Slow and steady wins the race
by Gichimon
Trip Type:
Paddling Canoe
Entry Date:
05/22/2022
Entry & Exit Point:
Skipper and Portage Lakes (EP 49)
Number of Days:
7
Group Size:
2
Discuss Trip:
View Discussion Thread (6 messages)
Day 2 of 7
Monday, May 23, 2022 Our original first day destination had been Banadad lake, so we decided to head over on day two due to our pit stop on Skipper Lake. With only two or three portages to get there, we took a leisurely pace during our morning routine. Krystal made a massive breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes loaded with chocolate chips and pecans. We devoured that deliciousness and finally broke camp around nine o’clock. On move days, we usually get up really early, but this trip would bask in a new found lazy pace to get where we were going.
Canoes loaded, dogs and humans eager to move on, we slipped off into the rippling lake. We had heard that you can often skip the portage from Skipper to Little Rusk so were hoping on two portages for the day instead of three. As we neared the narrows on the west end of Skipper, it was clear that we would not have to portage. We did have to pull through a grassy area for a few yards due to a tree blocking the water channel, but getting our feet wet beat unloading the canoes even if the water was ice cold.
Little Rush was a gentle and quiet paddle. We made it to the Rush Lake portage in short time. The portage to Rush was lined with tree artwork left by the burn. There is an iconic hulled out tree along the way that warranted a quick photo opportunity. I do believe this ghost of a tree is a celebrity in some circles, and probably even more so by oodles of moose according to the quantity of moose poo along the trail. The zenith of the portage has quite the view down Little Rush. This is the very reason I love double portaging now. So many views!
By the time we got on the water of Rush Lake, the wind had picked up. The sun was now playing hide and seek behind the growing company of clouds.
About half-way across the large west to east expanse of Rush Lake, the clouds finally triumphed with the aid of their friend, the wind. We wended our way over to the southern side of the lake to stay in the lee as much as possible. As we neared the two long bays on the western end of Rush, we could hear rushing water. I was eager to see the Banadad ski trail bridge, and I knew we were close. We edged into the rocky landing at the portage one at a time. This landing was tricky, slippery, and required we get wet feet (Oh, and let me say this, we also determined we made the extremely bad decision of not bringing our muck boots along on this trip. Wool socks and our Astral tennis shoes did not cut it. We were fine, but would have been a lot more comfortable in the muck boots getting in and out of the boat.).
The Banadad ski trail bridge was sketchy. Some of the boards would flip or wobble if we walked too far to one side or the other. The best bet was to walk along the horizontal support beams down the middle. And the connector stream was running over part of the trail on the Banadad side of the bridge and that water was icy! There were still bits of ice in the water. The trail was mostly submerged in cold water, but it was just standing water.
Despite the short length of the portage, it wore us out because of the cold water, and the uneasy footing getting the canoes onto land in the beginning. We took a few minutes to warm up and snack under the stunning cedar trees lining the Banadad Lake landing. Somewhere down the lake a campsite was waiting for us.
And of course, the wind picked up, gusting here and there. We were both worn out again but pushed on as far west down the lake as we could. There was a small island site which may have not been an island in low water years, but we snagged it immediately. The kitchen area was not the greatest, but the views down the lake were mesmerizing and the tent pads were flat and so cozy under the trees.
Krystal was aching for a nap, so after camp set up, I strung up a hammock, grabbed my book and sleeping bag to cocoon myself in an early afternoon nap while Gichi, the golden retriever slept under the hammock. Krystal crawled into the tent with the two other dogs. I read for a bit and fell asleep until I snored myself awake. I could hear Krystal purring from the tent so I took my trusty golden retriever for a walk around the island. We sat up on a bluff in the open sunlight for a while.
