Overnight several of our tip ups had popped and we had Laker filets for breakfast - Luke and Mark did the filleting honors while I refired the wood stove and brewed coffee.

Craig and Greg were dispatched to fetch more wood. (Fetch wood became a catch phrase)

The tip up pattern showed that the best fishing had been in 14-18' of water. Pop - out of another duffle came an enormous ice shelter - roughly the size of a one car garage. Six holes were bored and a slick Ice saw (I'd been wondering what that was) was produced - we connected all six holes and withdrew the blocks of ice. The now erected shelter was positioned over this open water trench and the effect was amazing - with the shelter over our heads we could clearly see the bottom and our various lures and could watch the Lakers cruise by slowly examining our offerings.

Chairs were set up around the 2.5' x 9' rectangular opening and we amused ourselves watching the occasional Laker attack our jiggling lures. Who needs HD TV?

After a while we decided to head to the far side of the lake and the open rapids - hiking up on the high bluffs to catch a glimpse of Canada. I will say that walking miles across open glare ice uses different muscles than you use in everyday city life!

Fishing improved however and dinner that evening - our last evening - was to be Turf and Surf - filets, baked potatoes and filets of the Lakers we'd been catching all day. Wine and merriment ensued with some very stimulating discussions on recent works by Jared Diamond like Collapse and Guns, Germs and Steel. (BTW, Dr. Mark is also one of the smartest people I know and had gathered a pretty cerebral bunch for this trip).

These books were to be required reading prior to the trip in, however it wasn't clear to me that everyone got that memo.

That evening I was drawn (dragged) into the evening poker game. I don't play poker, I don't like games and I worked really hard to play dumb and lose my $5 stake as quickly as I could. Unfortunately, to my frustration I kept winning. Eventually the gambling gods tired of me, allowed me to lose and I wormed into my lower bunk and dozed off.

At about 3 in the morning the fire had gone out and my colleagues were slumbering deeply when that distant artillery fire struck close as a crack suddenly appeared directly below our bunks. Everyone woke up with a start at the sharp sound - no danger - but what a wakeup call!