Day 11: Paddle Out
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026
When I peel off my eye mask at 2 A.M., rather than feel groggy, I am energized by the sight of millions of stars overhead from my hammock. I wake Andrew soon thereafter, and we methodically pack up camp by the light of our headlamps.

By the time we are ready to leave the landing just before 4 A.M., the western sky is rapidly brightening with the promise of a new sunrise heralding the beginning of what will literally and figuratively be one of the longest days of the year. After a final photo or two from the landing, we push off under glass calm conditions into the fuzzy darkness toward the Seagull River.

I snap a photo or two of Andrew paddling through dawn’s tranquil waters under a sky that morphs from midnight blue, to indigo, to a light sky blue tinged with pink clouds, over the span of the 60 minute paddle out. We reach the landing at Voyageur just after 5 A.M., and take our time loading our gear and canoe, as well as making sure all the important munchies and thermos meals are within arm’s reach for the long grind home. After showers, we still have time before they open up for the day, so we use the internet to download a treasure trove of podcasts for the drive, as well as watch a couple short YouTube videos that came up in discussion while in the park.

Once Voyageur opens up, we step inside to browse for any last chance souvenirs, and to borrow a tape measure. I’ve been wondering how long that Northern Pike on Knife was this whole trip, and now is the moment of truth. When I measure the marked area on the canoe, the tape reads 44”, truly the fish of a lifetime, especially for a fisherman of my lowly caliber. We return the tape to Bill, show him photos of the big fish, and provide intel on how the fishing was on Rabbit, Ashdick, and the South Arm of Knife. And of course, we also pass along our report on the Ashdick to Swamp portage!

We drive away from Voyageur at 7:20 A.M., stopping once on the Gunflint to take photos of some gorgeous lupines before pulling into Grand Marais. I tell Andrew that I think there’s one other person that would love to hear about our huge Pike: Adam from Tumblehome podcast, who loves the excitement of a big Pike on the line. We are happy to find him in Grand Marais, and spend a few minutes catching up on his recent trip as well as telling our fish story, sharing that it probably never would have happened had I not found his podcast.

We leave Grand Marais on a mission to arrive home before midnight, with planned stops only for gas as well as for fresh fruit and a giant Caesar salad at the Cloquet Wal-Mart. Naturally, we fail at this endeavor, since I always need more coffee than planned on the drive home, and Andrew talks me into stopping at White Castle in Hinckley. On the drive home, I choose to make a “soft re-entry” to society, with zero cell phone communication until Duluth. After that I take a phone call or two from friends and family wanting to know how the trip went, but decide that if anyone really wants to see the photo of “the big one,” they have to give me a call to catch up and hear the story. Andrew does plenty of catching up on sleep while I drive, but we are still able to listen to several hours of “Unbroken.” I have to pull over for a nap just two hours away from home. We pull into the driveway at 1:46 A.M., put the canoe in the garage, and pile the gear in the house. The trip is over.

Stats—> Portages: 0 | Paddle distance: 3.1 miles | Paddle time: 1:09 | Total travel time: 17:30 on road (22 hours from campsite on Saganaga, 24 hours from wakeup) | Breaks: 2:15 | 2:15 spent loading car, showering, shopping at VCO after reaching landing