Phoenix wrote on Nov 4^th, 2011 at 10:55am:

db: Can you recall how far from mainland that island was? How long did it take you to paddle over to the mainland that morning?

On islands in general:
X8 Batch. We stopped there for lunch once and we were all disheartened by the garbage strewn about. We picked it up and before we left I did one last pass to be sure no one forgot anything. Written in stones by the fireplace was the word "BEAR" in all caps.

1NZ Rawn. Ummm that's actually marked wrong and there are two campsites on that island. Anyway, found a shredded green pack and a mess of FD wrappers strolling that island one day. Years later I shouted a bear out of my nearby camp only to hear shouting from the island a few hours later.

Pickerel. One evening I spotted a bear swimming from the mainland above Wetasi (34H). You'd think he'd take the shortest route but noooo. He was headed for 1ES, which I don't believe is a campsite either but it's close to a nice one you couldn't miss. It was dusk and I lost sight of him in the island's dark reflection. It was time to head back to camp anyway.

Pickerel. Lookout or the one to the east I've seen ripped up rotten logs and dug up anthills that surprised me. Saw a frog in the middle of nowhere on Pickerel one day too FWIW.

To answer your question though, my buddy found me on Sturgeon near ZL. Those campsites don't look right to me either. I think there is another campsite to the west but (with a brass "in memory of" plaque) I was only there for the one night so....

I was a bit shaken plus I had a gas bottle with holes in it but I'm 99% sure I headed west to the mainland. I've paddled between the island and mainland to the north and it was a lot farther than that. Seems dumb looking at the map now but I'm almost certain I paddled west and not north. It was a ways. I repacked stuff and looked for baseball size rocks ... stuffed small branches in the holes ... duct tape was still useless all before I greeted him at his takeout. ;)

I ended up repacking at a site in Diversity Bay. I originally planned a day to explore that area but I ended up on Twin that night. He wouldn't leave me alone so a felt a little more distance was called for. It kind-of felt personal after a while.

FWIW - the first rock I threw at him was larger than a softball and as it rolled up to him he jumped up a tree to avoid it.

YMMAV.