Day 14: Sunday 9-21
Since I fell asleep so early last night, I was up at the crack of dawn: Felt very strange to be in a warm, soft bed. Got dressed and walked down to the local Mini-Mart for a coffee and Danish. Would have preferred ham and eggs, but I was still too full from last night's dinner. Roy, the taxi driver had told me he was closed on Sunday, but he gave me his home phone number and told me to call before 9 AM. I called at 7:45 and was back at the Nym landing before 9 AM. Heard a weather report of his car radio; cloudy today and rain the next - GREAT!!
Before launching, I filled out a "permit envelope" and put $180 inside to cover me for 15 days. (After September 14, all Quetico ranger stations are closed, so permits are issued on the honor system.) Walked down to big Batch' Lake and did not like what I saw; wind out of the south stirring up small whitecaps. 80% of the trip back to my camp is traveling south, so I will have to fight the wind all day. Guess you can't expect two calm days in a row?
There are two small island campsites located on Batch', so I decided to make a slight detour and paddle to one of them. Figured I would need a rest by then, and the island would afford some protection (not much) from the southerly wind. As I approached the island, I saw two people there and pulled in to rest and chat. They were a "father and son" from PA. Had flown in to Ely, MN; Rented all of their gear from an outfitter; Taken a sea-plane to Nym and were on the 5th day of a 7 day "loop", back to Nym. Whole trip did not make much sense to me. Why didn't they just fly into Atakokin and use a Canadian outfitter? Father was age 73, with a bad heart, so the son had to triple carry every portage, and they were concerned with the weather. I told them of the forecast and suggested they paddle to the dock (like I did), call a cab and spend the next two days in town, while waiting for the sea-plane to pick them up. Probably should not have done it, but I gave them Roy's home telephone number (Sorry, Roy!).
Next 9 miles were a little tough to paddle, even without the canoe being loaded with gear. Had to rest once, but I eventually reached the portage into Maria Lake. At the head of the portage, I met a young couple, from Iowa, paddling a new cedar-stripper tandem canoe. REALLY a nice boat!! Guy said he just finished building it a few days before the trip. I gave him the www.southernpaddler.com website. They were on the second day of a 40 mile loop trip through some lakes that I am familiar with. I suggested they make this portage and the one into Jesse before we got more rain. They did not take my advise and camped on Maria. I continued on to Jesse (really had no choice, since all of my camping gear was there).
The muddy portage from Maria to Jesse had dried out a bit, so was not as bad; Didn't even get my boots wet. Once back in Jesse, I made a firewood stop. Was able to easily load the canoe with (reasonably) dry wood. Did not reach camp until 6 PM. The trip that had taken me 6 hours to make in calm winds had taken me 9 hours paddling against the wind. Re-packed all of my clothes/supplies, made a fire and a batch of rum cocktails. Dinner was "sugar cured turkey" with Lipton's Chicken Noodle Side Dish. I had planned to sit by the fire and drink cocktails, but by 9 PM it started to rain so I had to retreat to the tent.
Welcome back to Quetico, John!!
Day 15: Monday 9-22
Woke at 8 AM and it was still raining; Did not stop until 10 AM. Still damp, raw, cold and windy. There are no birch trees on this little island, so I had to use the last of the stuff in my pack to get a fire started (must remember to get more). I have come to realize that a stove would be a real asset. It would save a lot time each morning, and I could cook under the tarp on rainy days. I have a Whisper-Lite model that I bought a few years ago. First time I used it, I almost set the woods on fire; Second time, I singed all of the hair off my left arm. It has been in "storage" ever since. Might be time to get it out for another try? When paddling a trip without portages, I use a single burner Coleman propane model. Works fine, and this is my second one. But, it would be WAY TOO HEAVY/BULKY for a trip like this. Besides, canister type stoves are prohibited up here (justifiably so). Since beginning this series, several people have made recommendations that I will look into; Thanks people!
Remained raw, windy and cold all day. At 1 PM I trolled the shoreline for a fish dinner and to gather more firewood. Did not even get a "tap" fishing. The couple from Iowa where camped about 1 mile down the lake. They have only traveled 12 miles, in 3 days (which I did in 1 day). They may need to "re-think" their original 40 mile, 7 day, trip plan! At this rate, they will be lucky to get back to Nym in 7 days. Spent another few hours fishing but still did not get a hit. Walked into the woods for another load of firewood and trolled back to camp; Still no hits. I think this cold front has given the fish lock-jaw. Broke up, stacked the firewood and put a batch of kindling/small stuff under the tarp for a morning fire.
4 PM: Walked over to the leeward side of the island to fish from shore. Used a salted minnow, bobber, on one rod and cast a tube bait on the other (thinking the fish would be deep). Not a tap! Walked back to camp and started an early fire.
The lake narrows by this island, to maybe 200 yards. Opposite shore is low marsh, perfect place to spot a moose. 2 years ago, when I camped here, a bull moose swam the lake and walked (almost) right through my camp. Also saw several beaver that day. This year, NOTHING!
Cooked an early dinner of "sugar cured ham", boiled in a pot of Ramen. Am not too concerned about hanging meat in my food bag, on this little island, but would like to use it before going much further. Warm fire and cocktails until 10 PM.
Not the greatest of days, but I still love Quetico.
