This was somewhere around my 20th solo trip, and it might have been one of the best ones ever for weather and bugs. EXCEPT for my entry day, when NW winds were gusting up to 25 mph straight down Kawishiwi to the EP 37 landing. I was ready to go at 12:45, but prudence and my advanced age (66) dictated that I not try to shove off sideways into foot-high whitecaps and try to bring the bow into the wind in 3 or 4 quick, easy strokes. :-)

So I waited . . . and waited . . . and waited . . . . I killed time wandering around the NFS campground and talked to another solo canoer (her first solo). She was also nervous about the wind and waves. She also thought she was coming down with COVID! Yikes, not a great time to be starting a trip. I'd probably reconsider myself.

On one of my loops around the campground, I checked out the water access to campsite 5 and decided it was good enough and calm enough in that protected bay that I could at least work up a head of steam, get centered into the wind, and bull my way northwestward. The wind seemed to be abating ever so slightly, so at 3:45 or so, I shoved off. What a grind! I think it took me an hour to reach Square Lake. In calm conditions, I probably would have done it in 30 minutes.

Fortunately, my extra work was rewarded by being able to float down the river past both portages from Square to Kawaschong. I think it was a combination of a ton of rain this season and two beaver dams near Kawaschong that raised the water level and allowed an easy bypass of the two portages.

Kawaschong suffered from severe damage in the Pagami Creek fire some ten years ago, as did Square and Townline lakes and the very southern shore of Polly virtually up to the water's edge at the south portage landing. So that area looked a bit desolate even though new growth was filling in the landscape nicely. 100-ft-tall burned trees stand as stark reminders of the power of Mother Nature.

Portaging this route is moderately difficult at worst. All trails are well-traveled and relatively flat. This was one of the first trips in recent memory where I didn't have one or two killer portages--either a mile+ or one with 100 feet of elevation change and rough, rocky put-in and takeout spots. It'd be a great intro route for a group with kids because the lakes aren't too huge, the river areas are always fun to paddle, and they are a nice change of scenery. Also a chance to see moose in the swampy river areas.

And don't forget the beavers! Two dams I mentioned earlier are near the outflow into Kawaschong but are relatively easy lift-overs or short carries to floatable water. A couple of dams between Polly and Koma also require lift-overs. I didn't see any beavers other than in shadow at dusk, but I heard a few tail slaps during the trip.

My first-night campsite was the east site in the middle of Kawaschong. Nothing special, but it had a decent landing and flat tent pads. The wind stayed strong until after sunset. Despite that, the bugs were the worst they'd turn out to be the entire trip. Mosquitos for about an hour. Thankfully no black files or no-see-ums. Sweat bees abounded, as did hordes of yellow moths that took an instant liking to my tent and were always eager to follow me inside.