Sunday, August 28, 2022. McAlpine, no-name, Batchewaung, Maria, and Jesse Lakes. 5 portages (550, 110, 70, 310, and 770 meters). 10.5 miles total.

We were out of the tent at 6:30 under a beautiful sky, but it was overcast again when we got on the water around 8:30. Our first portage, from McAlpine to a no-name, was marked in pencil as 'difficult' on one of the maps we found, and it did have a steep, wet rock face we had to climb. We decided it was safer to get the packs up the rock, set them aside, then pass the canoe up the rock, but the rest of the portage was not overly difficult.

We met a crew of five, mostly our age, at the next portage. It was their first Quetico visit, and they were out for 14 days. We would encounter them again a couple times. The two short portages from the no-name to Batchewaung were easy, but had rocky, narrow landings. Several years ago we had fought big wind in the main body of Batchewaung, and I think each of us had that memory in mind when we entered the lake with only light breezes. We paddled to the Maria portage in about an hour, made the portage, then stopped on Maria for lunch. The 770 meter portage into Jesse was a pleasant surprise—nice landings, no climbs, recent maintenance, and lots of corduroy work. Even the spots that looked muddy were firm. We were across the portage in 20 minutes, then started looking for the four-star island campsite. Too late—looks like our Indiana friends might be the occupants, and they had told us Jesse was a fishing destination for them. We continued west on Jesse and found a lovely site a mile or so later. We set up camp, took baths, rinsed out some clothes, set up the bear bag hang, etc. Great temperature, great campsite, great day on the water, and all's right with our world. We were surprised to find teaberry still in bloom near our tent site.