Since I fell asleep so early last night, I was up at the crack of dawn: Felt very strange to be in a warm, soft bed. Got dressed and walked down to the local Mini-Mart for a coffee and Danish. Would have preferred ham and eggs, but I was still too full from last night's dinner. Roy, the taxi driver had told me he was closed on Sunday, but he gave me his home phone number and told me to call before 9 AM. I called at 7:45 and was back at the Nym landing before 9 AM. Heard a weather report of his car radio; cloudy today and rain the next - GREAT!!
Before launching, I filled out a "permit envelope" and put $180 inside to cover me for 15 days. (After September 14, all Quetico ranger stations are closed, so permits are issued on the honor system.) Walked down to big Batch' Lake and did not like what I saw; wind out of the south stirring up small whitecaps. 80% of the trip back to my camp is traveling south, so I will have to fight the wind all day. Guess you can't expect two calm days in a row?
There are two small island campsites located on Batch', so I decided to make a slight detour and paddle to one of them. Figured I would need a rest by then, and the island would afford some protection (not much) from the southerly wind. As I approached the island, I saw two people there and pulled in to rest and chat. They were a "father and son" from PA. Had flown in to Ely, MN; Rented all of their gear from an outfitter; Taken a sea-plane to Nym and were on the 5th day of a 7 day "loop", back to Nym. Whole trip did not make much sense to me. Why didn't they just fly into Atakokin and use a Canadian outfitter? Father was age 73, with a bad heart, so the son had to triple carry every portage, and they were concerned with the weather. I told them of the forecast and suggested they paddle to the dock (like I did), call a cab and spend the next two days in town, while waiting for the sea-plane to pick them up. Probably should not have done it, but I gave them Roy's home telephone number (Sorry, Roy!).
Next 9 miles were a little tough to paddle, even without the canoe being loaded with gear. Had to rest once, but I eventually reached the portage into Maria Lake. At the head of the portage, I met a young couple, from Iowa, paddling a new cedar-stripper tandem canoe. REALLY a nice boat!! Guy said he just finished building it a few days before the trip. I gave him the www.southernpaddler.com website. They were on the second day of a 40 mile loop trip through some lakes that I am familiar with. I suggested they make this portage and the one into Jesse before we got more rain. They did not take my advise and camped on Maria. I continued on to Jesse (really had no choice, since all of my camping gear was there).
The muddy portage from Maria to Jesse had dried out a bit, so was not as bad; Didn't even get my boots wet. Once back in Jesse, I made a firewood stop. Was able to easily load the canoe with (reasonably) dry wood. Did not reach camp until 6 PM. The trip that had taken me 6 hours to make in calm winds had taken me 9 hours paddling against the wind. Re-packed all of my clothes/supplies, made a fire and a batch of rum cocktails. Dinner was "sugar cured turkey" with Lipton's Chicken Noodle Side Dish. I had planned to sit by the fire and drink cocktails, but by 9 PM it started to rain so I had to retreat to the tent.
Welcome back to Quetico, John!!
Day 15: Monday 9-22
Woke at 8 AM and it was still raining; Did not stop until 10 AM. Still damp, raw, cold and windy. There are no birch trees on this little island, so I had to use the last of the stuff in my pack to get a fire started (must remember to get more). I have come to realize that a stove would be a real asset. It would save a lot time each morning, and I could cook under the tarp on rainy days. I have a Whisper-Lite model that I bought a few years ago. First time I used it, I almost set the woods on fire; Second time, I singed all of the hair off my left arm. It has been in "storage" ever since. Might be time to get it out for another try? When paddling a trip without portages, I use a single burner Coleman propane model. Works fine, and this is my second one. But, it would be WAY TOO HEAVY/BULKY for a trip like this. Besides, canister type stoves are prohibited up here (justifiably so). Since beginning this series, several people have made recommendations that I will look into; Thanks people!
Remained raw, windy and cold all day. At 1 PM I trolled the shoreline for a fish dinner and to gather more firewood. Did not even get a "tap" fishing. The couple from Iowa where camped about 1 mile down the lake. They have only traveled 12 miles, in 3 days (which I did in 1 day). They may need to "re-think" their original 40 mile, 7 day, trip plan! At this rate, they will be lucky to get back to Nym in 7 days. Spent another few hours fishing but still did not get a hit. Walked into the woods for another load of firewood and trolled back to camp; Still no hits. I think this cold front has given the fish lock-jaw. Broke up, stacked the firewood and put a batch of kindling/small stuff under the tarp for a morning fire.
4 PM: Walked over to the leeward side of the island to fish from shore. Used a salted minnow, bobber, on one rod and cast a tube bait on the other (thinking the fish would be deep). Not a tap! Walked back to camp and started an early fire.
The lake narrows by this island, to maybe 200 yards. Opposite shore is low marsh, perfect place to spot a moose. 2 years ago, when I camped here, a bull moose swam the lake and walked (almost) right through my camp. Also saw several beaver that day. This year, NOTHING!
Cooked an early dinner of "sugar cured ham", boiled in a pot of Ramen. Am not too concerned about hanging meat in my food bag, on this little island, but would like to use it before going much further. Warm fire and cocktails until 10 PM.
Not the greatest of days, but I still love Quetico.