Had a rough night on the rocky beach.  Started to make urine about 2AM....4 trips out by noon....which is when i decided i should arise.  Here's the view of 3-mile lake on the Namakan just 1 mile N of Ivy and myrtle falls.  Was able to grab a couple pics before I crashed.

looking across to Quetico into the entrance to Wolsely river
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and looking up river N towards Bear isle.
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next couple of days were a blast.  I decided that I should travel onward and no longer decided to backtrack to Myrtle and Ivy falls.  Left camp about 1PM into a gorgeous sky and breeze was rapidly dying down to nadda.  These colors reminded me why I wanted to come up this river in the first place!
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No sooner than my adrenaline died down...I approached the sweeping corner in the river where the mighty Namakan swings to the left...WEST.  My map showed a island almost blocking the river with small water passage on the N side.  Again, I failed to think, until i heard the sound of rushing water.  Where the hell was my life jacket?  I raced to throw it on as I was going to go over the 1-2 foot drop.  So this was squaw rapids....up close and personal style!  I think I said a few 4-letter utterances.  I remember a sick feeling as i went over, and my craft immediately swung broadside to the current?  Why?  I watched as my starboard gunwale entered the water...then water coming in....Another LOUD 4-letter scream.  Threw my body to port and she snapped back with about 50 galls of water inside.  Current then took me out of the rapid backwards like a whipped puppy.

I paddled to shore and drained.  Again shaken at how fast that came upon me, and I was not ready nor thinking.  Over the next two days I replayed it in my mind.  I had done what all novices do....I got scared and quit paddling.  The current had free-run of my craft.  I decided that the next rapids I was in would not be a suprise, and the water would be shallower....more recoverable from a mishap.  A dump here would have been disasterous had I lost my gear and food....or my boat!

Too shaken to take any pics.

As I set up my camp....I gazed back downriver and quickly ran to my video recorder.  captured a nice cow Moose swimming across into the Quetico.  Will try and post a YouTube vid link in the next day or two...have to figure that out yet.

My casket tent, a cheapo Kelty Crestone1.
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Even gave a try at some sunset and moon captures
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Well, later dudes and dudettes!

Great story Wally.  I'm glad you're not dead!
-tom

Wow!  Great report so far, and I can hardly wait for more!  As you know, the Namakan was my first trip, and that river holds many fond memories for me.  (We had a better experience in Squaw Rapids, however.)   

Your photos are so much better than anything I got with my little Kodak instamatic in 1971.  Sigh.