Sunday, August 04, 2013 Onward to Kawnipi. This was our longest day of the trip. It was seven portages and about a 15 mile paddle. That normally wouldn’t be so bad, but double portaging really slowed us down. By the end of this day I was super impressed with my 62 year old mom. She did awesome, carrying a pack and tons of misc stuff down the portages without issue. She was a real trooper. About this time was when a serious packing flaw surfaced. It almost destroyed our trip, and all family relationships (hyperbole). Somehow, in some great blunder, There had only been 3 candy bars per person packed for. For the entire trip. This was a famine on par with when Joseph was pharaoh of Egypt. Needless to say, somehow we survived. barely.
Well, The falls chain lived up to their reputation in beauty. Every portage is around a picturesque falls. We made into Kawnipi at about 130 and stopped for lunch on an island at about 230. Thanks to the Lord again, because the wind was completely manageable today. The prevailing winds would have been straight in our face and could have made that paddle up Kawnipi brutal.
I had done my research. I knew exactly what campsite I wanted in Mckenzie bay. If you have been to Kawnipi before you probably don’t need me to tell you which it is. As we rounded that last bend towards our destination, when the site would finally be in view, we had that feeling that only longing for your campsite to be empty can bring. It crested into view. No immediate signs of life, then wait, is that a tarp? No. Theres a chair! It must be! No its a stump. I think I saw movement! No. Everything your eye catches tricks you into thinking it’s manmade, unnatural. But our eyes doth deceive us. Its EMPTY! And wow did this site ever live up to expectations. Flat tent sites, huge granite slabs, perfect fire grate, swimming rock, old growth forest. I cannot think of a way to make the site better. It was that good. We set up camp and had a great, relaxing night.
It needs to be said that my mother prepared the best camp pizzas that anyone this side of heaven has ever seen. It’s not up for discussion. Just fact. We turned in early to be ready for the morning. We had made it to the fabled waters of Kawnipi. Now we just needed to fool it into relinquishing its walleyes…