Since you all patiently waited, I figured a Youtube account and posted the moose video...enjoy

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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?"


A caution for all the "WallyWannabe"s in the world - please do not land on that island in the middle of the river for a lunch break or pit stop - finding that portage there is likely to ruin your trip - just do what Wally would do, and you'll be fine!

I did have to look that one up.  Went down the river in May 2000, so it was a long tome ago - but I didn't remember running any real rapids?  The portage on the island is marked on my Fisher map - it says 4 rods and has all of two red dots on the island (my notes said 10 rods) -  vague memories started coalescing, and I finally did remember stopping on the island - I don't think the landing was obvious, just take out on a flattish rock.  we went down the river from the lake to the Quetico river, and up that back to B-house.

Just thought I'd throw that info out there, as I suspect that you will go back to do that trip again, doing the section of river you missed this time.  The river below LLC was nice - good current and some rock dodging, but not too difficult.  only other portage I recall was around Ivy Falls.  At that time of year, there were a lot of sturgeon in the river - you'd float over a pod of 6 or 8 big fish every so often.

I've been enjoying your trip report too Wally, and looking forward to "the rest of the story".
If I have them, I often take both McKenzie and Fisher maps.  What one doesn't make clear the other version often does.  Sometimes just looking for a portage where you think one might/should be will reveal at least a path...probably made by someone like MagicPaddler who has no qualms about crashing through what looks to be the shortest route to the next lake, trail or not.

Next day I decided to run for the takeout.  I was nervous about Hay rapids  as I have very little info on it.   As I entered the S end of Little Eva lake, I noted the really shallow water here.  About 3/4ths of the way across to the portage at Hay...the water was only 1-2 ft deep.  My MacKenzie showed the "Hay Rapids Portage" starting between the 2 sets of small drops on the S side of the Isle of Little Eva lk.   NOTE to all readers...THERE IS NO PORTAGE HERE.  After checking with the Fisher's and Google Earth, I believe one can see the real portage around the Hay Complex starting S shore of Little Eva.  Anyway....I missed it.  I couldn't figure out why the portage makers would send me through this drop, then start the portage?  Wouldn't it make sense to start upstreamm from here???   DUH!!

Anyway, I portaged around this first drop behind Island, then went looking for a trail for 40 minutes...NAADDA!
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I gave up on finding the trail.  I said to self..."self, how hard could it be to go down the rest of rapids?"  I had no idea that in low water, it would be a series of 7 drops and numerous rock gardens.  I set of with trepidation as i could not see around the corner, I shot the next drop ok, not with style, but I did ok.  Certainly I would be able to do this.  As the river straightens out, I see rocks and drops for about 1/4 mile continuous.  I decide the next drop is doable on the fly.  Just don't hit that rock in the middle!  Dam, why am I going towards that rock?  Double (explitive), I'm going to hit that rock!  SMACK!  Instant roll of the boat, and I dive out into 3 ft water, canoe again rights itself with bags all inside.  Me, sitting on my but in a pool with water up to neck, holding onto my ride.  I sheepishly looked around, certain that other canoers somewhere had just wittnessed this mistake and were ROFL.  Paddled over to shore and again beached and dryed out.  After that, I decided to portage the next two drops by walking along the shore...rock-hopping.

It took an hour to do that and I was spent.  I could see several more drops ahead.  So I decided I would walk my craft along the shoreline and drag it over the rocks and drops, boat loaded.  No problem with a Royalex, but my kevlar did take a beating.  By that time, I didn't care.  Using this method, it only took aboput 30 minutes to negotiate the next 4 drops.  Ankle to waist deep water.  Along the way, I spot another 2 cow moose together crossing, just about 50 yds in front of me.  camera was not handy!

Some pics of the Hay rapids "complex" as I called it.  In low water as you can see, it is a rock garden.  In high water as i stated earlier, I watched a video of a motorboat negotitating upstream.  Either way, TAKE THE PORTAGE!  You will then miss it all and stay dry.
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