Our adventure started on Wednesday, June 1, 2005 as usual in Boulder with the loading of the Suburban. There is never any extra room.
Jeff is in the jump seat and can hardly wait to get started.
Don is filling the remaining little crevices.
Hidayat has just seen the lunch and can hardly wait until our lunch stop in Wyoming.
Lunch stop 30 miles north of Douglas, Wyoming. Normally windy.
We always have a cooler full of food for eating along the way.
We spent the night in Plentywood, Montana.
Next morning we crossed the border and encountered a steady, heavy rain all the way to LaRonge. After visiting Robertson's Trading Company, the truck had difficulty starting and barely got us to the Subway for dinner. This was a very disturbing development. It had the potential of really screwing up our getting to the landing and possibly creating problems getting back to civilization if we were luck enough to get to the landing. The Subway owner recommended a mechanic at the north end of town and even called the man to let him know we were coming since it was close to closing time.
The garage was definitely "old school", dirt floor with tool and parts strewn every where, after a short wait for the mechanic to finish the car he was working on; he asked me what our symptoms were. I explained the long wet drive during the day and how the truck suddenly was hard to start and "missing" as we drove in town. He hooked up his analyzer computer and ran some test. I was very concerned about what problems he might find. I had not run across this auto shop before and wondered how competent or honest he might be.
To my surprise, he found nothing wrong and advised us that the problem was caused by the extended wet driving conditions and he was certain that we would have no problem getting up north and back. Once the engine got warmed up and driven some miles, it would get dry enough to be OK. He would not take any money for his service and I later felt bad that I had not forced some money on him because he proved to be totally correct. Our emotional roller coaster ride had suddenly left the lowest of lows and we were now riding high! We drove to Brabant without any problems and stayed in cabin #5.
We left Brabant at 6:50 AM and arrived at the Wathaman at 8:35AM The Wathaman River was flowing quite high as the result of the unusually heavy winter snows. After driving the 4 wheel road, portaging our gear, retrieving and loading the boats, we got underway for the island at 4:30 PM. Wind slowed our progress and we arrived at the island at 9:45 PM instead of the expected 8 PM.
Jeff looks dazed at all the work of opening the cabin. The gear we brought with us needs to be moved into the cabin as well as retrieving all the gear from the many hiding spots. The toilet stool was installed and drinking water filtered for use until the water system is installed and running.
Jeff and Hidayat rest as we continue to retrieve gear and arrange the cabin so we can accomplish essentials, like prepare meals.
Opening the new storage built last summer; we were shocked to find it flooded with 12 inches of water and ice. The loose gear stored on top was OK as was the water heater but the generator and refrigerator looked hopeless.
Don was feeling sad at the prospects of a summer with no electricity for his tools and no refrigeration for all our perishable food supplies.
This is our mess the noon after our arrival the day before.
Essential items get organized first.
We smelled something bad over by the entrance but couldn’t find anything until we moved the white roll of plastic sheeting. This squirrel was at the bottom of the tube. How it got in the cabin and why he fell into the tube remain a mystery.
The squirrel died before he could chew his way out.
By the afternoon of day 5 it was time for a sun and music break on the front deck. Most of the cabin setup work was accomplished. The water system had been hooked up and because of the deep water a temporary anchor was used with the water line via boat. We checked the pump oil that was OK and the pump started on the second pull. It took four priming attempts to get the pump operating. The solar panel roof mount had been torn off the roof by heavy snow, requiring us to patch the roof and build an “off roof” swivel post mount for the solar panel. Our kitchen was organized, firewood cut, pier and boat ramps set and the remaining gear moved from the beach to the cabin.
Jeff is working on our limited supply of pop.
On day 7 Jeff is peeling logs for a chair.
Progress on the Adirondack chair in our living room workshop.
