*Thoughts that are in quotes are taken from my daily journal that I kept of the trip.

I heard a wolf.

“It was early morning, maybe 5:00 and I lay awake in bed. It was close by and very low pitched. It's mournful and almost sad sounding. 3 howls. 5 minutes go by and I hear it again. 3 howls, very lonely sounding. He must be solo like me. A lone wolf. I would love to see one in the wild.”

I’ve heard wolves on canoe trips before but never like this one. It was close by too, maybe the other side of the lake. The howl was just full of despair. There was no enthusiasm to it. I imagine it was old and hungry and by itself. I’m probably totally wrong but I’ll never know.

I get up as usual at 6:00 and watch the sunrise to a perfect day. It’s chilly but the air is still.

I make my breakfast and then clean up the dishes and brush my teeth. I’m packed up and ready to go at 8:40.

At the portage from McNiece to Kahshahpiwi Lake I decide to videotape the carry from under the canoe perspective. I had the idea of strapping the camera to a thwart. The trick is getting it upside down and positioned right. I bought a gorilla pod whis is a 6 inch high tripod with flexible legs like an octopus. It’s great for wrapping around things. I also have 2 - foot long rubberized “twist ties” that I use to support the camera in place. So, with mixed results, I came up with this here video.

* I say I crossed the portage 5 times because when I went to rig the camera to the thwart I realized that the small screw plate that attaches the camera to the tripod was on the other camera at the other end of the portage. Oy vey… I grabbed my small pack and killed a half hour jogging to the other end to get it.

There’s pros and cons to doing a trip like this solo. This is one of the pros. I get to do as I wish. Lots of dilly dallying today.

There’s very large white pines along the way. This behemoth was right off the trail.

*I find out that a month after I shot this video that a large forest fire swept over this portage.

Here is a shot of the camera rig I used at the end of the portage.

Kahshahpiwi is a very long lake. Luckily today I’m only doing a third of the length to where my next portage is. Again, the wind is out of the south and strong. I surf a long ways down the lake to my next portage and it was more than scary. If I capsize out here the wind will blow me a long way before I can get to a shore. It makes me concentrate on what I’m doing. I don’t dare get broadside to these waves or I’ll be swimming in cold water. I bust my butt to get behind an island out of the wind and after that I’m ok.

Here’s a classic Quetico portage landing.

Along the trail to an unnamed lake the trail is built up by the portage crews for high water conditions.

My journal says “The portage from Kahsh to an unnamed lake before Joyce was just brutal. Much longer than the 88 rods the map says. Steep ups, rock gardens, and very steep down to the lake. I’m pooped after this and eat lunch at the portage landing to Joyce.”

The 155 rodder to Joyce is long but on a good trail and fairly level. Joyce is a large lake and the wind is still up. I crank my yak paddle while almost broadside to the waves to a small set of islands. I pass on the first one and reach the site on the north end of the second one. “I make it with relief but am wiped out from the days ordeal”.

I take my time setting up camp and then explore the island. On the front porch is a tree with an incredibly big root system clinging to the granite. It’s pretty amazing and I wonder how old this tree is.

I walk in back of the camp and find a big clearing with a souvenir from the past.

The clearing is dominated by very large white and red pines. This is the white variety here.

About 25 feet away is a rival - and just as tall - red pine. In the pic you can see the crown of the big white pine on the left.

Back in camp this is my Warbonnet Blackbird hammock. It has a bug net and is a great design. It has a “foot box” and also an interior shelf for misc. gear. You are able to lay almost flat on your back or side while laying on a diagonal. I use a ¼ inch foam pad underneath me in a “pocket” to seal out any cold from below. It’s very lightweight and set up is fast. It can rain buckets and I stay completely dry. I really like it.

I’m really not hungry now so I skip dinner and finally break out the fishing gear and set up the rods.

I haven’t made fishing a priority on this trip until I have reached the interior. It’s much easier to travel with the rods tucked away in the canoe. I then fix up the blisters on both thumbs and put on the long johns. It’s gonna get cold again tonight.

I wonder about home and if Mia is able to follow my trip on the internet with the SPOT locator I’m using. I press my location at most portage landings and campsites. I find out later that yes, it worked perfectly and she followed my trip every day. The $80 rental fee was well spent.

I turn in early as the wind is still blowing and the temp is dropping.