Insula to Amber; 8.05 miles, 4 portages, 120 rods

Up and on the water just after 7:00am. Sky is mostly clear – for now anyway – but I think the chance of showers is even lower today. I paddle up to the top of Insula and turn westlery toward Alice. I stop on Alice briefly just to look around, and see that the two sites left and right both look open, but I’m hoping to camp on an old favorite site on Amber so I keep going.

On the 70 rod portage I met a group of young women heading the other way. I think they were all in their mid to late teens, and they were already on their day 16 and had a ways to go! They were very strong and very impressive, and I told them so.

Back on the Kawishiwi River again I headed east, did the short portage, and paddled toward the swampy entrance to Amber. I had been to Amber a couple times perhaps 20 years ago and hoped the nice site was open, and it was. It’s a lovely site with 8-10 large red pines at the core, and flanked by cedar which offer some protection. It’s got a lovely beach and looks directly west for great sunsets. There is a game trail that runs through the campsite, and I once had a moose walk up to my tent and sniff it right at dawn. I’ve paddled hard enough, and I was planning to have a layover day on Amber to relax, cook, nap, and explore – and through the tennis ball until my arm gave out.

Morning Wildlife

Evening Camp on Amber