Boundary Waters, Trip Reports, BWCA, Stories

The Unintentional Base-camping Trip
by Spartan2

Trip Type: Paddling Canoe
Entry Date: 06/23/2010
Entry & Exit Point: Cross Bay Lake (EP 50)
Number of Days: 6
Group Size: 2
Part 3 of 9
Day Two

Awake at 4:15, 45 degrees in the tent, up and enjoying the morning mist at 5:30. Everything seemed damp, my joints were stiff, but I was moving! It looked like a very promising morning. Even the tall grass was sparkling in the heavy dew.





We had oatmeal and summer sausage and broke camp as quickly as we could, but we seem to have forgotten how to get on the water really early. (Perhaps it is because one of us is always away taking photos??) We were paddling by 8:45, and found the portage handily. Of course we had seen others take it by this time, so it was no longer any sort of mystery. More BIG steps, but an easy portage, otherwise.



And soon we were making our way to Cross Bay Lake. Safely in the BWCA, on a beautiful stream with a mine field of big rocks under the water to make the bowman stay alert, and out into the water of the lake on a pretty partly-cloudy morning.



We saw a family of brown ducks. Mama decided to play the “lame duck” role and lure us away from her three half-grown ducklings. She led us almost half-way down the lake with her series of flutter, flight, float, flutter, flight, float, etc..







Near the stream that leads to the portage to Snipe Lake we saw this large snapping turtle. Its shell was about 16" in diameter.



Because we had packed up very damp, and because we really had loved the southern site on Cross Bay Lake (it’s a beauty!) we decided to treat ourselves to an early camp and stopped at 10:40. It was a lovely morning with clear skies and a breeze, 65 or 70 degrees, and would be perfect for drying out and resting up. We had a hot lunch of eggs with cheese, hash browns, hot tea for me and spiced cider for Neil. By 1 PM there were clouds blowing in and I suspected an afternoon shower like yesterday, but at least we were well set up and dried out, so we would be much better able to cope.

I played around with photographing a pine bark beetle,



the resident chipmunk,



and a white admiral butterfly,



and Neil rested in the tent. I was worried about his activity level, which was much less than normal, and his perspiration level, which was much MORE than normal. We had a chat about that, and he admitted that he was not feeling very energetic. I asked him if he thought we shouldn’t go on and he made a rather offhand remark about “not wanting any long hard days”. Shortly thereafter we were dealing with an insulin reaction, some stomach upset, and a bland supper of Cache Lake Creamy Wild Rice Soup, crackers, and BPP Apple Delight. There were a few sprinkles as we finished our meal.

We decided we would make a decision “tomorrow” whether we would try to head back out again, or base camp on Cross Bay Lake for a few days. We weren’t going to go any further into the BWCA on this trip.

There was a most non-spectacular sunset, and a beaver came swimming by at 8:30 headed to a different part of the lake. We didn’t have a fire, as Neil hadn’t found any firewood, and we just decided to retire early.