.....really now, not all that dramatic....another title might be...."Why you never believe an Oct weather forecast"!

But I was prepared for the worst and made the best of it.  It was to be 6 day solo trip,  out on Northern Light lake and Sag....but I cut it to 5 days this morning when I awoke to 40 degrees, wet, wind and clouds.  My mood had soured and I decided to "bag it" and head for the car, 7 miles down on the Seagull river at Voyaguer Canoe Outfitters.  I rode a 15 mph NW wind in, and had some close calls with the whitecaps, but I made it from east side of Red Pine Isle to VCO in 2 hours solo today.

I'll say this....I paddled SE Sag (Red Sucker bay), the whole west 2/3'rds of N Light and up through Trafalger, and NE Sag.  LaVerendrye Provincial park is a "bargin"....just shy of $9.00/night Crown Land rate....and little development.  There may be an occasional boat/motor....I saw 1 in use in 4 days.  Crown Land Sag on the other hand is quite developed....even in the furthest reaches.  I'd say it beats one's typical "Basswood experience" hands down (IMO).

The "Northern Light portage", up in NE Sag, is a boat portage, I counted about 11 boats...all in their sleds on the beach (N Light side)....no empty sleds.  One crew was pulling their fishing boat across as I awaited my exit out onto Sag yesterday morning.  Old timer there told me of the last 40 years on N Light and all the changes he's seen (political and in the fishery).

Hidden gems...Wantelto lake (between Sag and SW N Light) is a gem...not for the scenery....but the fishing was fantastic.  Plus one gets to view N Light falls.  I've never marked so many fish and litteraly caught one on every cast (a fish tale)?

Ham Lake fire?  Well you can sure see it.  But not as bad as I thought it would be after 2 years.  MUCHO green growth, and the fire was quite "spotty" in many areas, leaving many clusters of prior vegetation (pics to follow).

Weather....Last Sat called for the upcoming week to have 40 degree lows, 50-60 highs, and sunny every day but Mon.  Guess what?  Rain every day but day 1.  Took most of my pics during the short sunny intervals between cloudbursts....so a false impression is given of fair weather...anything but IMO.

Bugs....No See-um's....nasty.  Got lots of welts from something.  Not a squeeter left.  No 4-legged critters seen.  Only loons and eagles.  I'm headed for the hot tub....pics to follow in the AM.

Looking forward to the pics.
Hate the no-see-ums, can't swat what you can't see >:(

I set out for thr Gunflint from Nevis, MN at 2PM Saturday.....arrived at 10 PM after some delay in Duluth.  Bunked it and had cakes in the AM....late tow out, and got dropped off at Sag falls at 10AM Sun morning.  I haven't paddled solo in 3 years on "big" water...the driver encouraged me to do an "open water drop"....I don't think he wanted to get wet with a shore landing.  It must have looked hillarious watching me lower my 250lb frame over the gunwale into that Prism....packs just tossed in willie-nillie....I immediately headed for a landing to rearrange things for 15 minutes.  It was slowly coming back to me.  "Oh yeah...this is time to do things right or die".  I felt really alone as he drove away.

Looking across Red Sucker bay on Sag was a little intimidating and I had fleeting thoughts of just sacking out here on this island for 5 days.  Mustered up some foolhearty courage and headed out into the wind....it rapidly came back to me...I went to the south shore to stay out of the easterly blowing at me.  In an hour I was well into Curran Bay on the Maligne and approaching the first of only THREE portages for the entire trip.  A double set of rapids with a small portage around.  Portage is on the south bank for future travelers.  This area and the S end of N Light were heavily burned 2 years ago (Ham lake fire)....it was a "patchy burn" and still some trees exist.  A blue-bird sky was welcoming (the last of the trip).


Development....all of Crown Land Sag was developed with cabins.  If you look at N Light on Google Earth...there are cabins on the two Eastern Bays (Trafalgar snd Southeast bay)......but most of the western 2/3rds of the lakeshore is LaVerendrye Provinvial park and I saw NO shoreland development for the rest of the N. Light portion.


