-Awake at 7:30am to another beautiful BWCA morning. Sun is heating up the hammock already. The sun feels good since I did not have enough insulation under me last night. Will have to use the air mat in the hammock, even in the summer.

- Mosquitoes and ticks still around this morning. I pick and swat my way thru a breakfast of pop tarts.

- I get camp packed up and on the water by 9:00am. Short day today as I am just heading back to Brant Lake.

- I have to take some time to fix my portage yoke. It is a piece of shit! Plastic knobs stripped out yesterday on my final portage of the day. Glad I had some extra bolts in the repair kit!

- I paddle off across the lake for the Bingshick to Flying portage. The first stage of this portage goes well (13 rods) and I stop to take some photos of the lily pads floating on the swamp. Moose tracks at the beginning of the second stage of this portage. This part (13 rods) is up hill going this way.

- Paddle across Flying Lake and take the stairs to Gotter Lake (13 rods)

- Paddling across Gotter Lake I cannot help but think how beautiful this was prior to the fire. This is still a pretty little lake with a nice bluff along the south shoreline.

- The steep 88 rod portage into Brant is not fun, but I make fairly quick work of it and paddle into my campsite on Brant Lake.

- This site is up off the water and in some pine trees that were spared from the fire. This is still a nice campsite, but much have been and 5 star site prior to the fire. Two very nice tent pads up on top and a neat fire area with good seating.

- I find a couple of pine trees for my hammock and tarp. Camp is set!

- Getting warm so I take a swim and have some lunch. After lunch a nap is in order. Swim, lunch and a nap, not a bad BWCA afternoon!

- The mosquitoes are back out this afternoon. I head back to the hammock for some reading.

- Supper consists of chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy with peanut M&Ms for dessert. I clean up and wait for some good picture taking light.

- I hike off into the burn area above camp to take some photos. It is amazing how quickly after a forest fire the ferns, wildflowers and trees start to come back. I also see a red fox heading over the ridge towards Mine Lake.

- I spend the rest of 4th of July evening reading in the hammock. The stars in the northern sky are a much better show than any fireworks!