Steve and his friends on Fourtown, 9-6-2013

We were on the water at Mudro shortly after 4 and arrived at Fourtown at 6 after a strenuous but successful crossing of three difficult portages.  The first nine campsites were taken but we found a great one next to the portage to an unnamed lake next to an outflow.  After supper we stayed up till midnight telling stories and watching the campfire.  It sprinkled but then stopped.  We had scrambled eggs and hash browns for breakfast and headed out to fish the outflow and pond to the east. We had a fish fry at two pm, cooked up our bass.  They were delicious.   Spent the early evening fishing Fourtown.  We caught several very small Walleye and threw them back.  At eight thirty we started a fire and roasted the steaks and sweet corn.  We also enjoyed salads.  The next morning we took a day trip to Horse Lake and enjoyed it's beautiful rocks and beaches for most of the day.  However, we couldn't find the fish.  Our last day was the journey out.  The portages seemed particularly rough on this day.  I stumbled and fell down an embankment with a canoe on.  No broken bones but pulled a muscle in my leg.  Everyone else traversed the difficult passages without a problem.

Jay, Max and me to Knife Lake. 8-24-13

Birch, Carp and the associated sections of the Kawishiwi River were work but went great.  When we arrived at the last portage into Knife Lake we rested before and after the big trek.  Knife Lake was throwing 2 foot waves at us and it was a total all out effort to do the next  two miles.  We were overjoyed to find the first campsite on the west end of Robbins Island open.  We spent the afternoon relaxing because we had covered 12 miles and six portages to get here.  Supper was good.  We went to bed at 9:30.  The next day was 90 degrees and we spent most of the time trying to keep cool.  In the morning we had pancakes and bacon for breakfast and then headed for the quarry.  Jay searched the area for evidence of the work that had been done there long ago.  He showed us many very interesting things.   He knew a lot about paleolithic people.  We returned to camp and arrived at 6pm. A refreshing swim was wonderful.  We then had coffee and started supper. We rounded the evening off with bear stories.  Our next day was mostly fishing from shore and the canoe.  We met an Outward Bound group inspecting Dorothy's Islands as we fished nearby.  I  fried up the days catch and served it with rice.  We went to bed early because the next day was our return to Birch Lake.  The portages and paddling went well and we arrived at Birch lake mid-afternoon.  We made camp, had coffee, took a swim and enjoyed camp life.  That evening we were driven into our tents because of thunder and lightening.  In the morning we paddled in rain to get  to the end of Birch Lake.  It was a great week in the woods and I hope to paddle with Jay and Max again. 

Chicago boys go to Gun Lake, 8,13,13

The route to Fourtown took us over 3 really rough portages.  The two short portages were the worst with bad footing the whole length.   The long one was over a huge hill.   The afternoon was make camp, lunch, coffee and then supper.  The dad liked the steaks, salad and sweet corn.  He also helped with dishes.  We went fishing in the evening.  Didn't even have a nibble.   We were on the water by 9:30 the next morning.  We paddled and portaged through Boot, Fairy and into Gun by 12:30.  It was too hot and sunny so fishing was luckless.  The  evening was beautiful and we laid on the rock looking at the twinkling stars that were so bright because of the lack of light pollution.  After pancakes for breakfast we headed for Bullet and were rewarded with 3 nice bass from a weedy narrows in the middle of the lake.  The boy was almost pulled out of the boat when he was reeling in a giant Bass.   It made every one's day.   Upon returning to camp we swam and snacked.  Supper was fish tacos. Super!  We went to the tents early because tomorrow was a travel day.  Our return to Fourtown was smooth and easy.  We arrived at a real nice camp about 12:30.  After lunch we swam and had a real good time.  After supper we went fishing again. The boy reeled in his lure and a Northern attacked it just as he brought up to the boat.  I couldn't get the net fast enough and the fish got loose.  We stopped fishing at 9:15 because the mosquitoes became unbearable.  We had smores and snacks around the campfire and then laid on the rock looking at the inky night sky with it's pinhole stars.  I told a couple bear stories and we went to bed.  Our last day was uneventful as we toiled across the difficult portages.

    

Insula Lake with Joel and Becky, 7,19,2013

The first two days of travel included 6 portages, and about 16 miles of travel.  We traversed mostly easy portages but one tough one.  We also had to navigate some quick current but we were successful. Our first supper was steak, sweet corn, salad and baked potato.  Our first breakfast together was bacon, eggs and hash browns.  It was a tough two days but we were experienced paddlers and things went smoothly.  On the third day we were on our Island and very happy to be preparing for our fishing adventures.  We fished the hot spot and battled several walleye and bass.  We proudly paddled the wind and waves back to camp  with our fish.  We spent the evening playing scrabble, looking at a furious lake, eating fish tacos, talking and wondering at the constant display of fabulous clouds that scudded by.  Our fourth day started with pancakes and Walleye.  We returned to the hot spot and experienced continued success.  I caught and released a 22 inch walleye. Joel and Becky kept several bass and walleye and we returned to camp for a feast.  After supper it began to rain and we headed for the tents at seven thirty.   We left camp at 7:45 and were at the first portage shortly after 9.  It was a tough portage but we celebrated getting it done early on in the day.   The last two days went well.  We enjoyed calzones for supper and stayed up late enjoying our last night in the woods.  We've had many great conversations, caught a lot of fish, had a good work out and enjoyed the beauty of the wilderness for 6 days.

