Boundary Waters, Trip Reports, BWCA, Stories

June 2006 Solo... (The Foot Trip)
by Arkansas Man

Trip Type: Paddling Canoe
Entry Date: 06/23/2006
Entry & Exit Point: Moose/Portage River (north) (EP 16)
Number of Days: 8
Group Size: 1
Day 4 of 8
Monday, June 26, 2006

I awaken late, 7:15 am with a tired body and a somewhat sore foot.  Although I slept well I am still tired and glad I made the decision to stay here until Tuesday. After a breakfast of oatmeal with dried berries with butter and honey with coffee to drink I decide it is time to look around Lake Agnes and fish trying for a walleye for dinner! I launch the canoe and fish until the wind starts picking up from the South… Back home that is a general indicator of rain coming! I go back to camp have a quick lunch of summer sausage, cheese and crackers again and then hang the tarp. I take my Crazy Creek canoe chair and relax under the tarp, journaling the events so far when the wind shifts and dark clouds start moving in from the southwest… a storm is coming! I put on my Frogg Toggs and prepare camp making sure the tarp is tied down well as the sky grows darker the wind picks up and I am sure I am in for a blow! Then as if hit with a wall of wind it picks up to 35-40 mph, I hear the rifle like cracks of trees as they snap off and fall on the windward side of a point of land in the distance. Gusts are coming at close to 50 now as I make sure everything is tightened down. I move to the rock face on the windward side of my point campsite and watch the storm as it hits Lake Agnes… White walls of rain are approaching as the wind subsides and I feel it is safe enough now to move under my rain tarp! Once there I am joined by several of the squirrels as they too want out of the rain… ahhh but, no food for them to get into now as it is still hung between the trees. I take my dipnet and place a stick in the handle where I can push up the center of the tarp to help water escape and give me more room to move about. I continue to journal and wonder about my new friends across the bay, if they were okay? I spend the afternoon under the tarp watching the rain, dozing intermittently and just taking it easy. The rain stops early in the evening, I get the food barrel down and prepare dinner, Beef Stroganoff with dehydrated hamburger, very good! The wind has stopped completely now and I go fishing joining my friends from across the bay. They tell me they spent the afternoon under the tarp playing cards, something else I could have brought with me I guess. I finally manage to catch a 3 lb smallie on a spinner, he is full of fight as I release him back into the dark water. The wind starts again and more dark clouds are coming as I head back to camp, drop the tarp for a few minutes and have another small fire. While sitting at the fire I hear a noise and turn to see a fox and a kit have come to camp only to run off when they saw me. A few minutes later, a huge rabbit also appears unconcerned as I replace the rain tarp as the fire dies and the rain returns. I retire to the tent again and follow my procedure of reading the Bible and saying my prayers. I fall asleep listening to the gentle sound of the rain as it falls once more… My last thought is maybe tomorrow will not be a moving day after all…