Left home Monday May 30 towards Grand Marais. Nice long drive, arrived at Seagull outfitters in time to pick up my permit.

Proceeded to Gunflint Outfitters, as I had a bunkhouse reserved for the night. As I was checking in, the gal asked me for my username on BWCA.com. Hers was Mocha. So nice to meet people you’ve shared things online with. She had plenty of information on portages and routes, changed mine a little. Really altered my trip later.

Had dinner in the Gunflint Lodge, wasn’t the greatest, I think the cooks are deviating the recipes a bit. JMHO. 

Woke up 6:00 am May 31, had coffee with Mocha, chatted a while. Went to have Breakfast at the Lodge. Omlette was pretty good.

Went to End of Trail Campground and entered the BWCA. A little breezy, but got worse soon. Made it to Fishhook Island, started to head down to the 105 rod portage. Wind blowing so hard the rocks on shore were passing me.

Made my way back to one of the Island campsites.  Managed to catch fish for dinner, Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Yes I was stuck there for 2 days.

Thursday morning nice and calm, broke camp and headed to the 105 rd portage. That Ham Lake fire a few years ago really devastated the area. Still a nice Lake. Alpine. Portaged from Alpine to Red Rock Lake. Where I camped on the NW campsite closest to the portage to Red Rock Bay.

Friday morning had breakfast, felt a little strange, and decided to cut my trip short, and backtrack out. I had planned to paddle through Red Rock Bay, and swing around the north tip, and come back through Grandpa Lake.

Made it out Friday about 3:00 PM, stopped in to let Mocha know I’m out of the woods. I feel it is really important to have an itinerary, planned, and if you change it like I did to let someone know.