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Part 4

Monday morning was only a hint in the East when I rolled out of my sleeping bag. We had a concern about our fuel usage so I started a fire and put water on to boil. The thermometer said we were right at the freezing point but cutting wood for the fire had warmed me up even before the fire did. As it got lighter the mist was moving across the water. Loons were calling and the hot tea in my mug kept the chill away. As time went by the others started to rise. Ron was the last up this morning so Bruce mixed up the coffee grounds and egg for the Swedish coffee. Ron had instructed him on the ratio so Bruce figured if four spoons of coffee were right, five or six would be better. If Jim Puckett had been along he would have gone for eight. Needless to say Ron noticed the difference with the first taste and Bruce was put under camp supervision for the rest of the trip.

The fried fish and hash browns made a great breakfast and soon plans were being made. Bruce and Ron were going fishing, that was a given, and Don and I were exploring. We toured the Southern part of the lake. The campsite on the Eastern shore was a fair one but too exposed for fall camping. Its location on the point would make it the best one on the lake in the buggy season. There were places for three or more tents on the spacious site.

We walked the portage over to Gammon Lake and viewed the fault line that passes through the portage. There was a Marten trap lying under a tree ready to be set up in the coming season. The trapper’s travels would certainly be a lot cooler than the 50 degrees F that we had today. We saw the others resting on shore and went over to see if we had to give them any help in acquiring supper. We asked "catch any fish" and the response was "JUST one." The one ended up being a seven pound Lake Trout that filled the bill nicely for the planned meal of baked fish. They had also turned loose a 32 inch northern before we saw them.

Tuesday morning we rose early and had a simple breakfast of instant oatmeal and beverages. The next two days we would be traveling NE for twenty miles through fifteen portages. The passage through the chain of long narrow lakes is one of the nicer tours in the park. I had traveled it from the other end in 2001 but the fog was so heavy that I was being teased by all these rock walls disappearing up into the fog. On this journey I was to see that it was even better than the teasing implied. Our plan was to move along at a moderate pace and see if we could do it in two days. We stopped on Blue green Lake for a pancake breakfast. The lake is not named but if you look at the water you will know you are on Blue green Lake. It is between the 375 and 275 meter portages on the route.

The portages were starting to take their toll so after the seventh one I was looking for a possible campsite. It started to rain about this time too. The terrain is such that there were no possible campsites. The rain was now steady and the eight and ninth portages had us crying uncle. I knew of a possible campsite after the tenth portage and had camped on the eleventh portage and was resigned to having to reach them before nightfall. Fortunately before reaching the tenth portage we spotted a campsite. There was a large bald rock area on the south shore for our shelter and spots amongst the trees for the tents. The rain was coming down harder now and we only had a short time before darkness would set in. The rain fly went up first and that really made a difference. Ron’s rain fly comes with two poles and it really helps when the trees are not in the right places. On this flat rock area it worked to perfection with the plentiful rope we had along.

While the others put up their tents I added a tarp to the fly to give me a little annex to sleep under. Coffee and hot water were prepared and Ron fried up some chicken breast. A large pot of scalloped potatoes completed the meal. After the hours in the rain and all the work of the portages the hot meal under our well lit and secure tarp was a real blessing. The dishes were done and everyone turned in. The wind started to increase and then change directions. That required that about 11:00 PM I had to get up and change the layout of the tarps so the wind could not get under them. The rain turned to sleet and by morning the tarps held a heavy layer of ice. The plus side was that in the morning we had bright sun for a while.

The sun did not stick around for long but did allow us to get some pictures of the small lakes we were traveling through. The days travel went better than the previous one. The portages were flatter, smoother and drier. The route between Royd and Murdock Lakes really needed three days for a group like ours. We made it in two but never had time to fish or really sit back and enjoy what these narrow channels have to offer. We went by the spot where I had released a 42 inch Northern in 2001. This area is one that deserves more time than we could give it. I am sure that I will include it in future routes. When we got to the 400 meter portage with the map warning of "avoid winter trail" we tried the higher and drier route but found it to be impassable. The boggy winter section was clear but soft and wet. The park will be clearing all the portages on this route in 2003 and the drier section of trail will be put back in order. The rain returned when we arrived on Murdock but we were able to get to our planned campsite before the wind got worse. Claire, the assistant park superintendent, had told me that there was a good campsite and pickup on the East end of the big island between Murdock and Lake on the park map. When we arrived on the point on the East end of the island the wind was really blowing and I wondered about being able to camp there. We headed North on a path that led to higher ground and after stepping around some down trees we emerged into a clearing on the edge of some trees. The path and the area were laden with moose sign but I did not pay that much attention to it.

The clearing was a great campsite and the trees allowed us to put up the rain fly and then use other tarps to put walls on the west and north sides to break the wind. We found that by paddling up the north shore of the island a little ways that we could get our canoes right below the camp. The rain fly and tarp arrangement took a little while because we would be here for two days and we wanted it to be right. I never regret the extra weight of tarps and rope because they are the saviors of a canoe trip. In the early or late season they come under the label of survival gear. Let the weather do what it wants if you have some good tarps set up to shelter your camp.

It was getting late and no one seemed to have the energy to fish so we got some brats out of the food pack and fixed them up for supper. Cookies and Crème No Bake dessert topped it off. Plans were made for the next day and our menu choices were discussed. On a cold and wet trip like this one, excellent meals can really keep the spirits up. We had one more evening meal and still had our steaks in the food pack. The dry ice was gone but with the temperature seldom reaching a day time high of 50 degrees their freshness was assured. The skies had cleared and I was able to put my bivy sack out in the open for the first time. It was nice to be able to watch the stars when I would awaken in the night.