I have no real set agenda for today. Eventually I determine that Ottertrack was too beautiful of a lake to just pass through so, I plan on revisiting it and poking around on that lake later today. There is no particular sense of urgency as I lazily eat my scrambled egg breakfast. The quiet of the morning is only broken by my neighbors busily going about their morning chores. However, every once in awhile the faint sound of splashing water breaks through. It takes me awhile to fully realize the significance of this subtle sound. My eyes are also no longer what they once were but, as I peer SE of my site, I see the water being stirred up near Totem Lake. At first, I presume it is just a beaver playing around, but after closer inspection I am able to make out a much larger animal. It’s a moose!

I grab my paddle and PFD and quickly the Black Pearl is gliding across the bay. I briefly contemplate letting the folks in the nearby site know but, seeing the moose continue to move, think it may not be there for long and don’t want to disturb them for what may end up being (for them) a false alarm. As I pull up, the moose briefly looks back at me just long enough for me to get one photo before it casually saunters into the woods and immediately disappears as if it were only an apparition. After returning to camp, I button things up and then climb back in the Black Pearl to begin heading north to Ottertrack Lake.

Ester is yet another gorgeous lake with extensive bluffs and cliffs accentuating the shoreline. All of the fab four sites in the SE corner are, yet again, currently occupied. This is certainly one of the premier basecamp lakes for this immediate vicinity; and the perpetual occupancy of these premier sites proves that out. As I approach the portage into Ottertrack, I make a note of all the dead and downed cedars and endeavor to gather up a few on my return to camp.

As with most portages in this region, this portage is a bit easier when traveling north as the uphill climb is neither as steep nor long as it would be when traveling south. Ottertrack has only a gentle breeze easing across as I head westward. Once again, I am leery that the weather is going to make a big turn when it elects to change; but, for now, things couldn’t be much better.

I run across a mixed group of 6 at the lone campsite located here in the eastern lobe; and, to my astonishment, they are willingly jumping into the lake from the elevated rock knob just behind camp. Having never come across someone so enthusiastically swimming in mid-May in the BWCA I ask if the water is cold, and they tell me, “No! it’s beautiful!” Stopping to chat, one of them tells me the surface temperature is 67 degrees. I guess with all the recent warm, humid weather things transitioned rather quickly on some lakes? After an enjoyable extended conversation, I paddle on back home to Ester picking up the firewood along the way.

Back in camp, even though the dried-out cedars are easily cut, I work up a pretty good sweat processing the firewood. Once again, I don’t really need to have a fire but, don’t want to make the same mistake as last night and get completely swarmed. Tonight, is my latest of the trip as I thoroughly enjoy the serene silence of another picture-perfect evening.

~Ester Lake, Ottertrack Lake