Sunday, July 29, 2012 Two nights on Ella Hall Lake allowed a day for exploration. Three islands on the lake had us bushwhacking through thick grounds in search of Ella's grave marker. Almost giving up we circled the third, middle sized, southeast island, on the southeast side of that island and found a perfect clearing. We found this marker at the top of the clearing, with a beautiful view of the surrounding lake.

We returned to camp for a quick chicken salad wrap lunch. Leaving the women at camp, three of us set out to explore the four mile portage on foot. It went from being as wide as a road to a foot path in brush to a flooded track through marsh, at times knee deep. At one point it actually disappears and we had to set up out of water and take to higher ground. While not impossible to travel, I cannot imagine portaging gear through here.  On the way back we ventured west to dip our toes in Muskeg Lake.

Our hopes of spotting the sunken steam engine from the end of the four mile portage in Hoist Bay was a disappointment on this day... Due to whitecaps on Hoist Bay..to be rewarded from a water- paddling view a few days later.

Dinner: pork loin smoked over an open fire served with Stove Top stuffing and cheesy potato soup.