Wednesday, August 23, 2023

I awoke to what is becoming normal on this trip. I didn't even have it in me to utter a few choice words. Nevertheless, I ate quickly, grabbed my rain jacket, and hit the water. I knew the portage was a quick paddle away, so I wanted to scout it out before I tried it, and I was curious about the family I saw on Tuesday. They were at the next site up from me. I waved at them and headed to the portage. The landing was not the best

I got the canoe in very carefully, and started up over the rocks to the stream. Now, I don't know what happened crossing that stream. I know I felt a rock move under my foot, and then I was fighting for balance. I slipped on the rocks (after all the rain they were a little wet) and went down. A sore wrist and wet bum later, I continued on to the other end of the portage and sat on a dry rock. I will admit that what had just happened scared me. If I was carrying the canoe, or the pack, it might have been worse. I'm 64, I don't bounce, I break, and I am alone. This is the midway point of my trip, and I really wanted to go further. The weather had been crap so far, and I had set up my camp pretty much completely, plus I really liked that site. So, cussing at myself for being timid, I decided that I would spend the rest of my time exploring Slim, and fishing. Went back to the canoe, and headed up to the marsh at the end of the lake, and went back down the opposite shore. Now, I haven't been to very many lakes, but I think that Slim is the most beautiful one I have been on so far. Big granite bluffs right down to the shoreline. I went down the shoreline until I came to my site, crossed over and grabbed my fishing gear, and went back out. I crossed back and drifted while fishing. Didn't catch anything, got down to near the EP, and crossed over to the opposite shore, and headed back up. I will say that the fishing was terrible the entire week. I threw everything out there, spinners, spoons, raps of all types, different colors and nothing. Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was my turn to get skunked, I have no idea. I did manage to catch a couple of small smallies in the bay south of my site, but that was it. Headed back to camp, made a little snack, and decided to go over to the island across from my site. I thought about swimming over, since it was close enough to hit with a cast from my fishing pole, but decided to see if there was a spot I could land the canoe. Found a spot, directly opposite from my camp

Not much on the island for firewood, but it was interesting. A couple of boulders aroused my interest, probably left over from the glaciers. I did try the smaller island, but I couldn't find a good landing. So I headed back to camp and read a little til dinnertime. Still haven't seen the sun, so I ate and waited for dark, had my nightcap, and called it a day.