On our way out, the paddle experience isn’t comparable to the past. It was the quietest, most calm paddle I have ever experienced. If possible, it was too quiet as if we were alone on a different planet. It was pretty awesome - and we didn’t come across a single group on our way out.

As we paddled through Kelly Lake we spotted what initially appeared to be ducks playing in the water, as we got closer we assumed maybe these were beavers. But, as we got even closer it was the beavers nemesis, a playful bevy (I looked that up) of otters. They were loving life. Fun to watch them.

An interesting takeaway happened at the entry point on Baker lake, a fellow whom had traveled from Wyoming asked how often we came out to the BWCA. We told him we averaged this into an annual trip and baffled he laughed and said “you live this close and only come out here once a year?” ... well stranger, you won’t get a disagreement out of us!