Travel Journals: First Canoe Trip of the Season

On the 16th of August, Paul, Ethan and I set out on our third canoe trip together. As we drove up the Gunflint Trail to the summer cabin of our friends, Nick and Diane Schommer, I noted that the wind was blowing strong through the forest. I commented to Paul that I hoped it would not be this windy on the water.

Nick, Diane, Christopher (their son), Natasha (their daughter), her husband Ladric, and their poodle sent us off with good wishes after taking photos. Our adventure began. In less than fifteen minutes, we had more adventure than we bargained for, and almost more than we could handle.

The winds had not abated in the slightest. When we got out in the middle of East Bearskin Lake, we were hit with the full force of powerful trailing winds that sent rolling swells after us. The swells lifted the stern, driving the bow deep into violent troughs and making it almost impossible for Paul, in the stern, to control. Each time the bow drove down, we took on an alarming amount of water. Quickly, we were in danger of swamping. At one point, the wind whipped us sideways to the swells, the worst possible position to be in. Paul and I paddled furiously, finally putting ourselves back on course but still not in much control. I shouted that we had to make for shore, which was frighteningly distant.

When we finally made it to shore, we were safe but not out of the woods. The wind was still furious, and there was no good place to land the canoe. Paul and I had to get out in hip deep water and bail. We finally continued, staying very close to the shoreline. We still couldn't gain much control, even though Paul, the stronger paddler, was in the bow and I, more experienced at steering, was in the stern.

We finally reached more protected water and arrived at our portage. I have never been so glad to get on solid ground and have never enjoyed carrying heavy gear through the forest on a portage as much as I did that day.

It was the most dangerous situation I had ever experienced in my Boundary Waters trips. Throughout the entire episode, the sky above was sunny and blue, deceptively peaceful.

With all the excitement packed into our first hour and a half, the rest of our trip was peaceful and rewarding. We spent four nights at two lovely campsites on Alder Lake. Ethan shouldered more responsibility than ever before, and did a good job. We gave him several opportunities to paddle, and he showed good form and determination. We swam, explored nearby lakes and Johnson Falls and told campfire stories. Each of caught at least one fish, with Paul catching the largest.

We paddled out in a steady rain, but with no wind.

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