Another warm morning greets us as we rise and shake the cobwebs out while we strategize during breakfast on making it to Pan Lake later today. Coincidentally we’ve all developed the same plan of attack for using the latrine. Hold it until it’s almost uncomfortable before heading up so that the “evacuation” has as little resistance and is quick as possible!

The day is getting quite warm as we head out. Paddling up the NE arm of Malberg Lake it’s still shaded in the channel which provides some welcome relief. Stopping at the campsite just before the portage into the Kawishiwi River, we all grab a quick snack and pick a few strawberries at this tiny, lackluster, grassy site.

The portage starts out at a sizable gravel landing and briefly rises out of Malberg before tracing the rim of the gorge this trail circumvents before eventually dropping down steeply to a sloping rock faced landing where the rapids wash out. Lingering here to explore and absorb the scenic atmosphere, Aurora & Blake soon discover that this is also the best fishing spot we’ve run across so far as they pull in bass, northern & walleye.

Alas, we eventually paddle away up the channel and then across the large bay to the portage in Kivaniva Lake. The rocky landing is bothersome but soon overcome and the well-worn trail slightly climbs before dropping down on a more rugged path to another boulder laden landing.

We battle our way through a substantial bed of weeds before emerging out onto Kivaniva, which appears to be rimmed by much of the same. The lake is small enough that the campsite and location of our next portage are easily discerned.

Again we struggle through a weed choked bay before locating the very tiny creek that winds it way to our next portage. It’s very weedy back in here and Aurora chooses to stay in the canoe while I scope out the trail. It’s a little mushy but, otherwise it’s about as short & level as a person could hope for. However, upon my return,as Joel & Blake pole around the last couple of turns in the creek; I can’t help but notice a weary countenance among the crew. And, truth be told, I must admit I’m feeling exceedingly sluggish as well. So, I meet with no resistance when I suggest we abandon getting to Pan Lake and just paddle over to the campsite here and just hang out there.

Such a strange phenomenon. Almost always the first day is the biggest struggle. Usually after getting the bulging packs and gear to camp everyone then gets their muscles and breathing better attuned and the rest of the trip goes much smoother portage/travel wise. While I don’t understand why we’re all so wiped out already, I also don’t want to force a bad situation by pressing on.

The campsite here is situated on an elongated sloping hillside. While it’s not burnt over, the surrounding trees are anything but comely and don’t give the site a good feel. Yet there are a few nice tent pads and of course one campsite lakes are always a bonus. Aurora unearths a treasure of several premium skipping rocks while the rest of us lounge on the shaded hillside. 13 "skips" is the best she achieves today?

On our way back we again spend some time plying the waters below the rapids and are rewarded with a few more fish. Yet again I take each opportunity to pull off and grab the errant beaver sticks we come across as having ample firewood is certainly proving to be a necessity on this trip.

Joel & Blake are a good distance in front of us so, I endeavor to try and cut across at the narrow pinch point of the long peninsula to see if it saves time and perhaps surprise them if it does. An unintended consequence of this strategy is that we stumble upon a plethora of beaver sticks and old dried out cedar stumps. Which, while this “shortcut” does prove to save some time, discovering all the firewood becomes the real benefit.

Joel is still pretty wiped out so, after supper tonight I take Aurora & Blake out to see if we can catch some fish for a fish fry tomorrow evening. It’s a gorgeous cool evening with only the slightest hint of a breeze. We paddle over to the southernmost bay where we had a little luck yesterday. It’s slow going but we do manage to pull in a few keepers, although I tell the kids we need at least one more.

Approaching the portage to Koma, my legs are telling me in no uncertain terms that they need to get out and stretch. So, after pulling ashore and tying off, I gingerly saunter down the trail to do just that. A short while later, as I am poking around near the Koma end I’m startled when both Aurora & Blake come hurriedly sprinting down the trail nearly out of breath. I fully expect that they are going to tell me there’s a bear chomping away at the fish on the stringer pulling the canoe out into the lake. Instead, through heavy breathing, inform me that Blake just caught a nice walleye so we can start heading back.

Back out on the lake we continue to fish as we watch a cavalcade of beaver swimming to & fro dragging fresh branches with them. As the sun begins to set, we are roundly greeted by a swarm of voracious mosquitos that are apparently unaffected by any amount of repellant. The Black Pearl reaches speeds it has never attained before as we paddle back to camp in a flurry.