Day 4. I woke to frost. First thing I had to do, was check my food pack- it was right where I left it, hanging from the tree. WHEW! I broke camp, packed the kayak and headed out. As I passed the neighbor's camp, I noticed they, too, were leaving. I asked them if they heard the bear and they said it dragged their food pack into the woods and ate all their food. They hadn't hung their food pack because someone told them it wasn't always necessary. Silly fools. I wonder if folks like them are the reason there are bear problems at the popular lakes.

The day was breezy, sunny and full of potential. In the calm, peaceful light of day, I had a different outlook. I decided I would look for a campsite in Moose or Newfound Lake. I fished my way to the west end of Ensign, with just a nibble or two. I dropped my minnow in for a swim when I entered Splash Lake and almost immediately caught a strange looking fish. I hadn't a clue what it was, so I pulled my handy-dandy fish guide from my tackle box. The very first page had pictures of pickerels & pike. I'm guessing that it was a small northern pike. I released it and realized that at some point during the day, someone had eaten the tail off of my mimic-minnow. The tail was the best part! It would wiggle in a most interesting way as he 'swam' through the water.

In Newfound Lake, there was a gorgeous little campsite at the south end of a tiny island next to Horseshoe. A tiny island camp? I bet there would be far fewer visits by bears there. The bushes were full of yellow-shafted flickers and warblers dripped from the trees. I hung my food and set up my hammock without the rain-fly. I would have the stars as my roof tonight! I retired to the hammock with a knife, my whistle and my head-lamp. I don't know if it was the tiny island location, the knife, the lack of bear sign, or some combination of factors, but I felt far more at ease that night. I fell asleep with a smile on my face.