On Saturday Neil, Mikkel and I left the Trails End Landing and headed North on the Seagull River heading towards Saganaga Lake. I was paddling a WeNoNah Encounter solo canoe and the guys were paddling my Souris River Wilderness 18. It was windy and we stopped before the lake opened up. We took a short break and put on rain gear. There was a dark cloud over the Eastern part of the lake and the rollers were about 2 feet high. We decided to just go to Clark Island. My canoe handled the waves with only a little water coming over the bow. At 200 yards from the island the dark cloud passed to the East and the lake flattened with only 3 inch wavelets. Relieved we turned and headed west across the main part of the lake. We passed Long Island and eventually made our way around American Point. It was 6 pm and we decided to make camp. We found a great site with water on 3 sides and a sand beach. We relaxed for an hour and then got busy with camp chores. For supper we had potato soup mixed with onions and tuna - it was delicious. We went to bed early.
Sunday morning started early for me. I packed my personal gear and carried it all down to the water's edge. I made breakfast and enjoyed the peaceful cool of a beautiful Boundary Waters morning. Just as we were leaving Mark, Marsha, Bill, Greg and couple of Greg's kids paddled by. We talked to Coops for a while and took off. Coop's group went ahead of us but we caught up to them at the Monument Portage. It was a windless, blue sky day and we paddled to our camp in Western Ottertrack in about 5 hours. The remainder of the afternoon was spent drinking coffee, making camp, eating lunch and visiting in the shade. This part of Ottertrack is good fishing and Coops, Mikkel and Bill went fishing. They came back fishless. It was very hot while cooking pizzas. The recipe is sandwich thins, mozzarella cheese, onions and pepperoni. Build the pizza and then toast them in the frypan with the lid on for 2-3 minutes. Tomato sauce can be used also. They were enjoyed. After supper Mikkel and I went fishing for a couple hours. While floating in a nearby channel Chloe swam out to us. I just can't leave her behind. I got her into the boat only to have her snag the hair at the back of her head on a treble hook. I had to cut her hair to get it out. It was a close call but there was no injury. She shivered and was very restless for about a half hour but then settled down. Afterwards I took a swim and went to my tent.
I got a good night's sleep, had breakfast and e were on the water by 9:30. After a few minutes of paddling we were at the first portage of only 10 rods. Mark and Marsha spent a long time talking to a couple camped nearby. We paddled on ahead into the wind. The next 2 hours were a total grind. Just as we slid through the narrows into the North Arm of Knife Lake the wind let up. It was a joy to move forward with half the effort. As we rounded the corner of our destination point we realized that our treasured campsite was empty. For lunch Neil and Mikkel made quesadillas and bean mush. It was an excellent meal after such a grind that morning. Everyone arrived in the next hour and made camp. I showed Mark and Marsha the swimming rock and went back to camp. I fell asleep in my chair and when I woke up everyone was napping except Greg, who was out paddling in the harbor. When Greg returned we visited for a while. Everyone woke up feeling wonderful after such a nice nap on a very beautiful afternoon in the wilderness. Coffee and conversation followed and then supper was started. We had Chicken Delight. Everyone went fishing while I stayed in camp. I did chores and watched the lake and sky. The fishermen had a little luck but threw them back. Coop, Neil and I stayed up late talking around the campfire. I got up early and had a solitary breakfast. Bill, Greg and the kids left to continue their route through Ogishcumuncie and Seagull. Coops accompanied them part way on a fishing expedition. Neil took a morning nap hoping to cure his Black Velvet hangover. Mikkel and I paddled over to Pete's Island and made 3 passes in hopes for Lake Trout. We found none. Then we headed the canoe to a shoreline drop off to try for Bass. Mikkel caught a nice Bass on a Rapala Popper. But no luck after that. Chloe knocked Mikkel's spare rod and reel in the lake. I tried to grab it as it sunk but missed by inches. We went to shore and Mikkel swam back out into the lake to surface dive for it. After 20 minutes of cold water he gave up. We went back to camp and just as we were entering our bay we met Neil paddling my We No Nah. He really liked it and looked good paddling it. Lunch was a bagel and a quart of water while I sat on the ground next to a tree. I had broken my chair last night after only 3 days of using it. Napped and visited the afternoon away and then went fishing at the narrows to Little Knife. We fished unsuccessfully for a half hour and then caught an eater just beyond the main flow of the narrows. In the next half hour we caught 3 more for a total of 4. We all enjoyed a bountiful fish fry as the others had luck too.