Some quick-fix JPGS

the rapids between Sag and Wantelto lake...
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if you have Fischer map F-20....you will see the road coming into N Light from the North shore of Lake Superior...wraps around the S side of lake.....Google Earth now shows this road extended and it now crosses the Maligne just before the entrance to Wantelto.  I don't know what it serves up to the N?  I paddled the whole N channel (granted, I didn't see everything)....and saw not a cabin nor dock.  Perhaps for fire-fighting?  Research?  Logging?  Anyway....here's the road.....current under here was all I could manage to paddle up solo.  About tipped my barge.   (Addendum:  I just checked Google again...the road appears to be leading to logging tracts, just to the S of NE Sag?  What say you experts?)
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As soon as you paddle under the bridge and round the corner...you are treated to a view of Northern Light falls.
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I decided to bag it early for the day here at the falls and camped right above them.  Looks to have been a campsite in the past with a few tent pads and a fire ring.  Wantelto had so many fish, I had to turn my alarm "off" on the fishing buddy.  Within 20 minutes I had several pike, Walleye, and a 15 lb pike that took me 10 minutes to land.  All succombed to the Berkley Gulp "Alive" leeches, and the glow orange minnow...all on jigs.

Closeup of Northen Light falls....
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This is the far end of the portage (and that's the second portage of the whole trip!).....looking out onto the south arm of N. Light lake (portage is on the East bank)....I was trying to capture the "glimmer" of the sun on the water...but failed.....
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Tried experimenting with the tripod I drug along....it definatly increased the "visual sharpness" of the photo...but I discovered I hate all this gadgetry....the tripod became a bow anchor for the rest of the trip.....I just don't have the patience for this techno jumble.....here's my one and only tripod shot....looking back over the falls at burned-over Wantelto lake.....
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Anyway...that was enough for day one.  I fell twice and begin to wonder if my advancing age was imparing me.  Just befor beddy-bye...I sprained my ankle, which led to a yell heard for miles.  What was I doing out here?  The weather radio all of a sudden had done a 180....changed the forecast to gloom, doom, and wet, cold for the next 5 days....yippeee!

More later....

Sprained ankle, that will get you thinking ;D
Good news was as long as the Gulp held out, you wouldn't starve to death any time soon.

That's right Solo....I feel like the "Gulp God"!  Wonder if I could get any $$ out of Berkley.  "Five nights in the wild and survived on Gulp!"

Extras I brought along on this trip (as there were only three portages)
...tripod
...clothing
...canned good
...6-pack of Smirnoff Ice bottles
...VHF handheld
...3 books
...1 extra pack of white 4" Gulp minnows that I never got to...for a stab at the Lakers


Woke up to rain at 10 PM...rained through until 6 AM.  Not cold though and todays route would keep me out of the now NW wind until after lunch.


One of the more severe fire scars....
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As I paddled East I arrived at Moose bay...here are some island shots.....MUCHO islands here...a fishermans dream....
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As you leave the S arm and enter Moose bay....you pass by the "Painted Rocks"....a much bigger area than this pic....

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Turned up Trafalgar channel and planned on camping for the night just S of the big Trafalgar bay.  If weather was ok....plan was to trout fish it tomorrow....that never happened.



A Fish Camp I found and used....just N of Savage bay in Trafalgar channel....on an island.
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I went out at 3 and caught a smalll pike for supper.....tried a self-portrait....
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Caught him over there on that shore.....
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problem was....I was careless....and how it happened, I don't know....but one of the biggest disasters that could befall any trip.......
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So I spent the rest of the afternoon crying like a baby.  All I needed were the diapers.  Felt like the posterboy for "canoe tripping rejects" after that event.....  I was glad no one saw me do that to my new rod.  Well, there went my Laker fishing plans for the rest of the week.

Took a few pics around the island between downpours as the sun would reappear....

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And off to bed in the drizzle...wet all night...awoke to cold and grey....  At least my ankle was better if not my pride.  The physician in me just dreamed all night on that orthopedic injury.....not my ankle!....the fishing rod!  I just knew there would come a "cure".....















and then it came to me like a midnight embrace..........the "cure".....
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but would it work?..........Later....

I awoke and realized the dream and put into place the surgery that restore my Fenwick to useful service.  If the Mayo brothers could see me now!  The height of professional jealousy......again, note the two well intentioned....strategicaly placed wooden splints......
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So out I went and tried it....hooked the bottom instantly and snapped both wood splints.  FAILURE!   I was now relegated to 1st grade canoe fishing....sit still, stay by shore...('cause you have one hand tied up, holding the break together at all times)...so you can't use a paddle and you need to stay out of the wind.  Let go of your rod and it may break permanently!  So I sat 10 ft from camp....and low and behold I had all I could do to land this small pike...but get 'em I did and aate 'em I did!  It really was quite a scene...trying to jughgle the two pieces of my rod..........

