Day 1 of 6
Saturday, May 17, 2008 Arrived at Sawbill around 5:30am after an all night drive from Cedar Rapids. Scott decides to sleep awhile in the cab while Brian and I fish for a bit until Sawbill opens up. By 9:00am we have our permits in hand and three canoes in tow heading over to Kawishiwi lake. I have been watching the wind all morning and estimate it to be blowing 20-25 mph from the North. I already suspect that Kawishiwi will be to rough for the two rookies to cut their teeth on. Once we arrive at Kawish my suspicions are proven, white cap city, we are all very tired and decide to wait a day before heading in. We spend the rest of the day fishing, sleeping and getting our gear organized.
Day 4 of 5
Sunday, May 18, 2008 6:00am on the water and heading across Kawishiwi. Scott is trying the solo while Brian and I paddle tandem. We enter the river section of our route and are pleased to find that both the 25rd and the 5rd potages can be paddled through. Around 8:00am it begins to snow heavily with a strong wind pushing it. It is a good reminder to me, so I don't forget how early in the paddling year it is. The fellows handle the two larger portages out of Kawasachong well and we sit on Polly at 10:00am.

As we enter Polly I have been watching the wind for awhile and predict that it will be rough going across Polly this morning. I am not dissapointed. We stop at the first camp we see and eat some lunch, which is good because the troops are fading fast. The rookies want to stay right were we are but I am meeting my regular trip partners tommorrow on Koma and will have no way to let them know of any change of plans. After my best Knute Rockne speech we decide to give it one more try. I take the solo and Scott and Brian paddle tandem. We keep this arrangement the rest of the tr
ip.
We make it across Polly with relatively small issue but I have noticed that the rooks are fading fast. With only three short portages into Koma I begin to really push hard and fast to get going