By day 8, the refrigerator could be extracted from the ice and moved into the living room for an attempt to get it working. Initially the gas was not flowing to the pilot light and Don was about to give up. Further examination revealed that the gas was getting to and from the main controls but not through the final 12 inches of pipe to the pilot. Don discovered a metering connection that was plugged. By sharpening a straw from the broom, Don was able to clean the very small orifice and get the refrigerator operating normally. This was going to make for a much better summer.
Hidayat models how he might look in a Mohawk hair cut and decides to go for it.
Opening our lower cache, we found the nesting duck had been eaten by some unidentified carnivore. The eggs were left undisturbed. Nature is harsh.
Several days later, Jeff was "attacked" by a Merganser duck that had a nest in the permafrost cooler shed. Jeff retreated to the cabin where he and Hidayat donned fighting attire, including shields and swords to then confront the duck who was only protecting her nest that she had made in the shelter of the shed. No one was hurt, peace was made and both man and duck shared the cooler shed for a while.
Sunset on day 10 at 10 PM.
A decision was made to try and use hand tools to accomplish the major project of the summer, installing log paneling on the inside walls of the living area. The rough cut log slabs had been cut the prior year and are here laid out in the sun for Clorox spraying to remove the dark colored mold so common to black spruce.
New rotating solar panel mount. The solar bracket constructed on the roof last year was torn off the roof during the winter, apparently by the heavy snow and ice. This required us to patch the roof and come up with a better solution. This free standing post has proven to be very durable besides it is much easier to install and uninstall the panels.
The pole is set over a pin in another post at ground level and captured at deck level with half logs and a dowel. This allows the post to be manually swiveled during the day so the solar panel will face the sun as it crosses the sky.
Jeff and Hidayat demonstrate how they adjust the solar panel throughout the day, assuring we have a fully charged battery to recharge their I-Pods, an essential operation!!
Don illustrates how the tiller attached to the post is used to adjust the solar panel.
Jeff sprays the logs several times throughout the day. Bright sun speeds up the bleaching process.
June 15, day 13, shows the paneling job in process. Jeff took care of finding the correct slabs, cutting them to rough length and sanding them prior to installation.
Hidayat had the big muscle job of cutting straight, parallel edges on the rough slabs. Jeff would insure that each group of logs had a combined width that would fit in the planned wall space.
Hidayat made a lot of shavings for the stove.
Fish was a major part of our diet. Hidayat and Jeff prepared suppers. Don did breakfast and lunch was “catch as catch can”.
Hidayat and Jeff would often paddle Don into Northern Bay, looking for a moose. We never saw one, only a lone beaver.
Jeff and Don on their way to Northern Bay. We never had a set agenda; we do what fits the weather and the mood of the moment.
On June 17, day 15, Don ran into the lure holder and accidentally got snagged by a hook on one of the lures. The hook was cut and pulled through the skin and it healed quickly.
Hidayat catches supper at the Honey Hole.
Hidayat can hardly wait for Jeff to serve him supper.
Don is preparing the special fish sauce of horseradish and catsup. He seems a little unsure of himself.
Jeff, what are you doing with mustard??
Corn bread is on the way.
Hidayat is our principal baker.
Jeff specializes doing the evening dishes.
Hidayat and Jeff relax after supper.
Don and Jeff have one of their many cribbage games.
Jeff is trying to cut his desired card.
Don seems apprehensive about the outcome.
Don and Jeff are both optimistic about the outcome.
On day 19, Don is installing the log panels. Making the panels fit around the horizontal structural logs was the slow part of Don’s job.
Jeff flexes his muscles as we near the end of our project.
Hidayat shows us what a good Marine looks like.
Hidayat burns an ugly piece of scrap panel so he won’t have to deal with the tough knots on the edges.
We had major rain the night of June 22. Hidayat is bailing the water out of the big boat, a frequent task all summer long. Note how the battery and gas cans have been left off the floor and on top of the seats so a big rain like this will not flood them. If either the battery or gas can get submerged, it will usually ruin either and both have happened before, so be careful and always move them onto a seat or out of the boat!