We had homemade dehydrated Shephard’s pie for dinner that night and took our chairs down to the water’s edge to enjoy our late evening meal. A loon couple came over to investigate these strange creatures on the land. They hung out at our camp for a good 15 minutes so we whiled away the evening watching the happy couple. Our Dobby-do mutt loves watching the loons so he was in heaven. He’ll sit on the edge of the lake for hours waiting for them to arrive.
After the loons departed, it was early to bed for us. We had a big day tomorrow as we would be making our way over four longish portages to Long Island Lake. It would be a rough test for Krystal to be certain.
Canoes loaded, dogs and humans eager to move on, we slipped off into the rippling lake. We had heard that you can often skip the portage from Skipper to Little Rusk so were hoping on two portages for the day instead of three. As we neared the narrows on the west end of Skipper, it was clear that we would not have to portage. We did have to pull through a grassy area for a few yards due to a tree blocking the water channel, but getting our feet wet beat unloading the canoes even if the water was ice cold.
Little Rush was a gentle and quiet paddle. We made it to the Rush Lake portage in short time. The portage to Rush was lined with tree artwork left by the burn. There is an iconic hulled out tree along the way that warranted a quick photo opportunity. I do believe this ghost of a tree is a celebrity in some circles, and probably even more so by oodles of moose according to the quantity of moose poo along the trail. The zenith of the portage has quite the view down Little Rush. This is the very reason I love double portaging now. So many views!
By the time we got on the water of Rush Lake, the wind had picked up. The sun was now playing hide and seek behind the growing company of clouds.
About half-way across the large west to east expanse of Rush Lake, the clouds finally triumphed with the aid of their friend, the wind. We wended our way over to the southern side of the lake to stay in the lee as much as possible. As we neared the two long bays on the western end of Rush, we could hear rushing water. I was eager to see the Banadad ski trail bridge, and I knew we were close. We edged into the rocky landing at the portage one at a time. This landing was tricky, slippery, and required we get wet feet (Oh, and let me say this, we also determined we made the extremely bad decision of not bringing our muck boots along on this trip. Wool socks and our Astral tennis shoes did not cut it. We were fine, but would have been a lot more comfortable in the muck boots getting in and out of the boat.).
The Banadad ski trail bridge was sketchy. Some of the boards would flip or wobble if we walked too far to one side or the other. The best bet was to walk along the horizontal support beams down the middle. And the connector stream was running over part of the trail on the Banadad side of the bridge and that water was icy! There were still bits of ice in the water. The trail was mostly submerged in cold water, but it was just standing water.
Despite the short length of the portage, it wore us out because of the cold water, and the uneasy footing getting the canoes onto land in the beginning. We took a few minutes to warm up and snack under the stunning cedar trees lining the Banadad Lake landing. Somewhere down the lake a campsite was waiting for us.
And of course, the wind picked up, gusting here and there. We were both worn out again but pushed on as far west down the lake as we could. There was a small island site which may have not been an island in low water years, but we snagged it immediately. The kitchen area was not the greatest, but the views down the lake were mesmerizing and the tent pads were flat and so cozy under the trees.
Krystal was aching for a nap, so after camp set up, I strung up a hammock, grabbed my book and sleeping bag to cocoon myself in an early afternoon nap while Gichi, the golden retriever slept under the hammock. Krystal crawled into the tent with the two other dogs. I read for a bit and fell asleep until I snored myself awake. I could hear Krystal purring from the tent so I took my trusty golden retriever for a walk around the island. We sat up on a bluff in the open sunlight for a while.
We had homemade dehydrated Shephard’s pie for dinner that night and took our chairs down to the water’s edge to enjoy our late evening meal. A loon couple came over to investigate these strange creatures on the land. They hung out at our camp for a good 15 minutes so we whiled away the evening watching the happy couple. Our Dobby-do mutt loves watching the loons so he was in heaven. He’ll sit on the edge of the lake for hours waiting for them to arrive.
After the loons departed, it was early to bed for us. We had a big day tomorrow as we would be making our way over four longish portages to Long Island Lake. It would be a rough test for Krystal to be certain.
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