When I reach Koma I am releived to find the penisula camp open, the fellows show up a short time later and are greatful to be done for the day. Brian and Scott relax with jug of Forty Creek while we all watch a perfect moonrise. Jeff and Kelly will arrive tommorrow.
Day 2 of 5
Tuesday, September 13, 2022 I enjoyed my morning coffee and oatmeal on the deck overlooking Poplar Lake then triple checked the room for any gear and headed down to grab my canoe from the outfitters. Thankfully, it was a calm morning and I had no troubles making my way through the maze of islands blocking the outfitters from the lake proper. Ravens croaked in the distance and Canada Geese honked as they flew in formation heading south. The sun was right in my eyes making it hard to see the target shoreline and I had to overcome my mild panic that I wouldn’t be able to find the portages. But sure enough, a stretch of clean cobbles came into view…portage found!
I will officially enter the wilderness half way down the next lake - Lizz. I smiled as I passed Canada Yew, White Cedar, Bluebead Lily, and Beech Fern. These plants have always greeted me on previous trips and I welcomed their presence like old friends. Lizz ended up being a narrow boggy lake with much appreciated plank docks at either mucky end. I did a quick stop at the border sign and paddled on into the glass calm waters. Caribou Lake was next and it felt like I was properly in the Boundary Waters. Campsites looked fairly full which made me worry about finding a spot to camp to camp tonight.
All the portages have been pretty easy so far. The landings have been a tad rough so I’m glad I had them to myself so no one else had to see the awkward portage attempts that are inevitable on the first few lakes before you get the swing of things.
Finally, I made it to Horseshoe lake which I had all to myself! I was picky about my camp locations since I knew I was in for soaking rain and wind a few days from now. I ended up choosing site 674 on the south side of the lake. It had everything I was looking for: a nice open rocky front porch, easy landing, and good shelter for wind and rain.
Before I set up anything else, I went to work doing the task I was most worried about: hanging my food bag. I was relieved to find a perfect branch and after several hilarious attempts, I at last roped the branch with the throw bag. Getting a solid bear hang out of the way eased a lot of my initial fears and I set up the rest of camp worry free.
I spread out on my rock and ate lunch marveling at the view of super canopy pines which poked above the forest with twisted, gnarled, and missing tops from harsh weather. I gazed at the map and chose a short paddle for the afternoon - south to Vista Lake.
I let the breeze blow me down the channel hoping to catch sight of a moose. I hugged the shoreline finding white water lilies and otters. I spooked up some eagles who were swooping low on the hunt. The streams heading into the lake are fairly dry now with only the slightest trickle. A tricky portage landing next to a dry creek bed lead to me taking a booter! No! On the first day and everything. I grumbled as I wrung my sock out once again glad that no one was there to witness my clumbsiness.
The Vista lake landing turned out to be 50’ of boulders which I picked my way very carefully through especially with a canoe on my back. I don’t need a twisted ankle now! The Misquah Hills came into view and I could finally appreciate the ruggedness of the shoreline. Mergansers preened on rocks while the wind pushed me south. I relished the warm sunny t-shirt weather! I floated all the way down listening to fiddle music from a nearby campsite- at least it wasn’t banjos…
I decided to turn around and the paddle back into the wind was definitely more of a workout! But I got very comfortable with my Northstar Magic and had no problem making it back to Horseshoe. I watched a loon chick beg for meals making soft mewling noises at the adult, spied the eagles lunch rock furnished with a huge fish carcass, and made it back to camp with the afternoon sun shining low.
Time for a snack and firewood hunting! The downtime until dinner made me uneasy for some reason. Reading a book and journaling helped. It’s very quiet! Evening came and I finally relaxed with food in hand, a crackling fire made, and a warm belt of scotch in the tummy. Clear skies and calm winds eased my mind even more. I layed down on my rock to stargaze (the Milky Way swept overhead and Cassiopeia kept me company) before heading to bed.
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Day 5 of 5
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 We awake this morning to find the forest service in our camp, this is a first for me, they check our permit and ask us to keep a lookout for this missing person. We decide to fish Koma hard today for walleye and after some time we realize that its not going to happen. Also beggining to see many mayflies hatching. Tonight is steak night with wine. I cook steak baked potatoes and corn on the fire grate and it is wonderful. We drink four bottles of red wine wine and dip into the Moonshine/w Hot AppleCider. By the end of the night we are singing karaoke, I normally scoff at this behavior but we are the only ones camped on Koma, so what the heck!
Day 7 of 5
Wednesday, May 21, 2008 Scott,Brian and I have to leave out or atleast make it across Polly today in order to make it back Thursday night. Jeff and Kelly will stay on Koma for another day and try and save the fishing end of the trip. We have discussed making the trip up to Kivaniva for walleye. We say our goodbyes and We head out and they head to Kiva. I am anxious to see how the SPOT locator beacon has been working since we left. Our trip back across Polly is much better with the wind to our backs

I can see the looks on the rooks faces that they are ready to call it done so we decide to go ahead and come all the way out. The trip out is very relaxing and I finally see my first moose in the BW on Kawasachong lake. At 5:00pm we are back at the Kawishiwi lake campground. Jeff and Kelly carry on and do find the walleyes on Kivaniva.
Day 10 of 5
Thursday, May 22, 2008 Jeff and Kelly continue their pursuit on walleye and move down to Polly. Kelly has a 6:00pm flight tommorrow, so they need to be closer to the EP. This move turns out be right on, they use the same sight that I gave my Knute Rockne speeech and promptly catch walleye just out in front of it. They finally have a walleye dinner finish off Rum and no doubt make fun of me for not getting a walleye all week.
Day 12 of 5
Friday, May 23, 2008 12:00 noon Jeff and Kelly are out of the BW. Trip was a good one. I proved to myself that I am ready for a solo trip( to be done in Sept.)Got to hang out with the boys for a week. Scott and Brian got a BW intro, hopefully they will come back again. Tried out lots of new gear( the Spot locator thing works very well)See ya in September!!!