Saturday, June 18, 2005

Silence Lake - Sultry Lake - Summer Lake - Noon Lake - Shade Lake - West Lake - South Lake - Basswood Lake (North Bay) - Noname Lake - Burke Lake - Basswood Lake (Bayley Bay)(Inlet Bay)

We woke up to another clear day with cooler temps but with a bit of wind. We had avoided any real wind our entire trip so we were about due. We didn't waste much time at camp in the morning because we had a long day ahead of us. We had to make it to Prairie Portage by 5:30 for a tow out. All but one of our fishing license in the group expired the day before so fishing wasn't going to slow us down. We watched two groups pass by us in our intended direction before we were packed up and feared we would be stuck behind people on our way out. By the time we were on the water the other canoes were out of site. We wasted no time getting to and over the portage into Sultry Lake. 
We took a small break on Sultry Lake to let our bodies get attuned to the abuse that lay before us. While sitting there we heard a bird calling. This bird has been a mystery from my early days paddling in the north woods. I think the rookie was a little amused that I didn't know what the bird was, nor did I know what it looked like. It's a distinctive call that anyone who paddles in the north country has heard. 
(Since the trip I purchased a bird call CD, the bird is a white throated sparrow) 
As we started across the lake toward the next portage Mike made the comment to the rookie, "If your not sure which way to go, just head into the wind." and that statement held true all day. We rounded the bend to see one of the groups at the portage in front of us. We slowed our pace only slightly till they were out of site and then headed to the portage. 
The rookie and I were the first of our group over the portage. As I reached the lake the other crew was on shore getting into their boats. I stood there for a while with pack on back and canoe overhead. My patience grew thin as I watched them ever so carefully getting into their boats trying to keep dry. As soon as I saw an opening to the water I put the canoe in. Nate and I loaded our gear and were on our way before they had all loaded up. I knew if my group didn't make a dash across Summer Lake, we would again be stuck behind them at the portage. I think the others knew this as well because they wasted no time putting in. As we started our race across the lake at least one of the canoes from the other group picked up their pace. We gave them a wide berth as we steadily overcame their group. (I love my MN II). The rest of my group followed suit and we had a good lead by the time we hit the portage onto Noon Lake.
On Noon Lake we again kept up our pace watching over our backs for the party we just overcame but we never saw them again. We didn't spend much time on Noon lake but headed directly to the portage into Shade Lake. Once again the red ink on the map, indicating the portage, was not located where the portage was but a quick scan of the map made it apparent where it "should" be, and it was. 
On Shade Lake we continued to push on, at least till I looked at my watch. We were making good time for the day and didn't want to get to Prairie Portage too early. Waiting for a tow is boring. I reasoned with myself that I had time to again, search for the pictograph located on this lake, that I had previously been unable to find. I turned back and asked Greg (Greg) and the other Brian if they would like to go look for it and they did. The other canoe with Chad and Mike continued toward the portage but I figured since Chad still had his license, he would be fishing, and he was. We made our way around the point and to the northwest end of the lake where the pictograph is indicated on the map and began the search from there. We all scanned the cliffs looking for the slightest indication of a drawing but couldn't see it. I saw across the bay on the point another rock outcropping and headed towards it. The other canoe searched the shore heading south. As we paddled toward the outcropping I kept scanning the lake till I noticed a nice dry rock face on the northwest point of the lake that looked perfect so we quickly turned the canoe and headed there. It was there that we found them. Two separate drawings, each of a horizontal line with three vertical lines dropping from it. We tried to summon the other canoe but they were all ready headed to the portage. We met up with them there and told them what it looked like.
We decided to do lunch on and island in North Bay of Basswood lake where we had done lunch the year before.  Lunch was short, we were all tired, and the wind was picking up. We packed up from lunch and headed into a noname lake and onto Burke Lake. On Burke, the wind was not looking inviting. Whitecaps were starting to form and we had a long paddle across it... into the wind, till the portage. A couple of us would switch on and off drafting each other to help bear the wind. It worked surprisingly well, as the draft canoe didn't have to paddle nearly as hard. Once at the portage, the rookie and I played rock-paper-scissors for the honor of carrying the canoe the last portage. After two ties, Nate won. The landing onto Basswood Lake (again) was a nice sandy beach. We all regrouped there and stretched our arms before the long paddle to Prairie Portage... into the wind.
It was on this paddle that we started to see the crowds of people again. It almost seemed that from every bay was a team of canoes making the dash back. We passed three groups of people heading in the same direction and several heading the opposite way, before reaching Prairie Portage.
Thus ends the trip.