Thursday, May 28, 2015

One tremendously positive attribute this campsite had that neither of us even considered when formulating our initial assessment, was the makeshift sandbox. This unique feature helped Aurora keep herself occupied so Vickie & I could each enjoy a little ‘down time’ while in camp. I think there were a race track and a whole village of sandcastles created by the time we’d left. This morning Vickie decided to join in on the fun while I prepared pancakes for breakfast.[paragraph break]

As I mentioned earlier, the hammock also served Aurora well as a swing, which provided another entertaining diversion. The swelling from the bug bite had gone down, and in a more general sense, I think staying near camp today helped recharge her batteries a bit.

When Aurora lost interest in the hammock, Vickie claimed it and did some reading & relaxing. Meanwhile I alternated between processing firewood & shore fishing. While fishing was nothing like what we’d had on Paulson Lake, the tranquil intimate setting & surroundings assured contentment would be an easily achievable goal; regardless of the modest success.

Later, Aurora cajoled me into coming down to the lakeshore to once again throw rocks with her. By the time we were finished, the rock shelf running out from shore was now littered with small rocks that stood out like a sore thumb when contrasted with the rest of the lake bottom.

As the day wore on, we decided to take a short hike around our island. Aurora informed us she would be the ‘shepherd’, (a term she equated to leader). There was an already well established trail running down to the sitting rock & beyond. We followed that into a red pine forest where travel was relatively easy. Our nature walk gave us an ideal opportunity to give our inquisitive little voyageur a front row tour of the woods. And, we tried to explain the sights, sounds & smells to the best of our abilities. Eventually the red pines gave way to spruce trees which gave way to thick underbrush, so we did an about face and hiked back towards camp without completing the circuit.

Speaking of passing the torch on to the next generation, I’d also been showing Aurora how to build a fire. She excelled at filling our log cabin style fire with the twigs, leaves & needles. Of course we didn’t let her get too involved once the fire was lit, but beginning to pass these skills on reminded me of a few passages in the chapter Sigurd Olson dedicated to campfires in his iconic book, “The Singing Wilderness”.

“So deeply ingrained in his feeling, and all it connotes, that even the building of a fire has a ritualistic significance. Whether he admits it or not, every act of preparation is vital and satisfying to civilized man. Although the fire may not be needed for warmth or protection or even the preparation of food, it is still a primal and psychological necessity. On any wilderness expedition it always serves as a climax to the adventures of the day, is as important to a complete experience as the final curtain to a play. It gives everyone an opportunity to participate in an act hallowed by the devotion of forgotten generations. … He has not forgotten, and even today everyone is anxious to help the fire- builder get started. All join in the search for kindling, for resinous bits of wood and bark. How proudly each brings in his offering, what genuine satisfaction is shared when the flames take hold! As the fire burns, see how it is tended and groomed and fondled, how little chips are added as they fall away from the larger sticks, how every man polices the fringe before him and treats the blaze as the living thing it is”.

Our fire tonight was put to a special use. Vickie had brought some popcorn as an out of the ordinary treat. Aurora marveled as the tinfoil expanded, and then devoured several handfuls after it had cooled.

For the 3rd time in as many nights, the loons of Gabimichigami Lake hauntingly serenaded us as we huddled around our crackling campfire. It’s these fleeting moments that you just can’t put a price on, and is one of the main ingredients to what makes spending time in canoe country so special. This site had definitely endowed us with an exceptional home the past few days; it would be bittersweet having to leave tomorrow.

Gabimichigami Lake