Thurs. Sept 12
Route Paddled: Three Mile Lake to Manitou Lake
Distance Paddled: 4.2 km = 2.6 miles
Distance Portaged: 2800 metres (2.8 x 3 = 8.4 km OR 1.8 x 3 = 5.4 miles)
Weather: Cool westerly winds with warmer seasonal temperatures in the afternoon

Up and about by 5 am, Norm H was able to enjoy some quiet moments in the fresh morning air before a blazing campfire and under a beautiful, still star-lit sky. The view of the lake and hillside was superb with the wind mellowing to a whisper as whiffs of mist could be seen swirling and dancing along the lake’s surface. The bright North Star shone in the clear sky and every so often, a barred owl could be heard hooting from the far end of the darkened lake. As the sun began to rise upon the treeline across the lake, the North Star slowly faded away. Thick clouds turned to various shades of pink and purple hues, resulting in similar reflections upon the lake. At 6:30 am, the others were stirring and John stated that he had heard a wolf howling at the end of the lake.

By 9:10 am, we were gliding effortlessly against a light northwesterly breeze in total tranquility for the next half hour. Only the stroke of the paddle’s swirling and ebbing water could be heard. The lying fog upon the lake’s surface was no impediment. Behind the green, deciduous forest laid our destination; the portage (14P2800) to Manitou (Algonkian, meaning "creator or great spirit") Lake was completed in three stages over three hours. Surprisingly, the first half of the trek was along an unexpected maintenance road where thick growths of rock maple trees acted as a canopy.

During the second stage of switch backing for our canoes, we met the Letos who one-tripped the entire portage non-stop. With the canoes weighing on our shoulders, we plodded through the cool woods and enjoyed the warmth of the sun’s rays cascading through the trees. Just before reaching Manitou Lake, we were confronted with one of the most rutted and steepest declines we had ever encountered. Descending with our loads was done very cautiously and without incident; however, the return climb up the hill, even though empty-handed, strained those thigh muscles.

At the portage on Manitou Lake, the wind picked up, reminding us that this lake is notorious as a canoeist’s challenge. With so many coves, bays and hills encircling the lake, the winds and waves at this corridor of Manitou Lake could become quite deceptive and menacing without a moment’s notice. Manitou Lake had already given us a pretty good demonstration of its capabilities during our trip in 1999 - we would not be disappointed, again. We departed immediately towards the far point across the bay with our canoes cleaving the turbulent surface in strong westerly winds. Every now and then from varying directions, a series of white-capped, rogue waves with deep troughs tried to smack us broadside – making us very aware of our vulnerabilities. We tacked and changed course several times until we finally reached the point. The Letos were finishing their lunch on the beach and they soon readied themselves to join us out on the open waters of the lake. Rounding the point, we battled stiff crosswinds and waves from the northwest, forcing us to paddle further out to the middle of the lake and then tacking back towards the eastern shore. Thirty minutes later during "a window of calm", we finally turned starboard to take protection on the leeward side of a large island. In doing so, Wayne and Norm H narrowly grounded on a submerged boulder a hundred feet out from shore. We navigated to the right of this large island until we arrived at a much smaller one, our intended, idyllic campsite. It was the same one we had visited in 1999 and vowed to camp on if we ever returned – we were ecstatic to find the campsite vacant. The site comprised of a sandy beach, ideal for swimming, and a pathway that gradually led up among tall, pine trees on a narrow outcrop. Here, a bed of brown pines needles would act as a mattress for our sleeping pads, the campfire was sheltered by a large boulder, and the view evoked a dramatic landscape of crisscrossing hills receding in all directions beyond the lake. The highlight of the site, an enclosed outhouse - we had reached a canoeist’s paradise.

The Letos were gracious enough not to take our intended campsite on Manitou Lake and we exchanged friendly waves with them as they continued on towards their recommended campsite under the pine trees at the north end of the lake.

As we were preparing lunch at 2 pm, the westerly winds increased and we were grateful to have followed our instincts to get off the lake when we did – we were not wrong in our prediction. The rest of the afternoon involved swimming, cleaning our canoes and lazing on the hot, sandy beach, as though we were in the tropics. Strolling along a rocky shoreline, Norm R used his geology training to inform us on the historical background of a variety of rocks. While the rest prepared supper, Norm H remained behind to photo the blazing sunset as it dipped below the horizon, painting the clouded sky with various shades of hues behind rolling coal black hills; as simultaneously, a half moon profiled the southeastern sky. With the setting sun, many loons came to life wailing fitfully. A kingfisher flew by scouting the shallow waters for the fish dinner lying just beneath the lake’s surface – it was marvelous to see this specie fluttering high in the air as it targeted, bombed, dove and caught its prey.

To our amazement, Wayne carried cedar kindling over a 2800-metre portage from Three Mile Lake to secure a campfire on this island. We had all agreed that morning that this small island might be without firewood, so Wayne wasn’t taking any chances. After supper, we leisurely enjoyed Wayne’s efforts as we sat around a crackling campfire and later found ourselves mesmerized by the night’s star-filled sky as we stood on the beach, the only sound upon the pristine moon-reflected lake coming from the slapping of shimmering, silver waves upon the shore – a perfect ending to a fulfilling day.