Despite another night of very vocal bullfrogs, I wake up feeling very well rested after a long day of fun and a belly full of fish. Sadly, it is time to make our way home.

We break down camp slowly. The waters seem very calm today and we expect a fairly easy paddle back to the entry point. After a coffee and some oatmeal we say goodbye to our lovely island home and begin a pleasant paddle back across Three, Two, and One that goes quicker than we remembered the trip out. Along the way I feel immense gratitude for new friendships I've made in these really beautiful 72 hours. The trip has been exceedingly pleasant: mostly sunny and tolerable temperatures, bugs not nearly as bad as advertised, solid fishing, and quality time with a group of good guys. This is why the BWCA is a special place. It turns acquaintences into friends and turns friends into family. Its a place where grace and peace seem to bubble up out of the water and shine down from the sky. I mustn't let too much time pass before I return.