Monday. There was a lovely red sunrise this morning, but by the time we got on the lake at 8:25 it was gray again and very cloudy. Five loons lined up in a row swam by just as we were pushing off.

The water level was low for the portage from Boulder to Adams. Very mucky and swampy, and much pulling through and lifting over--in a light rain. This was unpleasant.

Adams Lake, very windy and a few patches of blue sky to give me hope!

The 90-rod portage from Adams to Elbow Lake [Beaver Lake on current maps] was unique. It was so beautiful I hated to see it end! [How often do you say that about a portage?] Enormous boulders along the trail. At a point about midway there was a cliff (150-200 feet high) with a series of boulders which looked dumped from the top. On the very end of the portage at our left a sheer black cliff rose 60 feet right at the push-off place. This hike was so lovely I retraced it. Ferns as tall as my shoulder and many rocky crannies and cave-like areas. [In 40+ years of canoe-tripping, this is still my favorite portage.]

Elbow Lake:

The portage from Elbow [Beaver] to the pond off the Kawishiwi River had a large tree down, and was muddy.

Then we had a nice, easy 50-rod portage to the Kawishiwi River.

The Kawishiwi is lovely. We stopped for lunch at noon at an island campsite, with the sun finally warming things up. This was a beautiful site and we decided to just make camp.

As soon as I did laundry, shampooed and bathed the sun disappeared again! It got cool and very windy, and as it would have been a headwind, we were thankful that we had stopped early.

This campsite was another "blueberry hill" and I picked a pint or so. Watched the resident duck and her brood of ducklings. There were several nice trails to explore, a recently re-dug biffy, a gorgeous view in both directions on the river, and a great sunbathing rock. This was my "ideal" campsite.

We were napping in the tent at 4 PM when we had a short, very noisy thundershower. Just enough to soak the drying laundry! Then the sun came out again. We had Mountain House beef and potatoes, peas, and a fantastic blueberry cobbler made in the reflector oven with yellow cake mix and blueberries. It was really excellent!

Sat by the fire later this night and watched the ducks.