Morning breaks under a gray sky and cold rain patters on the fly. Crap again. Ummm, didn’t we just do this on Malberg? We dinked around camp, drank several pots of coffee and watched the wind rise. This ain’t gonna keep us in camp. We packed the day packs and headed for the portage into Fisher.

Fisher Lake was not inviting and sat in a very gloomy (somewhat depressing) setting. Maybe it was due to the rain and wind. About 90% of the shoreline was covered in “dog hair” thickets of cedar. We paddled the entire perimeter of the lake (against the wind to the west and riding the wind back). The only campsite is situated under a heavy canopy of cedar and it had a rather dark and gloomy feel. The fire pit (under a layer of cedar duff) had not seen use in a long time. The latrine did not look like a latrine, but more like a developed “spring house”. Water filled the pit and was clear right to the gravel bottom. If not for the fiberglass throne on top, you might be tempted to dip a cup.

On the way to the portage we picked up a couple fish and decided, time for supper. For most of the day, it has rained and has been windy. Before supper we had an appetizer of fresh fish. Supper was prepared after dark, and the rain showers let up. We got our fire started, ate, poured our ration of Scotch, and (with full bellies) had it pretty good. Actually, it was a relaxing day in spite of the rain, but hoping for a better day tomorrow. This is our third day without seeing another soul.

Matthew takes great pride in his campfire skills, and the first photo shows the condition of the fire grate when we arrived at camp. The 2nd photo shows the fire grate after Matthew's stone work. A well constructed stone wall around the fire grate keeps the fire in place and also directs the heat to those who need it (us). Also the rocks make great places to put pans and dishes while cooking on the grate (before the evening fire).

Additional photos show: 3) fish, and 4) Beaver Lake NW