Back from Boundary Waters/Quetico

[hotdesk]

Our troop got back Friday night around midnight.

 

We left for Ely on Thursday, August 5 around 9AM. The troop had 12 people (7 adults & 5 scouts)so we were split into two groups of 9. We stopped for lunch at the McDonalds at the Wisconsin Dells (that was a nice looking place). We then stopped for dinner at Pizza Hut near Ely. We finaly got to our campsite around 9PM and everyone was in their tents by 9:30PM.

 

Friday morning we woke up around 4:30 and went to a sit down restraunt in Ely for breakfast. We finally got to Moose Lake around 6:30AM and packed the canoes. The group started canoeing around 7AM.

 

After a small trip we came across our first portage into customs. I was surprised how quickly we were able to move in and out of there.

 

Around 12PM we stopped for lunch. A pine squril came and joined us and stole some nuts from one of the adult leaders. We got into camp about 2PM. When we got into camp an adult leader realized he left one of his bags at a portage (we were only suppose to bring 1 bag with us). So him and a canoe buddy needed to go back and get it.

 

When he finally got back the other two adult leaders in my group pulled the third adult leader to the side and compiled most of his stuff (he had way too much---3 water bottles, 4 flashlights, 4 books, binoculars, bilge pump, knee pads, etc.) into one bag and put the rest of it into troop gear.

 

So then we did some more canoeing Saturday and got into camp around 2:30.

 

Monday we canoed and arrived at camp about 12:30. After eating lunch we fished for dinner. We caught plenty of fish, but the two gentlemen that make an annual troop there were surprised at how small all the fish appeared to be this year.

 

We did the same thing on Tuesday, but it got colder in the afternoon.

 

Wednesday we layed over, but it was cold and an all day rain came. However, we did fish. This was one day that we could have used a small pair of dry gloves and a winter hat.

 

Thursday we canoed the Basswood Falls. Then travled to Canadian Point and arrived around 3:30. First evening the entire trip that we could actually see the sunset. After the sunset (just before nine o'clock) we heard a strange noise (it sound like mosquitoes, but a lot of them in one small area) turned out that they were actually mosquitoes.

 

Friday we started about 8:00 and arrived back in Ely about 12. Went shopping and then departed for IL about 2:00.

 

So suggestions for next time!!!

don't bring bug spray (they weren't too bad on the portages and we went to bed around 8:30 every night)

don't bring shampoo or soap

bring a small pair of gloves and a winter hat

even adults need their backpacks checked

 

If anyone has any comments or questions feel free to make a reply.

[kenk]

Sounds like you had a great time.

 

Regarding bug spray, my experience was about the same. We really didn't need it, BUT while canoing some backwater it would have been nice to have a head net to keep the biting flies off.

 

I have vivid memories of the mosquitos coming out in force at the very same time each night. My tent-mate and I were very careful to be in the tent before that time. Others in our party (not a Scouting trip) didn't watch the time well, so it was funny to watch their panic when the mosquitos would hit while they weren't ready.

 

Why wouldn't you bring soap? We brought biodegradable soap that was used for cleaning ourselves and cleaning cooking gear. In both cases we were careful to keep soap way away from the lake.

 

I went with a group consisting of myself, two couples and one other guy. The trip leader lived in St. Paul where we stayed the first night. He made sure we spread all our stuff out on the floor in preparation and so he could make sure we had what we needed and didn't have what we didn't need. It worked well.

 

Oddly, one of my favorite things about the trip was the "rest room facilities". I'd never experienced that before or since. Very strange - to me - but wonderful - to be sitting in the middle of God's splendor to my thing.

 

Hindsight on that trip included a few would-to-differentlies:

-should have brought benedryl since one of the guys got stung real bad and we had nothing to treat it. I can't imagine trying to haul out someone with a broken leg - or worse.

-some of the party members took a few more chances than they needed to while messing around climbing trees. Hind sight says that was pretty foolish and could have easily messed up the trip.

-should have made sure someone in another canoe had a copy of the trip map and plans. Foolishly, only the leader had a map and plans. Had he lost his map, we would have been in BIG trouble.

-while they weren't available back then, it would have been REAL nice to have had a GPS.

-with today's technology, I can see where bringing a personal locator beacon (described at http://www.equipped.com) would have been a good idea.

[Eagledad]

>>Why wouldn't you bring soap? We brought biodegradable soap that was used for cleaning ourselves and cleaning cooking gear. In both cases we were careful to keep soap way away from the lake.

[kenk]

My understanding is that soap, though biodegradable and diluted, is not good for critters in the water such as plankton, zooplankton, and the invertebrates that provide the base of the foodchain. Think about the last time you got soap in your eyes - it doesn't feel great on sensitive tissues. Imagine being a critter with gills getting soap dumped around you.

 

The idea is to dispose of soap at least a few hundred feet from the water so that it doesn't impact to much wildlife, and has time to degrade before any chance of it being washed down to the water.

[Eagledad]

Is this the same stuff the outfitters give out that says can be used from washing dishes to brushing teeth?

 

No I didn't, but it says you could.

 

Hmmm, learn something new everyday.

 

Barry

 

 

[LPC_Thumper]

Yes sir, what you are thinking about is EXACTLY what you DON'T want to use in the water. You also need to understand that soap will change the pH of water it has come in contact with. This is a type of pollution that will cause the damage described above. You really shouldn't be using soap in waterways EVER. It's not just because we are trying to be "hug a tree" types.