The full narrative is at my personal site.

Summary

This trip was different than past trips. The weather was warmer allowing plenty of opportunity for afternoon swimming. The younger two siblings spent lots of time hanging out together in camp. The deck of waterproof cards got plenty of use.

We had a great time in spite of some limitations from the wind. I had some of the best fishing of my life. We enjoyed three fish dinners cooked over the camp stove. The bwca was in drought conditions forcing a fire ban with forest fires in some parts of the boundary waters. When we entered some entry points were closed. About a week after we exited, the entire bwca was closed. Lessons Learned Pioneer Pack Is Great

One piece of new gear I brought along on this trip was a Pioneer Pack from Cooke Custom Sewing. This pack is purpose built for portaging and it shows. I found the pioneer size was plenty big enough for my purposes. Hammock Were a Win

The light weight hammocks were worth their weight on this base camping trip. My oldest son even spent two nights sleeping in one. The weather was nice so we didn’t have to worry about rain or being too cold. Afternoon Tea Was Nice.

We had afternoon tea on most days of the trip. This was a pleasant way to spend time in the afternoon. Next time I will bring snacks to go with the tea. Mesh Leech Bags

Using a mesh leech bag is more convenient than using the leech locker while fishing. However, I think I might have been doing something wrong. By the end of the day, the leeches that were in the leech bags were dead or dying. I think I need to be more careful keeping the bags in the water. I might also need to put a rock in the back because the bags are designed to float in a live well. When tied to a canoe the bag keeps the leeches very close to the surface of the water. Always Bring a Knit Hat

Knit hats are worth their weight. They can go a long way to taking the chill off a cold morning.