Friday, August 02, 2019 Morning, came fast and the crew did a great job of being quick and efficient with getting the tents/hammocks packed up, stay bags packed in the vehicles and go bags ready to roll. A hearty breakfast of sausage, pears, bananas and home made banana bread with fresh coffee to start out the days adventure. We loaded up and headed to Clearwater Outfitters, gathered the paddles and the 2 rented canoes and began dividing gear and pairing groups up. The year before our 13, 12 and 11 year old's managed their own canoe and intended to have it that way again. So they went in a 2 person kevlar with a drop in seat, their 3 bags plus the fishing gear bag, leech container and fishing net. They settled into there canoe and patiently waited for the other canoes to get loaded and settled in. Next was my cousin, his son and one of the 9 year old's, their bags and some more fishing gear. They got settled in and paddled near the kids canoe and waited for us. Now, things seem to be going great EXCEPT our pup is going crazy seeing her "kids" out on the water with out her. We loaded our bags, the food barrel and the dogs back pack into the canoe, loaded the 9 year old into the middle and attempted to load the dog in front of the 9 year old. Big mistake, she tried to jump out and nearly tipped the canoe before we even got started! We quickly retreated from that plan, gathered our bearings and tried again, this time I got in then took the dog in front of me.....damn near tipped again! There was a crowd on the shore now, watching and invested in the outcome of our departure. I swear one guy was on the ground rolling in laughter at the site of us trying to not tip before we even started! At this point, I was getting frustrated with the dog, irritated with my husband and annoyed with anything that moved or talked! Third time was a charm I suppose, loaded the kid, myself and the dog...again in front of me. This time I covered her eyes so she would have to be still and use her sense of hearing and smell to gain understanding of what the situation was. My husband was able to load up in the back and we , shakily started paddling toward the other two awaiting canoes. As long as I kept the dogs eyes covered it went well, but the minute I uncovered her eyes, she was whimpering and trying to jump out to get to her kids. We later found out that as long as we where in the front leading the pack she was perfect, but the minute either canoe attempted to pass us she was not having it!.. We paddled the length of Clearwater Lake with the decision to portage to West Pike Lake or Caribou Lake. We went with West Pike Lake for the least difficult portage considering the crew we had. We had not seen an open campsite yet, once we hit West Pike Lake we decided it was best to take the first available campsite to avoid a repeat of last years fiasco! I am glad we did, because when my husband and cousin went on ahead to scout out the other sites there where non available. This site was spacious with plenty of options for our hammock tent and plenty of tent pad sites. The down fall was the view was obscured by the trees. We all settled into our roles of setting camp up, the kids worked together to get the tent set up, the older three started looking for firewood and the dog scared off any possible squirrels or chipmunks to keep us safe! As the night started rolling in, another group stopped in and asked if they could share camp with us as they where not able to find an open site, we did declined and they continued on to caribou having no luck as they ended up camping on the portage of West Pike and Clearwater. My daughters hand was now swollen from the bee sting she got the day before. We wrapped in a hanker chief and had her hold it up to reduce the inflammation.