It is Wednesday August 16 about 6:15am when the soft strain of Music for Icebergs fills the motorhome and it is the day Mike, Tracy, Kent and I head out into Boundary Waters. We enjoy fresh perked coffee and a hearty breakfast of oatmeal sweetened with craisins, coconut & brown sugar.  We toss the last few items into our packs and head down to pick up the canoes.  It is a bit cool but the previous forecast of rain has been pushed to later in the day.

The group gets a refresher (from a 105# girl) on picking up/carrying/controlled put down of the 40# Kevlar canoes.  She makes it look pretty easy.

Stepping smartly each with our loads for the portages we head for the launch. Kent 23# pack plus a canoe, Mike 25# pack plus a canoe, Tracy 37# pack + daypack, and Lynn 38# pack + daypack.  We are ready!

We are on the water by 8:30 with no rain in the forecast until late afternoon-Sweet.  We can make camp on Cherokee by tonight.  It is a beautiful quiet paddle north on Sawbill.  Our first couple of portages go pretty smoothly as we figure out exactly how to jockey all our stuff each time we land and launch.  We are racing the weather otherwise any of these little lakes would be a great place to stay and explore a while.

We move on. We had been warned of the possibly of hip-deep mud on some of these later portages – we are about to find how bad it really is as we move from Ada to Sloop.  We find nothing hip deep but it is over 100 rods(1 rod= 16 ft) of ankle deep, sloppy mud and rock hopping-occasionally both at the same time.  It is exhausting.  We take 5 to catch our breath then decide to lunch floating on Sloop Lake as the breeze moves our canoes toward the next portage.  The sun warms us as the rugged shore and pine scented air on the peaceful little lake remind us why people portage.

One more portage today. It is a long one with considerable change in elevation (thankfully not a lot of mud!)  We take a short mid trek break then emerge weary but satisfied onto Cherokee Creek for our last leg of paddling today.  The creek seems to be prime beaver territory and we cross two dams; one by fast paddling, the other the guys got out and walked us through.  It is fun to see these amazing structures up close.

We have our sights set on a couple of open rock sites on Cherokee that the guys remember from past trips but they are all occupied. We find a suitable place though about half way up the lake behind an island. Tracy later dubs it “Grey Skies”.  You’ll soon understand why.  We find two flat tent sites, the BWCA signature “stump toilet”, and a suitable place to hang our food bags.  Tents are pitched.  Tarps are erected, suspended just above our heads on bright pink string.  Drinking water is filtered.  We are set.  The predicted rain begins.

Tonight we dine on stuffing mix with Jacks Link Tenderloin, the first of many freezer bag suppers.  It is a bit of trial and error to get the amount of water right but all turns out well.  It is delicious.  Rain continues and the wind picks up.  Pushing puddled water off our makeshift roof reminds everyone of an even rainier day in Houston not long ago.

We enjoy the first of several Oreos and tea end of the day treat and head off to bed early (about 8PM) to the sounds of falling rain and the bloop bloop sounds of waves on the shoreline rocks.  Kent and I toss and turn a lot.  One of the Thermorest pads goes flat leaving Kent with no cushion or insulation from the cold ground.  It is not a very restful night. Turns out Mike and Tracy had an even more restless night.  Their tent leaked-ACK a tenter’s nightmare.  Thankfully the extra tarp kept them from getting really wet!  The loons seem restless too.  They erupt into a flurry of calls then fall silent several times throughout the night.

Kent and I wake at 6:30 to what has become less soothing and more annoying pitter patter of rain. We nap and watch out the window (I like the little awning on our tent) until 10:30 until we just can’t be there any longer.  Everyone is up and we take on the challenge of cooking breakfast under our now slightly sagging tarp.  We go for the warm, comfort food of sweet rice and raisins and lots of hot coffee.  The first few impatient bites are a bit crunchy but with time the rice is about perfect.  We actually eat standing up.  It is wet everywhere and it feels good to stretch our legs. We visit and admire the view from our front porch.  A group of 3 canoes moves across the far side of the lake in the rain searching for an empty campsite.  Sucks to be them!  Loons appear and disappear serenading with their various calls and conversations.  It’s cool and wet and by 12:30 we all retire to our tents to warm and relax with the sounds of wind in the trees and waves on the shore.

We can’t sit any more and the rain has stopped, for now. Everyone is out and about.  We’d skipped lunch so decide on and early dinner, freezer bag supper II, Asian noodles and chicken.  Not bad!  Mike and Kent filter water and we even find a spot to perch on the logs under the blue tarp that is dry enough to play a couple of hands of “Go Fish” and “Crazy 8s”.