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......so Laker fishing was now permanently removed from the docket.

Traveled up Trafalgar bay...I hung to the West shoreline like glue for the entire 2 miles north.  Just out of picture frame is some wild water with strong NW winds.

Trafalgar shoreline color......
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The N end of the bay......
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Well, I had made the North channel and would begin my SW jaunt back towards Sag.....Found another fish camp on an isle 2/3rds way down.....
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hidout from the rain but caught this bow...at least a double.....can you see a triple?......
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Sun came out at dusk and wind stopped until dark...then it started all over again.....Going down.........
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.....down......
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and down.........(my fav)......
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....dreamed of my hot-tub!

WHAT?!??  NO DUCKTAPE?!?!???

NO SUPERGLUE?!?!?  

What makes you think the Mayo Bros would like your surgical skills?

Superglue & ducktape are surgical staples.

Old Salt....it's as if you were there screaming at me!   I frantically ripped through my pack for my trusty tape............but Wally is known for last minute "pack-jobs".....like 10 minute pack-jobs!  List....I don't need no stinkin' list (just ask monjon).

Old Salt....you know as well as I do where that duct tape was!------>  It was monjon's fault....last I saw 3 years ago....he used some out of my pack and I bet the dirty b*#@! never put it back.  It's all his fault!

;D ;D ;D

Plan was out to Sag today and down to Red Pine Isle area....I was fearful of being wind bound at several points......Strong NW winds today....indeed I did see a few white-cap, roller-coaster rides.  Rain held off until the evening....only short glimpses of sun though.

Last look back at N Light.....up the north channel as seen from the N Light portage from Sagnaga......
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There was development down here....apparantly the Canadians do grant "boat craddling" permits......these were waiting to be used on the N. Light side, for any owner that'd care to venture the 20 rods over from Sag.  I fancied taking one and motoring off to the far SW end of N. Light....where the resort is....should I become wind-bound too long on Sag.....
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I met 3 fisherman coming across...they were building a craddle for their craft too, with a load of fresh lumber.  I learned that the hundred + private homes on Sag....(Canadian side...Crown Land)...all get access through the BWCA/Minnesota "Corridor" off the Gunflint and motor up the seagull river.  In fact my outfitter, stores their boats and puts them in and out for them.....that's why the BWCA "corridor" allows possesion of a very large motor in excess of 25 hp...it just can't be used until out of the "corridor".  So most of these homeowners use the Gunflint for access....Use their 25 hp to motor up the corridor....then drop the "big horse", to motor off into Crown Land bliss.  The boat landing is on the east side of the peninsula on the Seagull river.

So that is what the "corridor" means on my BW mapQ!....(this lesson was only for those who like me, didn't know).

Stunning rock-faced water-fall (I didn't have time to do it justice).....right near the portage in NE Sag....
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Does anybody know the name of this river or fall?  You can see it going down the rock on Google Earth....no name on my Fischer map.

After 3 hours of paddling I'm exhausted....mainly from the adrenaline rush as I crossed "wind bay"....said a couple of prayers.  Now too cold, I enter the channel on the east side of Red Pine isle....I'm taking ANY site...even a bad one....welll looky what I found......Set up within sight of the BW/USA on East shore of Red Pine Isle.....
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I don't know if a worse site could be found....even set my tent under a couple of widow-makers.....crawlled in my bag with some dry clothes and took an hour to feel my feet......yep....I was wet-footing it.

Later with the sun out.....other side of channel had no sites and was steep-walled.....
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....I'm not to exit for another day...but if I awake to rain.....then I'm paddling to the truck 7 miles to the S....if decent weather....will stay another day and head down to Sag falls for some pics and a gander, and a paddle up river a lake or two.....I was to be picked-up at the "Old Canadian Customs" at noon on Fri.
....I just know these widow-makers aren't blowing down.....tonight?

