Boundary Waters, Trip Reports, BWCA, Stories

My first Solo - 8 Days In and a Rather Tough Exit
by Pilgrimpaddler

Trip Type: Paddling Canoe
Entry Date: 06/29/2018
Entry & Exit Point: Kawishiwi Lake (EP 37)
Number of Days: 9
Group Size: 1
Trip Introduction:
Did my first solo trip to see if I still "had it" at 60 and to get some perspective after losing my sister and a close friend (and former tripping partner) over the past 4 months. I should have remembered that those kind of losses usually come in threes.
Day 1 of 9
Friday, June 29, 2018

My plan was to leave work at 11:00 AM, head home to load my gear and eventually get up to Sawbill Outfitters to pick up my canoe and permit around 7:00 - 8:00 PM then camp at the Sawbill campground and leave early the next morning for EP-37 (Kawishiwi Lake) to and get the on the water around 7:00 AM. Unfortunately, through a combination of self-induced delays and some not of my doing, I didn't get to Sawbill until almost 9:00 PM, so I had to wait until Saturday morning to pick up my canoe and permit.

I tried to text my wife after I set-up camp for the night but my text never went through. I had warned her that there was spotty cell service in the area and that there would be none at all when I was at Kawishiwi and points farther in, so I didn't think it was a big deal. I had an uneventful night at the campground and was excited to get going the next morning.