It is drizzling again.  We end the day quietly taking in the wilderness and enjoying each others company over Oreos and a warm cup of tea.  Food bags are hoisted and we say goodnight to Cherokee Lake.  Mike dawdles a few to take in a little solitary time with the place.  Loon calls drift across the lake.

It is Friday morning and the sunrise is lovely – it is not raining-Hurray.  Mike has been up an hour or so as the rest of us emerge around 6AM.  He saw an otter!  As the sky brightens nuthatches and red squirrels chatter all around camp.  Loons add to the cacophony of sounds.  Mike and Tracy start coffee early and we make a quick breakfast of oatmeal with pineapple & craisins.  We are on the water by 7:30.  Today’s destination, Long Island Lake.  Mike and Tracy are leading our expedition.  They have selected an island site where we hope to be the mayors for a day or two.   Slight overcast alternates with bright sunny periods and the paddle on Cherokee is peaceful and easy.  Loons call to one another and swim in close, quite unconcerned with our presence.  A mama loon guides her brown, fluffy, scruffy looking juvenile clear of our path.  A couple of short portages and we are in Long Island River.  It is perfect beaver habitat.  Flattened grassy spots are strewn with gnawed off sticks with the bark pulled off where beaver have been feeding.  We power over one low dam and log roller around another.  All this but no beaver to be seen, bummers.  It is a pretty paddle any way.  Kent and I attempt to paddle down a short rocky section-wrong.  We both ended up getting out and wadding across just to float the canoe through.  Mike and Tracy portaged it-smarter.

By noon we are on Long Island Lake.  A short paddle takes us to our island site where we  are to be mayors for the stay.  Yeah it is empty.  We stake our claim and the site is dubbed “Mara’s lump”.  The air is cool but it is perfect in the brilliant sun. It is time for lunch and we are all pretty hungry.  Naan and hummus do nicely.  Tents are pitched, gear is scattered about, and clotheslines up everywhere to hang out all that is damp.  It is time for a break.  I find a spot along the shore where we first landed on the island.  There is not another soul in sight and it is lovely in the dappled sun.  A constant buzz rises from the shrub behind me, a kingfisher flies by, loons softly chat nearby, a breeze keeps mosquitoes at bay.  It is about perfect. Kent gets the bright idea of a quick dip/bath.  Yikes, the water felt much warmer when we were portaging.  Perhaps we should have waited for more reliably bright sun.  It was refreshing.  We dry and warm in the sun.  A frog appears to share our quiet spot.  Gulls squawk and loons return.  Mike heads out to try his hand at fishing and Tracy settles into the front of the canoe to read.  Kent and I set out to explore.  Just off from camp a mama loon has been teaching her two juveniles how to fish.  Now they float quietly as she is off fishing.  We float very near them and watch.  It’s amazing.  They get a bit nervous so we float on around “our” island and leave the young loons to their rest.  We spot a river otter busily fishing and pause to watch.

It is nearly dinner time and everyone meanders on home. Tonight it is freezer bag dinner III; cheddar potatoes with pepperoni.  There is chocolate pudding for desert.  That was a hit!  It is a perfect evening and we are all paddling out for sunset.  First, bear bags up.  That process is getting easier as the bags get lighter and an improved pulley arrangement is implemented.  The lake is calm and the paddle easy.  We learn the origin of the word canoodle from Tracy and implement our own version; lounging and half hearted paddling as we enjoy the evening on the water.  At the top of the island we find our mama loon and her two youngsters.  Fishing lessons seem to be over and she is feeding them minnows.  They are so intent on her they allow us to get very close.  What fun to watch and listen.  We paddle on to find the spot for the best sunset view and float in the magnificent silence.  The loon family mills about nearby.  We float basking in the changing colors of the sunset.  A shrill loon trill rises up from the far side of the island.  The clumsy sounding running takeoff follows and soon the whoosh of air across those powerful wings fills our ears.  A second adult loon settles on the surface near us and the loon family is united for the night.  Very cool.  An idle observation, on a calm pool a canoe paddle vortex can last 7 minutes.  Amazing.  We float a bit longer enveloped in the coming of the night marveling at the myriad of sounds that accompany it.  It’s a short paddle home and we are off to bed.  Mike and Tracy plan to get up for sunrise.  We don’t.  The call of a barred owl floated into camp.

 

Everyone is up around 7 AM (no one caught sunrise today). We have exploration days planned. Mike and Tracy are set to check out some marshy sections in search of wildlife.  We plan to paddle the far side of the lake in a “section less traveled”.  It was another not-so-restful night. Kent had the leaky mattress and just couldn’t get warm or comfortable.  He tossed and turned all night.  So, it was a bad night for him and me too.  We are throwing that thing out when we get home.

