I traveled to the far Eastern end of Lake Four and didn't see anyone since the Lake One portage. It was a smooth and satisfying journey but I arrived at my campsite slightly worn. I enjoyed the solitude of camping alone and spent the evening reading. In the middle of the night my air matress went flat. I had to crawl out of the tent to blow it back up. I slept fitfully for the rest of the night. I crawled out of the tent at 7am the next morning, efficiently did my morning chores and was on the water by 8:15. The first 3 portages of the morning were easy but took extra time because I was triple portaging. The last portage which went into Lake Insula was 115 rods and about 1/2 uphill. I enthusiastically set out on Insula, which is a maze of islands and penisulas. I passed several adequate campsites on my way to a special one that was marked on my map. After a while I could see it in the distance and was delighted. It had a massive sand beach with many tentsites scattered behind it. I saw no one on this day, except for some human footprints on a portage. The veiw of the lake was mine alone. Afternoon coffee was delicious, followed by a swim. Couldn't believe I swam in the BWCA in April and didn't get hypothermia. Mid-afternoon found me exploring the lake north of my campsite. I was looking for sand beaches and five star campsites. I found several that were good but none as good as the one I had. I am truly alone in the wilderness.
I slept in the next morning, it felt wonderful. The day was spent reading, walking around and drinking coffee. It was in the low 60's and windy with an occasional shower, however, the day was mostly dry. After supper the sun shown hotly for about 20 minutes and I took advantage and went for a swim. The swim was totally refreshing and topped off with clean clothes. I loved this campsite and really enjoyed the view of the lake from here. It was many shades of blue, gray and silver reflected from the clouds and sky above. It was textured by gentle breezes like a Van Gogh painting. The peace and solitude of solo tripping is wonderful, I highly recommend it. To be your own best friend a couple times a year is a good thing. On my third day the wind had died down so I loaded my daypack and headed for the Northern part of the lake again. I toured around several islands and found several adequate campsites, but nothing outstanding. The two mile trip back to camp was a grind what with quartering winds. I did, however, find the workout beneficial. Coffee and a snack rounded out the afternoon. The sky was gray most of the day but occasionally the sun would peak through and make it very warm. Later in the day it sprinkled a couple times. At this point I was going on 72 hours of not seeing another human. The mosquitoes that had hatched in the previous warm weather had froze out the other night. Supper was rice, gravy, tuna and crushed red peppers. It was delicious, but because I forgot my silverware I had to eat it with a twig, as I did all my other meals. The cool breezes and warm coffee went well with the serene blues and grays of the landscape. The next morning there were small piles of snow around the tarp. It's been a regenerative 3 days on Insula but now it's time to head back. 1 pm the next day found me windbound on Lake Four. I thought I could wait it out and paddle once again in the evening calm. The wind only got stronger and I finally cooked supper and made camp. I wyled away the time looking at the map and reading. In the morning I was paddling before 7am but by the time I got to Lake Three the wind was very strong again. It was a fight for my life to keep the canoe from going sideways in the one foot rollers. I took a long rest on a sand beach once the harrowing journey across was finished. Lake Two and most of Lake One were crossed with only a little strife and extra effort. The last mile of Lake One, though, was again one foot rollers and I couldn't keep the boat from broaching. So I let it go sideways and very carefully balanced it as I blew up the channel faster than I could have paddled. Only one rogue wave caused me concern but I didn't roll over. Six days of solitude was soon over and though I enjoyed the freedom of solo travel, I was looking forward to the company of friends and family.
I slept in the next morning, it felt wonderful. The day was spent reading, walking around and drinking coffee. It was in the low 60's and windy with an occasional shower, however, the day was mostly dry. After supper the sun shown hotly for about 20 minutes and I took advantage and went for a swim. The swim was totally refreshing and topped off with clean clothes. I loved this campsite and really enjoyed the view of the lake from here. It was many shades of blue, gray and silver reflected from the clouds and sky above. It was textured by gentle breezes like a Van Gogh painting. The peace and solitude of solo tripping is wonderful, I highly recommend it. To be your own best friend a couple times a year is a good thing. On my third day the wind had died down so I loaded my daypack and headed for the Northern part of the lake again. I toured around several islands and found several adequate campsites, but nothing outstanding. The two mile trip back to camp was a grind what with quartering winds. I did, however, find the workout beneficial. Coffee and a snack rounded out the afternoon. The sky was gray most of the day but occasionally the sun would peak through and make it very warm. Later in the day it sprinkled a couple times. At this point I was going on 72 hours of not seeing another human. The mosquitoes that had hatched in the previous warm weather had froze out the other night. Supper was rice, gravy, tuna and crushed red peppers. It was delicious, but because I forgot my silverware I had to eat it with a twig, as I did all my other meals. The cool breezes and warm coffee went well with the serene blues and grays of the landscape. The next morning there were small piles of snow around the tarp. It's been a regenerative 3 days on Insula but now it's time to head back. 1 pm the next day found me windbound on Lake Four. I thought I could wait it out and paddle once again in the evening calm. The wind only got stronger and I finally cooked supper and made camp. I wyled away the time looking at the map and reading. In the morning I was paddling before 7am but by the time I got to Lake Three the wind was very strong again. It was a fight for my life to keep the canoe from going sideways in the one foot rollers. I took a long rest on a sand beach once the harrowing journey across was finished. Lake Two and most of Lake One were crossed with only a little strife and extra effort. The last mile of Lake One, though, was again one foot rollers and I couldn't keep the boat from broaching. So I let it go sideways and very carefully balanced it as I blew up the channel faster than I could have paddled. Only one rogue wave caused me concern but I didn't roll over. Six days of solitude was soon over and though I enjoyed the freedom of solo travel, I was looking forward to the company of friends and family.
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