Jeff prepares to retrieve fish from the fish box for supper.
That night, Jeff and Don enjoy a warm fire after supper.
On June 24 Jeff came up with a great idea to solve our lingering problem of mosquitoes in the cabin. Here Don cuts pieces of tarpaper to be stapled under the floor between the floor joists. If the mosquitoes are in fact getting into the cabin through cracks in the floor, this fix should stop it.
Hidayat and Jeff take on the dirty task of installing the tarpaper under the cabin floor.
This is the pile of rocks under the cabin that supports the hearth. Alistair had carried most of these rocks up to the cabin site on his first trip to Canada in 1997.
2 3/8 inches of rain last night.
Hidayat and Jeff stand proud, as they have finished the dirty stapling task under the cabin. The fix worked!!! Partially.
Hidayat is near tears as he prepares onions for supper. Note his emerging Mohawk.
Hidayat and Jeff are happy with the choice of chili for supper.
Hidayat’s daily pile of shavings grows as we near the end of the project.
As Don finishes off the upper row of panels on June 26, only the center row is left to finish.
By noon on June 28, the job was finished with two coats of varnish.
Swinging to the right a bit shows more of the finished product.
Different perspective of the same windows.
Further right toward the cabin entrance.
Stone wall and drying rack that Jim made.
Stovepipe and stone wall.
Stovepipe, stonewall and log paneling.
Stonewall, ladder to loft on left and top of firewood rack.
Immediately above prior picture.
Refrigerator with LP gas power source.
The kitchen finally got organized.
Above the prior picture. The loft tends to get a bit disorganized.
One of the few times this summer that the counter top was visible.
Ceiling above entrance area.
The game board gets a lot of use, here with cribbage.
Jeff had a hard time figuring out how Grandpa could pull out his next card to be played before Jeff played his card.
Hidayat got lucky and beat Grandpa two times.
The chair was hard to complete without power tools to carve the seat. It will get done next year.
Jeff got a lot of practice running the motor and driving us to the fishing hole.
Most years, this channel is dry. The high water had an adverse affect on the fishing.
Don lost the end of his pole. We made a big effort to retrieve it, with Hidayat diving down to try and get it off the snag on the bottom, but to no avail. So, after many attempts to claim his pole, the rapids finally won.
We cut a new bunch of saplings for the deck railings. The boys skinned them and here they lay out to dry in preparation for bleaching.
The wall thermometer shows we were having a warm day.
Occasionally Don would take a short afternoon nap.
Hidayat’s sleeping quarters in the mud room tended to stay in a perpetual state of disarray.
Hidayat’s cot still required a mosquito net since that problem has yet to be totally solved.
Jeff seems happy to be home in the US again.
Hidayat is showing his standard Marine stare back in Colorado. What is not shown here was the terrific Video that Hidayat and Jeff produced on the island, their version of “Lord of the Rings”. You cannot view this production without getting a clear idea of how much fun they had on “Dancing Loon Island”.
It isn’t clear how 4 candles on Don’s birthday cake represent his 72nd birthday, celebrated during the return trip to Colorado in the middle of the Canada summer. Somehow you need to know that each one represents 18 years. There were no photos of Don and Betty's trip to Canada but a little narrative follows:
July 16 Betty and Don drive to Sidney, stay at Richland Inn, rain there.
July 17 Drove to Brabant, they didn’t have my reservation. Had gased in LaRonge, rained all the way to Brabant. Road very bad for 20 miles north of blacktop.
