I just got back today (slept on an island on North Bay on Basswood last night) but thought I'd add a quick note to this.  I decided not to bring a flamingo--mostly because I couldn't find one at Target.  But it was a good thing I didn't.  I was out for 13 nights on my solo trip and I saw almost nobody!  The Q was empty it seemed.  The route was up Agnes, Kawnipi, the poets chain, and back down the Kashipiwi chain.   My flamingo would have been just another thing to portage, and no one would have seen it.  Maybe it would work better in July?