Up at 5 AM and on the water by 6:30. I have to leave this wonderful spot in the world. I would have no problem base camping at this site for a week! But my Garmin Inreach says I had some wind and storms in the forecast. The morning was perfect and calm, so far so good. I trolled the whole way. Picking up fish here and there. Im heading east now on crooked, back tracking to cross Friday Bay. As I pass the island site in the mouth of the bay I heard a crashing and saw a big brown streak take off into the trees and the stomping that sounded like a clydesdale barreling through the forest. Though I didnt get a good look I knew it could only be a moose. I thought maybe he may try to swim for it. I paddled to the backside of the island and sure enough about a 100 yards away was the rack of a bull moose cruising across the water! I turned on the jets and caught up to him, I paralleled him for probably 100 yards capturing video and snapping pictures. I was careful not to get too close so he didn't get scared and try to change direction. I know moose can swim along way but he was making a huge crossing over deep water! Once he made it to the Canadian side it was steep and he couldn't find a good spot to get out. This allowed me an extended viewing as he kept getting in and out of the water trying to find a suitable exit. A truly amazing experience! Well after that I didn't care much what happened, check the moose and wolf experience off the list! No major wind yet but starting to build. I still had to cross Thursday bay. Lots of great camping sites between Friday and Thursday bay, made a mental note for next time. While crossing Thursday bay I ran into what at first I though was a snag. As I reeled closer I found a huge pike had taken my husky jerk! I have caught and seen some big pike with my largest being 44". This one was every bit of 40". I had him to the boat but then the wind pushed me one way and the fish made a huge run the other way, the hook pulled... Obviously it would have been great to get a picture but having a fish like that in the boat in the middle of that bay would have been pretty sketchy. There was no suitable spots to get on shore either. I get around the point and make a sharp north turn. At first I think i missed something but then I head East were the lake slims down to maybe 50 yards wide and the current really becomes visible. I guess I am officially in the basswood river? Looks like a great fishing spot but I have to keep moving. Thunderheads were building to the south. I made it to my planned campsite at noon. Site #1855. It is a big open site, and is rated 5 stars but I didn't really care much for it. It does have a nice cove all to itself which is why I picked it in the first place. Didn't matter, rain was almost on me. I got the tent up and pulled the canoe to a safe place right before the clouds opened up and the wind howled for the next 6 hours. Lou doesn't like thunder. I was a little nervous she may just jet if she heard it while we were outside. Luckily I had her in the tent before it got to loud. I'm not much of a napper, though I did dose for maybe 30 minutes. 6 hours is a really long time to be in a tent but I was very comfortable and dry so I couldn't complain much. I also saw a moose and had a huge fish on that morning so it was a good day regardless if the afternoon was a bust. My tent isn't anything fancy, its a ledge tarantula, that I bought off ebay 10 years ago. It is a 2 person with a nice tarp tub bottom, double doors and a rain tarp that guys out for dry storage on both sides. This allows me to keep a pack and other gear out of the rain but still accessible through the door. Makes the tent much larger than it actually is. I can also cook my dehydrated dinners through the door in the rain as I did this night. I brought a tarp but never used it. I can see it being needed for a group or if you did have a ton of rain in the forecast but for a solo trip it was just as easy to stay in the tent. I don't know if I will bring it next time. The rained finally stopped around 6:30 pm and we fished our cove for about an hour. I don't care much for fishing after a storm, I just don't think its the best time with the pressure rising but we both needed out of the tent for at least an hour before nightfall. Had another animal encounter that night. While fishing we spooked something large that crashed through the woods. It was dusk and I never saw it but I am thinking a moose or bear. For some reasoning I just got the creeps all of the sudden. I was a little worried that my mind may play some tricks on me being alone in the woods but I never really had an issue. I think being exhausted and a whiskey drink took care of that every night. For some reason this night just felt different but not for long, I fell asleep quick!

6.2 miles traveled. 0 portages.