It all started last year with Tony talking about going back to the Boundary Waters
Canoe Area as he has been doing every five years for the last 20. Before long,
we had a crew of five, desiring to see the sights and sounds of the land at the "End of the Road".
We consisted of, Tony-47 years old, making his fourth trip to BWCA,
paddling in his18 foot Wenonah, Sundowner, Kevlar canoe. Paul-48, making his first trip,
solo in a Wenonah Rendezvous. Wil-56 making his second journey, solo, in an Old Town Camper.
Harold-59 making his second trip up north, also going solo, in a vintage, 1984,
Mad River Courier in Kevlar and Ted-59 going to northern Minnesota for the first time and teaming up with Tony.
After months of planning, which is half the fun, using email and a couple OHCRA trips for practice, we were ready. We met at Paul's house in Clyde on Sunday June 10th. After checking and repacking the food, everything was loaded between Ted's Explorer towing his canoe trailer and Harold's Jeep. We wanted to use just one vehicle but decided that five grown men in one Explorer, plus gear, would be too cramped. With the price of gas, it was not cheap to drive two vehicles the fourteen hours to Ely, Minnesota, but it was comfortable. We left Clyde around 7:00pm and only stopped for fuel and breakfast in Duluth, Minnesota allowing us to arrive in beautiful Ely around 10:00am, Ohio time. After pictures with one of the Ely signs, we drove on to the wolf center where we picked up our permit and watched the required video.
Ely has many
wonderful shops to spend money in, so shop we did. We bought fishing licenses and
some miscellaneous gear at Piragis, then souvenirs from shops along Sheridan Street
all the while working our way to Cranberry's for a cold beer.
The original plan was to camp at a Forest Service campground close to our entry lake
on Monday night and be on the water early Tuesday morning. Not wanting to get the tents
and sleeping bags out and repack them in the morning, conversation turned to finding a room in town.
While sitting in Cranberry's we made a call to the Canoe Country Outfitters,
where we secured a three-bedroom house for the night, for only $138.00, split five ways.
With five beds, it was perfect. The enclosed front porch was great for spreading out the maps
and pondering our route for the thousandth time.
After getting settled in, we made our way to the Ely Steakhouse for a wonderful steak dinner, our last fresh food for eight days. After dinner, Tony and Wil went geocaching around town while the other guys went to the "home".
Later, with some Leinenkugels beer (which is brewed in Chippewa Falls, WI) we rested, watched TV and played poker until bedtime. Wil surprised everyone with their very own, homemade, leather, medicine bag. They were for good luck and we were very proud to wear them.
We picked up a phrase on the way up north. When any question is asked, the answer seems to be "only 20 more minutes".
And of course, we kept reminding ourselves that this is a Journey, not a Destination.
Day One, Tuesday 6-12-07
We were on the road by 7:00am (all times are now central time) only stopping for a pound of leaches enroute to Lake One. After unpacking both vehicles, Ted's with the canoe trailer, was shuttled the five miles over to Snowbank Lake, our destination eight days later. We then launched the canoes at 9:00am with high expectations and lots of enthusiasm.
We all remember songs from the 70's,
some of us from the 60's and out of the blue someone would sing the first verse of some song and
next thing you knew, the lyrics were changed to something canoe related.
Such as, "Can you feel the burning love, baby…In your shoulders"?
We canoed through Lake One, portaged a 30 and 40 rod into Lake Two, and paddled
through Lakes Three and Four, onto the Kawishiwi River and after three short portages
of 25, 25 and 10 rods we were in Hudson Lake. From there it was a 95-rod portage into Lake Insula.
For those who do not know,
a rod is equal to 16 ˝ feet. That was the standard length of a canoe in the "olden days".
Everyone was huffing and puffing after that portage and the heat was getting unbearable.
It had to be in the high 80's. And added to that, the wind was blowing and we thought the
lakes might be angry with us. We paddled about half way across that island-studded lake,
stopping for the night on an island with a nice southeast facing campsite that utilized the breeze
to keep the bugs at bay. We did find a few ticks at this site. We paddled 13 miles that first day
and the supper of polish sausage and Potatoes O'Brian sure hit the spot. We talked and relaxed
while NOT noticing any other man made sounds. No cars, planes or other people. No hum of computers
or the ring of cell phones. It was heaven. Harold became a fashion statement with his pretty mint
green shirt accenting his olive green pants. We saw a lot of those clothes in the next seven days.
Day Two, Wednesday 6-13-07
We were up at 4:00am and on the water by six.
It gets daylight a lot earlier and darker a lot later up here than in Ohio.
Lake Insula was as smooth as glass and it was a pleasure to paddle. We exited the
lake at the northeast corner into the Kawishiwi River on the way to Alice Lake.
There was only one little 10-rod portage. Tony wanted to snap a few pictures of
Alice since that is his wife's name and then it was on to Fishdance Lake where
there are some of the best pictographs in the BWCA. But first, there was the small
matter of a 20 and a 70-rod portage. The wind was starting to pick up now but we
still were able to get some good pictures before heading further up the Kawishiwi River.
Another 20-rod portage and we stopped at an empty campsite for lunch. While eating, the ticks were crawling all over us. We have never seen so many ticks. It was hot and sunny again today and with the wind, it was tiring. After lunch, we continued up the river encountering a 40-rod and a 25-rod portage, which brought us into Kiwaniva Lake. Another 40 rods and there was Anit Lake. Some of the portages today were somewhat muddy in spots. Sure would hate to see them after a hard rain.
A 15 and a 20-rod
portage brought us into Pan Lake and our second campsite of the trip.
We had that little lake all to ourselves except for the bugs and TICKS,
but with a breeze blowing most of the night the mosquitoes were not too bad.
Supper was chicken over black beans and rice and everyone had a full belly.
We sure went through a lot of water today due to the heat and physical exercise
and our water filters were kept busy pumping. After hanging the food packs everyone
drifted off to their tents. In the middle of the new moon night, the sky was so clear
that the stars seemed to jump right out at you. What a beautiful sight.
View All Pictures From BWCA Part One
Part Two Pictures
