At 5 AM, we all wake up and know we want to get on the water ASAP. We rapidly pack up and see that the water looks manageable this morning, not calm by any stretch but manageable. We hit the lake and with the wind at our backs, paddle the 4 miles to American point in 50 minutes! The women are VERY eager after the events of yesterday to be out of the woods and getting nice hot showers and real food. With an agreeable wind, are at the landing for entry point #55 by 9AM . We paddled 9 miles in that short amount of time.

The pay phone wasnt working and we were sooo happy that a maintenance guy from another outfitter happened to be there and he contacted our outfitter for us. In about ten minutes, our ride pulled up and we were off the water and back to society. We told them our story and they said that nobody that started their voyage yesterday made it very far. Go figure. We made our way back to Grand Marais and finally, after our brief delay, we finally got our burgers. And of course, washed it all down with a Donut from The Worlds Greatest Donut Shop.

It was time to depart, my wife and I headed north to travel through Canada around Lake Superior, and my parents, they stayed in the area and were joined by another family who was joining them to experience the BW for the first time.

What a great and rewarding first experience in Quetico. Everything we hoped for, and more!