Monday morning: our fourth day out, and another day of windy, drizzly weather. The sun tried to peaked out throughout the day (sometimes being fully sunny and others completely hidden) but those big fat clouds just kept rolling in on us. We made quick work of breakfast before loading up the canoe and kayak. We did not spend much time making our canoe pack water tight because we had a bunch of lake and portage jumping in our immediate future. Our plan, no matter the weather, was to make it Wisini Lake.

Spoon Lake and Pickle Lake passed by us before we could even remember paddling them and we reached the end of the 80-rod portage that leads into Kekekabic Lake early. We sat on the portage watching the waves; the large, imposing waves. By this time in the morning the clouds had parted and the sun was out again but the wind from the southwest had not abated. We took a quick snack break, loaded up the canoe and prepared to push off when, in the water, Matt discovered the largest pair of ugly-ass Paris Hilton glasses you have ever seen. I would end up wearing them for the remainder of the trip. It was funnier that way.

The crossing of Kekekabic Lake was kicking up with a vengeance. We made sure to “tarp taco” the packs before setting out and it is a good thing we did. Matt and I in the canoe took a few waves over the bow but the tarp kept the gear dry. Gopher, without a sea skirt ended up taking more than a few quick showers. But we made it to the other side of the lake relatively quickly and started the portage into Strup Lake.

On the portage (one we had completed the year before with Donnie) Gopher was quick to point out a large pile of moose droppings. The scat was fresh and I was hoping to make it to the end of the portage and find the moose waiting for me and my camera. I was let down however; there was no moose in sight. Not too disheartened we packed up the canoe and started our journey across; but a detour was required.

The year prior we (Gopher and I) took in a stuffed Care Bear doll, which we renamed Geo Cache Bear, and tied him to a tree over looking a toilet on the southwest campsite. We had to see if he had managed to make it though the winter. As we pulled up to the site I excitedly popped out of the canoe and ran up the toilet trail. Sadly, he was gone. I know it is not allowed but it was a gamble to see if any news of our bear would be online (I could find none on the canoe sites and message boards) but since I heard no word I thought that, perhaps, he had been left where he hung.

We hit Wisini Lake in mid afternoon and set up camp in the once again gray and drizzly weather. The campsite in the Narrows of Wisini Lake is located on a small cliff that overlooks the water. You have to unload your boat while standing precariously on the rocks and throw your gear to a friend so they can toss it further up the hill. If you drop your bag it will be lost; the water depth at the unload spot is well over 50 feet deep (according to a sounding made with fishing line). The site also does not have a canoe landing. In order to park your boat for the night you have to either tie it to a tree, letting it float, or slowly hump it up the cliff. The effort is well worth it though. The site is awesome!

By the time we reached the site and gotten the camp set up (tents, tarps and food bag location found) the sun had once again broke through and the clouds cleared. We popped down on the sun warmed and dried rock and took a much needed warm nap. This quick on-again, off-again sun would be a constant for almost our entire trip. It made things bearable though. As long as we had some sun we could stand it.

Two hours before sunset and the heat of the day finally came. The timing was perfect and we (mainly I) were ready for a swim. This was the point of coming to Wisini Lake. I got a few jumps in from the high cliff the year before but I wanted to have more. I wanted to get my adrenalin fix. Gopher and I slowly made our way up the various cliff sizes (scoping out the water below first) before finally coming to “The Cliff”; an almost 50 foot drop into murky brown water. I lined up on the arrow that had been carved into the rock by other visitors and took the leap. Just when you think you are about to hit the water you realize that you are only halfway down, which makes the feeling all the more exciting. Matt, not being a fan of heights, took photographs as Gopher and I leapt time and time again.

We swam at the various cliff locations and off of the campsite until sundown. The sky that night once again clouded over and started to drizzle. We ate a quick diner and Gopher volunteered to do the dishes. While rinsing them off in the lake, however, he ended up dropping my plate in the water and, because of the breeze that is a constant in the Narrows on Wisini, it floated out of his reach. I was bummed. Not having a plate for the remainder of the trip was going to be a pain. We piled into my tent to play cards before finally getting tired and going to bed.