Mike and Tracy didn’t have a very restful night either. They woke often thinking it was nearly sunrise-they have no watch.  Mike was up at 3 (he recorded a bit of wilderness sound track) then rested only fitfully until 7 or so.  There may be lots of napping today.  That is ok by me.  It is pancakes for breakfast today.  We went for the fold & dip method to minimize dishes but this meal still makes for a slow start for the day.  Everybody is good with that.  We are on the water by 9:45 feeling gloriously unencumbered with only our daypacks.  Kent and I head out around Long Island to explore Doe and Fawn Lake.  Mike and Tracy head off marsh exploring to maybe catch up with us later.

Our paddle carries us past picture perfect islands and rugged wooded shores. We find an eagle nest, no eagle at this moment though.  A huge, sun warmed rock beckons us for lunch and a sort nap.  We stay for a bit then move on.  In search of a potty stop we mistakenly land at the portage path- who do we meet there?  Mike and Tracy. Tracy is in the lead carrying the canoe.  She’d been wanting to try it but now is certain she’ll leave that task for Mike going forward.  “It’s not that heavy.  It is just hard to handle.  Every noise from bumps and limbs scrapping reverberates in my ears.  It’s claustrophobic and the mosquitoes!  There is a cloud of them around my head.  I don’t know how you guys do it”.  Their marsh expedition hadn’t work out too well.  It was just too shallow and too mucky.  They used the shortcut portage to join us in exploring the far side of Long Island Lake.  We headed on toward Doe Lake and they in search of their own sunny resting rock.

Our attempt to explore Doe and Fawn didn’t exactly work out as we anticipated either. Kent had to get out to cross a substantial beaver dam into Doe lake.  We paddled on; but, just because lakes show a blue path between them on the map doesn’t mean you can actually paddle between them.  The path on into Fawn Lake is a lovely, impassable rock cascade.  So much for our exploring.  We backtracked and found Mike and Tracy basking on their rock.   Nearby we found bays to explore and a shady rock to relax on.  We ended the day paddling back around Long Island.  The wind kicked up making our return trip a lot more work than this morning’s paddle.  Mike and Tracy made the better choice.  They crossed back the portage and are spending a little more time relaxing on its sandy beach.  All in all it is a relaxing day.  We pumped and filtered water, AGAIN!  It is after 5 PM and the sun is still very warm.  I sit on a rock at the far end of our island.  Wind whispers through the trees, waves lap at my feet, blue jays harp, loons call and white puffy clouds float in the gray blue sky.  An inch worm craws across my notepad. Soon we all wonder back into camp.  There is a tinge of sunburn but nothing too bad.  Freezer bag dinner IV;  Noodles and tuna.  Sundried tomatoes make it. It was delicious but a bit messy.  Scraps of noodles make it onto the ground.  No worries though.  When we return from our sunset walk/canoe trip a very fat little mouse peeks out from under our log furniture.  He can hardly walk let alone run.  No more noodle scraps here.

Mike builds a campfire.  Quite a feat with the damp wood.  Mosquitoes were voracious around the fire but couldn’t run us off before our S’mores. There were some near perfect marshmallows roasted here!  The dark night sky twinkles with stars and the streak of the Milky Way.  This is great end to a wonderful day in a beautiful place!  Rats, I forgot my star chart.  Off to bed by 10.

 

We are up by 7AM. It is cool and grey but an ok day for a paddle.  We are heading for a site maybe halfway back Cherokee to leave a reasonable distance for our last day’s trek.

First it’s an Oatmeal breakfast then we break camp. There is a breeze and of course it is into our faces as we head out.  The loons are never far and not at all afraid.  They emerge very near to us and we get to see their funny tail feather shake as they fluff feathers after a dive.   We do some floating and relaxing and are passed by a couple with their 5 yr old that Mike and Tracy had met earlier.  We portage and maneuver across beaver dams as we make our way back out of the wilderness.

By the time we emerge onto Cherokee it is misty and there is a lot of wind.  It is not whitecaps yet, but paddling is hard and we stop in the shelter of and island to plot a course that takes advantage of protected waters along the shore and behind islands.  We are on the watch for a suitable site for tonight.  An eagle perches high above struggling to hold on in the wind.

Found it. Two flat spots, the now familiar potty, and some shelter from the wind.  We’ll take it. It is noon so we make camp and take a few for a simple lunch of beef stick sausage and cheese.  The wind calms and the sun emerges.  Looks like it will be a much better afternoon that we expected.

