We got our earliest start ever and paddled in tranquility down glassy-smooth waters to the Sawbill dock. After landing at 8:30, checking in and settling up we were on the road by 9:30. We had hoped to have a visit with one of the folks we had talked to before the trip -- Paul or Johnny -- but they weren’t at the window. We did have a brief download of our trip with a very nice member of the crew. We later realized how much we missed coming “home” to debrief with our outfitters of the past several years, Jeff, Donna and Jake Hway of Way to Go Outfitters in Ely, who feel almost like family.

Incredibly, we saw Kim at an intersection on the Sawbill road and stopped to chat on our way to MSP.