It is our last morning with with real eggs, bacon, coffee, hot chocolate for Bette. This is the first time Bette has gone with one stove. On trips at home we use the Coleman dual Exponent. We are a work in progress as far as lessening weight from our portaging load. While I will never become a single portager we have come this year over 14lbs. lighter than last year by basically eliminating items; this is difficult as we use full outfitting. Much of our personal equipment is lighter than what we rent. We look forward to my bow partners eventual retirement so we may have the time to drive out to the BWCAW. Back to breakfast - Bette comments that it is really the only meal where the second burner is a big help. Once eaten, I get the dishes washed. As I return Bette mentions she likes this spot and wouldn't mind an extra day. Sounds good as I am still sore from the trip in but don't admit it. As Bette puts the tent back in order, I grab the bait caster and throw out a Blade Dancer chartreuse shiner. After working it a few different ways with no results I put on some Walleye oil scent, next cast BANG, a good fight and a 27" northern is landed. It has taken the artificial surprisingly deep so I make this our choice for dinner. Others are caught, right off the camp site shore with the lure being worked on the bottom. When I clean and fillet the Northern I check the stomach and this ones is empty - it was hungry and on the prowl no doubt. Later in the canoe, I work the same area but with the lure going out into the lake and catch nothing, makes me wonder about the impact of lure direction. Fishing always intrigues me as there are so many variables to observe and consider. The morning passes far too quickly, and we decide to stop for lunch on an unoccupied site,then realizing we are the only ones on Banadad Lake. The single site on the Northern arm is small, but nice, with a level tent pad spot for a three person tent, a good fire grate location and a decent landing area. Privacy and coziness prevail and a very moosey looking area at the end of the arm as well. As we leave this site after finishing lunch I look for Mr. Big, casting a Mepps Muskie Killer about, but, no takers. Northern's are in fair abundance, ranging from 15" to 31". Smallmouth are a bit harder to locate but the ones caught are healthy, robust fighters with bellies. Later as we cook the Northern for dinner along with a Veggie medley, we both comment how good fresh fried fish is. We eat it all, unwilling to admit there was enough for 3 hearty appetites. At dinner, we discuss the fact that we are finding base camping a more attractive way to travel, as we are taking a lot of time getting to know a particular lake in detail, as we rest and explore. Too full for desert, we instead decide to quietly paddle along the shore to a moosey-looking area down the northern arm and wait in the quiet of dusk. As we slowly work down the right side ducking branches Bette extends her left hand (a silent sign that means stop). I look over her shoulder and crossing right to left is a bull moose, roughly 100 yards away. I don't believe it was aware of our presence; it was our first BWCA moose and it was majestic! As we sat with grins, I caught more movement in the water going left to right this time and low in the water. I tell my bow partner to paddle quickly, and several strong strokes are made. Just as the canoe is gaining speed, the bow is still; she has stopped paddling. "That is a bear" she whispers and then adds, "We are close enough". My whispered plea of "I want to get a picture" is ignored and we watch the bear complete his swim, walk up the bank, glance back as to say "where did you come from" and disappear. I ask Bette how big did she think it was, she replies "bigger than you". I agree; wet and all, it was a decent sized bear. I had taken two pictures but with dusk it was too dark for them to show anything,unfortunately. So our foray to this moosey-looking area has paid off with unforgettable memories. We paddle back to camp in near darkness realizing what a special day we were just given. A couple of toasts to honor our observed wild guests and off to the tent it is. Sleep comes easily, it was a full day.