July 18 Left Brabant at 6:50 and arrived at landing at 8:46. There was a light rain. Started portage at 9:10. Retrieved canoe, 10HP motor, gas can and battery from hiding. Rain stopped. Retrieved 16’& 14’ boats plus spare motor from 2-mile island. A lot of water in the boats indicated that there had been much rain while I was gone. Started actual portage at 10:20 but we didn’t get away from the landing in our boats until 4:20PM. We had a lot of gear and we are not very good at portaging anymore. A light rain started again for most of the trip to the island. Betty was under a tarp in the boat but managed to get quite wet and cold, but she did not tell Don. Stopped by IceIsland to remove accumulated grass from the propeller. Arrive at island at 8:30PM, where we unloaded the boats and carried essential gear to the cabin. We were very tired but slept very good.
Scott Bunker and Pat Doyle took this picture of Wyoming buffalo on their trip north on July 21.
Wyoming oil pumps were of interest to Scott and Pat as they drove north.
The flat expanses of southern Saskatchewan, stretching to the horizon are a fascinating subject for Colorado natives.
Scott stands hip deep in rape seed, where narry a weed can grow. Some Canadians are trying to sanitize what they call rape seed by calling it Canola, which makes as much sense as calling corn “ethanol”.
You see a few buffalo traveling across Saskatchewan, but more curious are the light blue hutches seen in the far yonder alfalfa field. They provide shade for cut leaf bees used to better pollinate the seed alfalfa. The bees need shade to survive their trips across the fields.
As a commercial pilot, Pat was very interested in checking out any airplane encountered along the way. This float plane was found at the LaRonge water port where several air cargo outfits are located.
These workhorses are used to carry sportsmen to and from the many lodges in the wilderness north of LaRonge. They also supply the many exploration and mining operations that only exist with the aid of aircraft.
They come in all sizes and in the winter trade skies for pontoons.
Pat’s 1988 pristine Toyota 4-runner is parked in front of cabin #5 (on the left) at Brabant, a frequent night-stop both going to and from the island. The landing for Spalding Lake is about 70 miles north of here. An early morning departure from here allows time to drive north to the bridge crossing the Wathaman River, change into portage clothing, drive the 4-wheel road (1/2 mile) to the landing parking, portage 100 yards to the landing and cross the lake to Dancing Loon Island all in one day.
Pat’s truck parked at the landing parking, as close to the landing as you can get at the end of the 4-wheel trail from the main gravel road. When Don arrived at the landing this morning to pickup Pat and Scott, he found the two men in the process of being devoured with mosquitoes, since Don was providing the mosquito head nets.
Scott waves from the bridge at the start of the portage trail. He is facing where the trucks are being unloaded.
Scott watches Don adjust the canoe tow-rope as we leave the landing on our way to Dancing Loon Island. Only a light rain gives a meager hint of the terrible weather we will encounter on this trip.
On this trip we towed only a canoe since the load was so light and did not require the added capacity of the 14’ Lund we frequently use.
This is a self-portrait of Pat as we head out into a rapidly increasing rainstorm on the way to Dancing Loon Island.
This shows the typical view of the first 17 miles of the trip to Dancing Loon Island. It is part river, then part lake, then part river, etc. By the time we reached the “Big Water” at mile 17, the wind and rain had increased to a ferocious level, making it the most dangerous trip of all times. We managed to find a sunken reef along the south shore in an aborted attempt to get to calmer water. Only by moving at a snails pace did we survive the huge waves and the surprise encounter with the sunken reef. We stopped for an hour at the Indian fish camp for a respite from the storm and with hopes that it might dissipate, but to no avail. We resumed the last four miles of travel with no letup in the storm and reached the island several hours later, very happy to be alive. The pocket in my raincoat contained a pint of water. That storm dumped 2.5 inches of rain on the island in 1 ½ days and to the west of the gravel road it dumped nine inches of water that flooded out the road and created a summer long high water level for my lake.
After a rainy day in the cabin, Scott and Pat got out for a paddle in the canoe.
Scott and Pat are off to circumnavigate the island and explore Northern Bay.
The cabin from the south side of the island.
Pat takes a self portrait at Northern Bay.