Ick! Kent has a tiny leech on his foot.  So gross.  I dig out some salt and with a little sprinkle and the scrape of a stick it is gone. I find two smaller ones in his socks- double Ick!  It is time to chill.   Kent is napping in the tent and Mike and Tracy lounge in makeshift lazy-boys resting and reading.  I settle in on the point making notes & taking in the beauty around us.  Perfect.  Loons mill around softly talking.  A weird green bug inches it’s way up the tree.  Water bugs take shelter on the leeward side of our island. Kent emerges and sets me afloat in the canoe on a 75 ft rope to filter water in the clear water a bit off shore.  I‘m cross legged in the bottom of the boat leaning on a cross-bar.  It’s pretty comfortable and the view makes this take unusually easy.  A loon just off our shore makes some really odd noises, I think it sounds like a youngster trying to learn the signature loon trill.  He needs more practice!

Mike & Tracy vs Lynn & Kent; at Tracy’s urging we launch into a friendly euchre game.  I wasn’t sure I’d ever played before but it became more familiar as we played.  Kent and I got off to a respectable lead but Mike and Tracy surged at the end and took the win by one point.  From now on this is Euchre Isle.

“Mom, have that salt handy?” Tracy found a leech on her sandals; thankfully not on her foot.  We salted it liberally and it was soon disposed of.  Interestingly, Mike tried a leech for bait and didn’t get even a bite.  Apparently the fish think they are icky too.

The sky promises a lovely sunset so we get busy. Mike and Tracy float out and filter water (Mike’s pump breaks, good we still have ours so we are ok for this trip).  We eat a hurried freezer bag dinner- our last for this trip-Chicken and rice.  We paddle out for sunset.  The water is calm and it is beautiful as anticipated..  We end our last night in the wilderness with a campfire.  Mike has this fire thing down pat.  The warmth feels wonderful but the mosquitoes are horrible.  They run us in one by one. Tracy first then Kent and I. Mike held out the longest; not ready to let go of this place just yet.  By 10 PM the misquote level is back down to tolerable and brilliant stars fill the sky.  Still we all turn in.  The plan is up for sunrise.

 

Kent and I rest better. The tent is more level and maybe we are more tired.  Whatever the cause, it is a good thing and I’m awake @ 5:45 just as the sky begins to show color.  Mike is up next then Kent.  All is quiet as pink and purple paint the sky.  Mist on the lake thins and mounds up moving like something living.  A family of Mergansers is crowded together on rocks just out from our island point. Their shadowy forms bob about as they jostle for position.  The world is waking up, songbirds stir, loons call.

It is a wonderful start to the day. Tracy is up.  We have a mix/match breakfast as we finish off the last of our breakfasts.  We pack up camp one last time, throw together snacks and pack up a lunch.

The sky is clear and the water smooth as we paddle off on Cherokee Lake and out of the wilderness.  Clouds build as we paddle, portage, and jump beaver dams making our way back toward Sawbill.  The two long portages are as miserable as ever.  Mike found a knee deep mud hole while he was carrying the canoe-lucky him.  His shoes are disintegrating too-doubly lucky.  We make it out onto Sloop Lake just in time to check out the solar eclipse.  A boulder provided the perfect perch for lunch and some sky viewing.  It is overcast but the clouds thin just enough to give us peeks at the progressing eclipse while still protecting our eyes-very cool.

We pile off the rock and move on-portage, paddle, portage then emerge on Sawbill Lake.  It’s a quick potty stop for me and the misty rain begins.  We paddle on leisurely at first then a bit of a sprint when the rain worsens.  Arms tire and the rain nearly quits.  It’s back to a leisure paddle on to the Sawbill dock.  It isn’t perfect weather to end a trip but even rain can’t spoil time in such a beautiful place.

We dock, unload and return rented gear.  We are all a bit tied and looking forward to a hot shower. Kent snaps a quick pic of Mike in his “living donor shirt” with his Aussie hat and hefting his canoe.  There is Mike’s ceremonial disposing of the shoes.  We take our long anticipated hot showers and relax with maple cookies and a glass of wine/beer.

No freezer bag dinner tonight.  We have microwave baked potatoes and chili.  It is just the right comfort food for this last day of our adventure.  We chat and share a toast with a bottle of Iceberg beer.  I think fermenting to the sound of Music for Icebergs certainly finished this batch nicely.  Cheers Mike to the great work that is Music for Icebergs and to your and Tracy’s many artistic achievements to come.

 

It has been a great trip sharing this beautiful place with fantastic companions.

 

Off to our soft warm beds.