Boundary Waters, Trip Reports, BWCA, Stories

Life is good in the BW - 2011
by OffMyRocker

Trip Type: Paddling Canoe
Entry Date: 07/26/2011
Entry & Exit Point: Crab Lake and Cummings from Burntside Lake (EP 4)
Number of Days: 5
Group Size: 3
Day 2 of 5
Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Storms came in around midnight – a soaking rain that lasted all night and into the morning. Dave reported hearing thunder while Audrey and I slept. Sometime after sun-up, we ladies had to make a mad dash to the toilet. We all caught a few more winks before the rain ended around 10:30.

Dave started cooking breakfast immediately while the ladies groomed and primped. It’s truly a vacation when all I have to do to get ready in the morning is wash my face, put my hair into a ponytail and throw on a hat! We drank some instant coffee while Audrey sipped her kiddy coffee (hot cocoa). Our meal this morning consisted of Cache Lake’s Western Omelet and hash browns. No, we don’t work for Cache Lake! We just like their stuff. Dave and Audrey chased that down with some cup o’ soup while I started on the dishes.

The anglers went back to their prime spot on the peninsula to fish from shore. I joined them after chores were done. Dave caught another small smallie on a Rapala crank bait. I caught a monster bluegill (approx. 9 inches) on a pink Rapala. Dave had used the pink Rapala on a recent Canadian fishing trip and apparently it was a hot bait. The wind out of the west made for prime drift fishing, so Audrey and Dave took the canoe out and fished the narrows. Audrey caught two "monster" smallies (13-14"). Dave caught 5 smallies, the longest being approx. 12 inches.

Three loons were also fishing the same area. They approached the canoe and gave Audrey a close up look at their markings. She commented on how BIG they are. Audrey also started imitating their calls. She made a drawing in the camp journal showing her view: the tip of the canoe, fishing rod hanging over the side, and loons in the water.

Meanwhile, back at camp, I had started reading “The Shack.” I could not stop reading it. Too bad I didn’t have a box of tissues with me, because I cried off and on through the entire book. I didn't want to use toilet paper because God forbid we run out of that! When Dave and Audrey returned to camp, Audrey told me I looked like Rudolph because my nose was so bright red! However, I did finish the entire book and therefore did not have to extend the crying jag into another day of reading.

Due to our late breakfast, we just snacked on jerky and gorp for lunch. Dave and Audrey made rafts out of bark and twigs and raced them along the beach. A canoe with 3 people went by around 4 p.m. – the first people we had seen all day. The sun finally came out after a cloudy day that seemed to threaten rain. It really was a lazy day at camp – the kind of relaxation that we come to the BW for. Before we knew it, it was 7 p.m. and time for dinner. This meal was Turkey and wild rice with a dessert of freeze-dried ice cream and hot cocoa.

As we prepared for bedtime, determined to beat the mosquitoes, Dave spotted a jumping mouse on a downed branch. We checked the little critter out and watched it scamper around, but he didn’t want to jump for us. We also heard a pretty bird calling, but couldn’t figure out what it was. Dave thought it might belong to the robin family or be a warbler of some kind. Once again, the hum of the woods ushered us into the tent quickly. We used a headlamp to light things up enough to play Moose Farkel. Dave kicked our butts with some insane high point rolls. Tomorrow we day trip!