Typical rocky shore in Northern Bay, but it could have been anywhere in the Canadian Northern Shield.
It looks like a person stranded on a rock.
It is just Scott out for a short walk.
Here Scott is trying to paddle up the Campbell River. Good Luck! This is about as far as prudence dictates you go.
I do think this is a poised photo; the rear of the canoe is in calm water.
Scott is shown at the “honey hole” above Wilson Rapids where we catch most of our walleye.
At the entrance to the Campbell River there is this recently placed plaque to honor a Canadian Airman, killed in the Second World War. A resident of LaRonge has written a book about the 4000 plus Canadians killed in the WWII and how Saskatchewan renamed many geological features, especially lakes, rivers and bays after the fallen warriors. The author also provides a service of installing plaques for the families willing to pay the expense of such a plaque and its installation. Later this summer, the plaque will be submerged 18 inches by rising water.
Don handles a typical Walleye at the “honey hole”.
Clearing skies and calm water arrive at the lake, looking NE from near Crocodile Rock, about 2 miles west of Dancing Loon Island.
Looking SW from Crocodile Rock a moment later than the prior photo. Betty is comfortable in her molded chair and with the calm lake water.
Pat seems pleased with his first Northern Pike caught on the north shore NW of the island.
Front view of the cabin. Note the missing front railings.
Front of cabin. Note log slabs on ground getting the Clorox beach treatment in preparation for becoming vertical siding.
Southeast side of cabin. Note solar panel post at right edge of deck in center of photo.
Front deck looking NNW. Note absence of front deck railings. North is 30 degrees right of the front (left in this photo) edge of the deck.
Looking NW from the deck. Note the frequent use of the railings (both permanent and temporary) as hanging spots for rugs (as seen here) or clothing.
Pat climbs up the ladder to the Crow’s Nest, a favorite haunt for him. Being a commercial pilot, he must enjoy the sensation of being up in the air.
Pat nears the top of the ladder. And will end up accessing the platform through the triangular opening created by the platform floor joist.
Pat makes it to the platform. The platform support joist and the ladder are held together with lots of plastic hay bailing twine using standard Boy Scout lashings. This allows the structure to have a greater flexibility and to “wobble” in the wind rather than be torn apart by the motion. Even so, the lashings require maintenance every other year or so, normally performed by Jay (Thank you!).
Scott takes picture from this favorite photo shoot location.
Looking to the SW from the Crow’s Nest. This shows about 4 miles of the “big water” on the route back to the landing.
Looking SWS from the Crow’s Nest toward the entrance to Northern Bay. The point of land is referred to as “Salt Lick Point”. The channel into Northern Bay contains a large shallow reef (death to any outboard motor) right in the middle of the channel, so one must traverse the channel well to the right side, a few feet out board of the reeds.
The Crow’s Nest platform is probably 20 feet high and the rather skinny nature of the supporting trees provide a lot of swaying in a wind.
Scott in an imprudent pose.
The Crow’s Nest platform is probably 20 feet high and the rather skinny nature of the supporting trees provide a lot of swaying in a wind.
The Crow’s Nest is amazingly difficult to see, especially from the water surrounding the island.
This view shows the “back-side” of Dancing Loon Island as seem from the mainland along the popular Esker Lake Trail. The low point on the right is a favorite Northern Pike fishing sites, the island left of that is called North IslandIndian Island is to the left of North Island, with Dancing Loon Island appearing behind Indian Island. because it is directly north of the cabin.
A twilight view to the SW from the Crow’s Nest, looking back across the “Big Water” toward the route back to the landing.
Sunset looking north from the Crow’s Nest.
Another SW view from the Crow’s Nest, similar to photo # 147.
Looking north from the Crow’s Nest with a hint of a rainbow segment.
Sunset NNW from the Crow’s Nest.
More rainbow to the north from the Crow’s Rest.
Aurora (Northern Lights) from the island.
