2 day to re-locate, so I have decided to "go for it". Skipped a fire and launched early, 8 AM.
Paddled the (less than) 1 mile, through Jesse, to the first portage (165R) leading into Maria Lake. My notes read "muddy MF". There are 3 sections, maybe 10-20 YDS long (each), where there are 4' logs placed across the deepest mud spots. Problem was, with all of the rain, some of the logs were floating, and VERY slippery. My boots were still soaking wet, so there were several times that I went around the logs and just sloshed through the mud. Tough enough to just "hike", but carrying a canoe made it "challenging" (to say the least). On the positive side, I am well rested, after having spent almost two days in the tent.
Paddled the 1/2 mile across Maria Lake in less then 15 minutes. I love to paddle this Mad River canoe, empty, in calm water: No problem doing 3.5 - 4 MPH. Next portage (48R) was not too tough, at least I have no indications in my log. That gets me into Batch' Bay (open water), which leads into Batch' Lake ( 2 miles of REAL open water). But the water is still "reflection calm". I mean, you could spit and watch the ripples go to the far shore. What a joy to paddle!! Large flocks of Canadian geese flying overhead (some landing in the lake) and lots of loons, and mergansers.
Took the narrow channel (in the hopes of seeing a moose) and took a break at the last point before crossing BIG Batch' Lake. No tea, so I had to settle for a few handfuls of water (Hey, people in Florida BUY this water!). Took a compass bearing, picked out a landmark (2 miles away) and paddled across the lake.
Note: It is an ABSOLUTE, POSITIVE essential that you have navigational skills (compass/map) up here. There are NO SIGNS, NO MARKERS, NO NOTHING in Quetico (and I agree with the philosophy). So, when it's time to cross a large body of water, you consult the map, take a compass bearing and then locate some detail on the far shore as your destination. Now, 99% of the time you can locate the portage by picking the lowest point in the landscape (after all, the Voyageurs would not blaze a portage over the high peak of the mountain). I usually favor one side or the other, so if I miss the portage I know which direction to paddle. When in doubt, trust your compass, it is right, you are wrong!
Further note: If you are paddling the Everglades, especially the NE section, you had better be VERY well versed in orientation skills. Every mangrove key, down there, looks the same as the next one and the tide turns, so you cannot follow the current. I sometimes think that Florida was originally settled by "lost" people, which does not say much for the gene pool down there. Maybe that's why they eat grits, have an IQ equal to their height (in inches) and talk funny? Not sure, just a theory.
Had a tough time finding the portage. I located the campsite that was supposed to be next to the portage, but all I found was a small brook running down the mountain. Spent 1/2 hour paddling up and down the shore looking. Went back to the original location and hiked up the brook. Turned out that WAS the portage. With so much rain, the lower portion had actually become a running brook. Carried over it (168R) into Nym Lake.
Nym Lake is not part of Quetico, so is "dotted with houses" on every island, and power boats are permitted. Water was still calm and I made the 1.5 miles to the Ranger station by 2 PM. Pulled my canoe up onto the floating dock and "stashed it" back out of the way. Map indicates this as a "Ranger Station", but the only thing there is a toilet and a phone. After a 1/2 hour of frustration trying to make a phone call, with both my credit card and phone card, two ladies walked down and were kind enough to use their (Canadian) phone card to call me a cab. We sat, and talked, for over an hour waiting for the cab (Roy's) to arrive. Turned out to be a Godsend because they were "locals" and gave me some valuable information. Told me to stay at the Old "A" (Atakokin Hotel) as being the least expensive, closest to town and serving the best meals. They were right on all three counts!
By the time my cab (eventually) arrived, and I got to the hotel, it was 4:30 PM. Was told, "this town shuts down at 6:30 PM" and will not re-open until Monday. I was here 2 years ago and know for a fact that nothing is open on Sunday. First floor of the hotel is a bar and separate dinning room. My room, on the second floor, was just across from the "shared" bath. First stop was an ATM machine to withdraw some Canadian cash; next, the LCB (liquor) store for rum, vodka and a six-pack of beer (all of which are very expensive in Canada; $13 for a six-pack!); next, the Laundromat. Started a load of clothes and used the phone to call home (my credit card worked on this one). I had not had any contact with the outside world for 13 days. Learned that all family members were in good health, but that we were hit with hurricane Isabelle. Fortunately, my neighbor had pulled my sailboat, and the power boat was fine: Big relief on all counts. Walked across the street to a store that sold outdoor clothes and bought 3 pairs of socks and a pair of lightweight shoes; Felt good to get out of those wet, heavy boots. Switched my laundry from the washer to the dryer and went outside for a cigarette and a few beers (probably illegal?). By the time the laundry was finished drying I only had 15 minutes to drop everything back at the hotel and get to the food market. Bought a Summer sausage, 1 pack each of sugar cured ham and turkey, bag of tea-lite candles, AA batteries and a disposable razor. Back at the hotel, I drank 2 more beers and took a LONG HOT SHOWER! Went downstairs to the restaurant and ordered a steak dinner - EXCELLENT meal: Steak was a generous cut and was served with a Garden salad, separate dish of marinated vegetables, bowl of baked beans, fried potatoes, creamed cauliflower and a small loaf of freshly baked bread. I commented on the generous portions and the waitress said, "Don't worry, everybody takes home a doggie bag". Took me an hour, but I ate it all. My original plan was to walk over to the local night club for a few beers and maybe some "action", but I was so stuffed that I just had one more beer, in the room, and fell asleep at 9 PM. I must be getting old?
This had been a long day: 12 miles of paddling, over a mile of portages and lots of rushing around town, but it was worth the effort. I now have peace of mind that my family is healthy, my boats are safe, my clothes are clean, my body is clean, I am well fed and I have enough supplies to complete the trip.