Fantastic pictures Wally! The 2x rainbow one is my favorite. You should send your pics of the splint job on your Fenwick to there customer service dept! You never know, they might feel sorry for you and offer to replace or fix it free?
I bet you NEVER leave home again without your duct tape and super glue ;)
I have super glue in my map case in a small plastic bottle and duct tape wrapped around my rod case because I have a list as well, but in the past, I still manage to go off without the ESSENTIALS for rod OR ankle repair ;D

"The End is Near" I thought as I listened to rain all night and on past 7AM.  Heading out I was.....(I didn't understand the addage of "rain at 7....clear by 11")!

Threw all the wet stuff in the bow....and paddled off towards the corridor.....And indeed the 15 mph steady NW were awaiting me....again about an half-hour of hair-raising whitecaps....I did switch the GPS over to "speed" and at one point I was holding over 5 mph...steady.... solo.

Burn area of the East Corridor for those who haven't been up since the burn....
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and at last the entrance to the Seagull river.....hot shower awaits...
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Maybe again in another 3 years.....?

After further review of your emergency orthopedic procedure, I think you should of made a complete break of the "bone", and inserted a wood dowel, whittled to size into each piece, assuming rod blank is hollow at break, THEN redo the splint?
Perhaps sacrifice 2 tent pegs for splint instead of the sticks. IF  that doesn't work, take a couple of Smirnoff's and self medicate until you feel better ;D

Thanks Solo....I had a blast!  Agree.....thinking Fenwick might provide a new one!  (or they might laugh!)  I usually toss in a couple of old junkers....don't care if they break.  I cringed as I grabbed my fenwick on the way out the door, the junkers were nowhere in sight....I was late, didn't pre-plan...and didn't know where my rodpack was without another 30 minute delay......

Story of my life...."be prepared!"

TENT PEGS!!!....now you're the one with the brains!  I only had 20 of 'em!...or only 6....yeah.....monjon must have swiped those too! ;D ;D ;D

Duct tape and aluminum tent pegs...I bet I could have hauled in a 20 lb Laker!

wally... [smiley=dankk2.gif] [smiley=thumbup.gif]

Wally,

I'm enjoying your story. Sorry about rubbing it in. It was just too funny. Reminded me of a few of the things I've forgotten. Any idea of how crowded this area gets in June-July?

Gee...Wally....a guy just likes to camp sometimes without worryin' about a busted bone and stuff.

The Beav

Thanks OS and Beav....

Summer...I have no idea?  But I bet the spring fishing is good....the oldtimer at the N portage told me that when he began tripping into N. Light 40 years ago..."there were no walleye".  Trips were strictly for trout and pike.  He tells me that for some time now it's been a phenomenal walleye lake as well.

Use....I'd gather there's some as I found two fish camps easily enough.  They looked like the kinds of places that maybe see use 1-2X during the year....portages at Wantelto and N Light falls were easily marked.....not heavily used, but clearly used.


Either way....a MN outfitter can tow you well past where I dropped off....they can indeed take you all the way to the NE portage.....or to the rapids at Wantelto.  You nearly start your trip in N Light from the start.

Outfitter's driver tells me that there is some winter use....you can snowmobile right up to the NE portage at Sag....(via the BW "corridor rule")...I didn't clearly understand if you can drive your sled accross into LaVerendrye, or if you had to snowshoe/pulk it from there.  Outfitter has a newspaper article of their winter Lake Trout trips....they snowmobile up corridor to Canadian border....and walk into the Q, 2 miles pulling their gear....to Cache bay....and day fish through the ice for Lakers.....pull back to the border and their sleds....and drive back home.   Even has pics of it on the wall.

Should you care to.....N Light can be reached by about 2 hours of dirt/backroads...you follow, after crossing the border, N of Grand Portage.  Seemed quicker to me to reach it by way of Gunflint.  Retrospectivly....it's a "wash".  The Gunflint has it's own drawbacks.

Inspirational! 8-)

Kevin !  I only have one roll of duct tape in my gear.  Must be that your packing still really happens the last night before you leave.

Nice report.  Really like the colors in  the Trafalgar Bay photos.

But glad I never broke any bones when you were taking care of me !  Monjon

Hi Johnny.

How's about a trip report from you!
I know you got lots of pics....but got none of my duct tape....eh?  Sorry for the acusation. ;)

Nice color.....since you brought it up....was in the Paul Bunyan last night.  Took my revolver up there to shoot.  Ended up never unholstering it....shot pictures instead....color was fantastic.

Give us a trip report monjon.  I know you'been up this year.