Trumpeter swans said good morning. Broke camp. The portage from Sturgeon to Russell was a doozy but doable. Straight up with no end in sight! The right groin is a bit tight.

Russell was big water. Saw the falls from Chatterton roaring towards us. Heard it from a mile away! Can't believe the current and eddies reaching us at the distance we are. Good fishing around the falls. Got onto Chatterton and headed east towards Keats. The falls coming into Chatterton from Keats was hazardous. Took us a hot minute to find the portage amidst the chaos - so much water flowing. The current makes Keats more like a river than a lake. That plus a decent headwind had us a bit pooped. It’s amazing what good recon and campsite selection can do for keeping the bugs at a minimum.

The view of the Twin and Snake Falls of the Maligne River from our campsite is awe-ful. This flowage is unreal, I can't describe it. Our island site is a half mile away and the sound is deafening. The camera can't capture the scale. By far one of the most powerful and captivating sights I've seen here or anywhere. Jon and I are relatively bug free here due to location and breeze. Smallies for shore lunch. Otters around.

Other than two canoes we spied heading into the Sturgeon narrows we haven't seen a soul since Batch.

Route: Sturgeon; Cutty Creek; Maligne River; Russell; Chatterton; Split Rock Falls; Keats