NW and I go to Knife Lake, 6-19-2013

NW and I paddled and portaged 10 miles to Knife lake and found ourselves camping on the east end of Robbins Island. We relaxed in camp after our big day.  We drank coffee, snacked and napped.  We had mac and cheese for supper.  That evening we played cribbage and I won by a hair.  The Spring Peepers and Loons serenaded us most of the evening. It rained and sprinkled later in the evening and Chloe came into the tent late all wet and muddy.   The next morning we had pancakes and headed for Thunder Point.  It rained and sprinkled off and on all day.  Our hiking was cut short on Thunder Point because we were afraid we would be caught in a down pour.  Didn't happen.  That evening I sat by the lake watching it get dark.  It was a beautiful cool evening.  At 8:45 a group of nine girls paddled by looking for a campsite.    They must of had a very big day.  Chloe snuggled under my bag trying to get warm and sleep after a big day.  I was tired too.  I could hear our noisy neighbors.  On our third morning NW cooked bacon, eggs and bagels.  I washed dishes and we were ready for the day by 8:30.  It was cool and sprinkled like it has for the last 12 hours.   We relaxed for the remainder of the morning and then fished and toured The Isle of Pines where Dorothy Molter used to live.  All her cabins have been removed but there are some of her flowers still growing.  I was glad we didn't have the extreme heat I had the previous week.  It was a pleasant paddle out to civilization.  It was a good trip.

Rk and Me to Knife lake, june 10, 2013

We covered 16 miles and 6 portages on our first day.  We were greeted by a yearling cub as soon as we set our packs down in what was supposed to be our campsite for the first night.  It was late and the bear wouldn't scare away so we cooked supper, packed up and headed for another camp 2 miles away.  This was a big day but RK is a strong paddler and we didn't feel too bad.  Our new camp was next to an Indian quarry that we never had a chance to inspect.  We made camp and talked about going to Canada some year.  Maybe next year.  We paddled to one of my  favorite fishing spots and soon had a couple big bass.  We enjoyed them in fish tacos that night.  It was a beautiful sunset with a crescent moon high in the sky.  We also had loons in the  bay in front of camp.  Breakfast the next morning was cinnamon tortilla pastries.  Best breakfast in the north woods.  We fished close to camp that day and were rewarded with and nice bass and a twenty two inch Walleye that RK hauled in.  We had them for supper and enjoyed another great sunset.  A cool dusk was welcome after such a hot day.  We had another hot day of  fishing and were again relieved when the cool of evening arrived.  On our last day we paddled to Dorothy's Island, hiked around and headed to Birch Lake ending the trip.

Bill and Ruth alone on Lake Insula, 6,4-9,2013

Our journey to Insula was arduous but we succeeded in paddling and portaging the sixteen miles to our favorite island at the north end of Lake Insula.   We took two days to get there and had to triple portage due to the massive burden.   All important stuff to have and we were glad we had it.   The first day was 8 miles and two portages.  Easily doable.   Our second day was four portages, the last one covering 100 rods, a hill and putting us on the southwest corner of Insula.  We were happy to paddle the 4 miles of lake to our favorite Island campsite on the northwest end of the lake.  We spent 3 nights and two days fishing, sleeping, eating and observing the best wilderness in America.  Ruth caught the only two fish of the stay on Insula.  A northern that was thrown back and a Walleye that was cooked and eaten.   Delicious!  The weather was cool and comfortable and we were mostly alone at this end of the lake. On our fifth day we loaded up the canoe and started back to civilization.   The first portage was the long one and we did it in good fashion because we were fresh.  The next three were considered easy.  We got to a nice campsite on Lake Four mid-afternoon.   After making camp we went to a nearby fishing hole.   It was now my turn to  feed the expedition.  I caught two nice walleyes and we took them back to camp for supper.  It was a nice finale to a great week in the woods.  The last day was a gorgeous paddle out of the wilderness.  We had gentle breezes and blue skies.  We cherished our last hours in the BWCAW. 

Insula Lake, June 4-9, 2013

Our journey to Lake Insula was difficult but well within our capabilities.  We triple portaged because we had so much stuff.  It was all used and we were glad to have it.  Our second day of travel included 3 easy portages and one long difficult one that had a hill.  After that portage the four miles of paddling on Insula was welcome relief.  It took us an hour and a half to reach our favorite island in the north end of Insula.  We were pleased to be alone on an island in the middle of  the BWCAW.  For three nights and two days we slept, cooked, paddled, fished and looked at the beautiful scenery in every direction.  The weather was cool and comfortable.  Our fishing expeditions were minimally fruitful.  Ruth caught a northern and a Walleye.   We threw the northern back and had a delicious supper of fried Walleye.  Ruth was very proud of herself and enjoyed eating the Walleye.  We didn't play cribbage or read books.  We just hung out in the wilderness.  It was 2 days of paddling to return to Lake One.  Our first day started with the long portage but because we were fresh it wasn't bad.  We therefore considered the other three portages easy.  Our last nights camp was on Lake Four and we got there early afternoon.   We fished before supper at a nearby hotspot and I caught 2 more Walleyes.  We cooked them for supper. It was the grand finale to the end of the trip.  Our last day was a gorgeous paddling experience with fair skies,  easy paddling and portaging.

easy paddling and portaging.  We cherished our last day in the woods.