Boundary Waters, Trip Reports, BWCA, Stories

Quadga
by bennojr

Trip Type: Paddling Canoe
Entry Date: 07/04/2014
Entry & Exit Point: Little Isabella River (EP 75)
Number of Days: 3
Group Size: 1
Day 3 of 3
Sunday, July 06, 2014

I sleep well and morning comes quickly as Claire wakes me by rubbing her head up against me. She is still moving slowly but seems to want me to get going so I break camp and get on the water. I can't believe how warm and humid it is as I start portaging. Before grabbing the last of the gear from the Quadga side I load up on water. Luckily, as I head down stream, a light breeze is against me and I leisurely paddle my way to the Little Is. By now I have decided to take that river out hoping that all the rain has raised the water level enough for me to get over that log jam problem. What wind there is comes at me. I've noticed on rivers the wind seems to follow the river so it's either with you or against you. I do well going upstream and the log jam is no problem and manage all the beaver dams by doing the Hawaii five-0 except for one. I have to get out on that one and get water in my boots for the first time. Oh well, I'm near the exit point and am exhausted from the constant work coming upstream. Claire is happier now but still doesn't show her usual spunk and stays strictly on the portage trails. On the last portage she surprises me by jumping into the back of the boat before I'm ready. She has never been that eager to get in but has been getting better at getting in on command. I am spent and finally we are out and taking the short cut back to the cabin hoping to see my missing strap along the way. What I do see is a notice that they are doing wolf trapping in the area. At the cabin I unload my car and lay out my hammock and camp tarps to dry out, take a nice bath and take a nap. When I get up Claire makes it clear she wants to go for a walk.