In the morning Coops left after breakfast because they had to get back to civilization. Mikkel, Neil and I had a pot of coffee and then left for a possible blueberry island. I found no blueberries but Mikkel was successfull landing a few small bass using his popper. We continued exploring the north shore while Mikkel, riding duff, cast to the shoreline. Neil steered from the stern and I paddled bow amazed by all the fishing action. It was like being in a boat with Bill Dance, a famous fisherman. The scenery was beautiful as we glided between a row of islands and the mainland. There were puffy white clouds blue skies, and a gentle breeze. Mikkel landed several nice bass, one of which was quite big. Back in camp we had a mid-afternoon fish fry served with coffee and quesidillas. Everyone shared in the preparation and clean-up. Naps, reading and journaling rounded out the afternoon. Dim sun shown through a thin overcast. There were gentle breezes and no mosquitoes. Tommorrow will be a traveling day and scattered showers with some severe are predicted. We'll have to be careful.
After many hours of paddling and portaging we found ourselves on American Point. I required a long break due to the fact that we had covered about 13 miles and 3 portages since leaving Knife Lake. We decided to head for the best campsite on the lake, four miles away. The first leg of the journey was a 2 mile open water crossing. This stretch was intensified by several factors. There were waves quartering from the rear as we headed Northeast. There was a wind from the west. And finally a storm cell was approaching and we didn't want to be caught mid-lake with that over us. We paddled hard to out run this situation. As we crossed, the lake turned to shades of blue gray with various degrees of saturation from the overlapping islands and distant shoreline. It was a relief to enter the archepelago after an hour of hard paddling. The Canadian Islands to the North of the international border had idyllic cabins on them, with the wilderness islands of the Boundary Waters to the South. It was like entering an enchanted land of beauty and peace, especially since we had so far successfully outrun the storm. The guys surged ahead to be sure we got our favorite campsite. I orienteered my way through the many islands enjoying the solitude of this paradise. I came around the point of the last island before our campsite and could see no one. I called out and Mikkel answered letting me know that we got the best one. My last couple hundred yards of paddling were lightly salted with rain. When I got to camp I could see they had the tarp pitched and their tent up. We were all very glad that we had accomplished our goal and celebrated with coffee and tobacco. The rain let up after a few minutes and we started a supper of tuna casserole. Mikkel and I tried fishing for Lake Trout at a spot that I had luck a couple years ago. We had no luck. It was a beautiful evening with white clouds, blue-gray clouds, blue sky and shafts of sunlight. I sat, wondered at the beauty of it all and didn't go get my camera. Sometimes it's better to absorb an experience viscerally. During the night it rained and thundered for an hour and a half. One lightening strike was very close but most were a mile or two away.
In the morning I sat on a rock next to shore and marveled at the good string of days we'd had in the wilderness. Mikkel slept till 9:30 and Neil slept till 9. For breakfast we had blueberry frybread and lots of coffee. The guys went to Saganaga Falls and I stayed in camp and watched blue sky replace last nights storm clouds. Chloe and I lounged away the afternoon. Chloe kept the squirrels at bay and napped while I swam to keep cool. Neil and Mikkel returned with a nice bass. Neil went to his tent to read and journal. Mikkel cast from shore. Clouds moved in and threatened rain so we quickly got everything under the tarp while it was sprinkling. The storm cell poured for about 20 minutes totally drenching the ground. The evening was cool and comfortable. It rained during the night but was only partly cloudy in the morning.
We lingered over breakfast bracing ourselves for our re-entry to civilized life in America. We were also relishing our last hours in the Boundary Waters. While heading across the main part of the lake the wind increased the size of the waves the farther south we paddled. The waves were quartering us from behind making it very difficult to stay on course. Great amounts of energy were spent keeping the canoe from broaching in the waves. Finally I reached the protection of the river and paddling became easier, especially with a good tailwind. Mikkel and Neil got to the landing long before I did and were ready to load up. Footnote, Neil did most of the photography, Mikkel and I contributed also.