More Aurora. The prior photo has morphed into this new shape in perhaps 10 seconds. This changing configuration of Aurora shapes makes the Auroras seem to “dance” and be “alive”.
Pat just seems attracted to the Crow’s Nest.
Pat spent many hours, especially at sunset, taking in the changing scenery from the Crow’s Nest.
Scott and Betty in the cabin. Note the chop saw to the right of Betty. On the opening of the cabin this summer, the generator was found to be flooded with 12” of water and obviously not working. Don and the boys lugged the generator back to Boulder and Don cleaned up the motor, removing the water, changing the oil and getting it running again. He took it to Denver to get a new (used) bell-housing (with a good bearing) installed and the generator was back to operating perfectly, especially with the electric start option added the year before by Don. Unfortunately, after all this repair effort and the work of Scott and Pat to portage the generator (Don and Betty had left the generator in the truck on their portage trip in, knowing that Scott and Pat would be better able to portage the beast a week later), upon starting the generator to run the chop saw, it “threw a rod” prior to the first saw cut was completed. The work of getting the chop saw and the generator portaged was all for naught. The work intended for the chop saw was deferred to the following year.
Don, Betty and Scott in the cabin. It must be cool, judging from the clothing being worn and fire in the stove.
Scott carries the boat tool box to the beach in preparation to going fishing.
Scott is working on a beard and anticipating the upcoming fishing excursion. Note Jim’s old straw fishing hat.
Don, Betty and Pat ready to leave on a fishing session.
Don prepares to illustrate his famous “Moose Blessing” utilizing the collection of moose bones stored on the beach tripod.
Don gets carried away with demonstrating the Moose Blessing, which has proven not only effective for assuring successful moose hunts for the local Indians, but it also assures good fishing for anyone using the “blessed boat”. The bone shaking is accompanied with mystical Indian chanting that seldom fails to get results. (Like, there is no doubt, he really is the Crazy Man at End of Lake).
The violent shaking has dislodged a leg bone and has temporarily stunned the boys in a trance which can be broken only by replacing the disturbed bone to its normal location close to its related bones.
Pat gets the boat underway, finding it not as challenging as the Airbus-A130 Jet he normally pilots.
Scott waves “good bye”… does he doubt Pats ability to get him back to the island??
Pat and Scott off on a morning adventure.
Scott is leading the way though the woods up to the top of Bettinger Hill for a good high altitude view of the lake.
Looking East, a sliver of the Campbell River shows on the left and Dancing Loon Island is on the horizon at the end of the lake. The point in the center on the opposite side of the lake is Crocodile Point (named for Crocodile Rock).
Pat is in the foreground of the same view as in the prior photo.
Same view as prior two photos but showing a bit more of the Campbell River.
A telephoto shot of the views.
Scott in the calm serpentine waters of Campbell River.
Clouds reflecting off the Campbell River about ¼ mile upstream from the lake.
Pat with a lunker Walleye.
Pat now knows for sure why the cabin is in this remote location.
Scott and Pat show a stinger of Walleye that are destined to go back to the USA as fillets.
Leaving the “Honey Hole” with an interesting cloud formation overhead.
Don and Betty at the beginning of the 18 minute trip from the “Honey Hole” above Wilson Rapids to Dancing Loon Island.
Don and Betty still on the way to the cabin. Betty look bundled up so it must be a bit chilly.
Telephoto view of Betty and Scott in the canoe as seen by Pat from the Crow’s Nest.
Normal view of Betty and Scott in the canoe as in the prior photo.
Sunset from the Crow’s Nest.
Crow’s Nest as seen from the water. Hard to see isn’t it!
Betty is on a twilight paddle around the island.
Sunset with the “Notch” as Betty paddles around the island. On August 1, the sun will be centered in the “Notch” at sunset as seen from the island. I have no idea what created the notch, but it is natural, not man-made.
More sunset with the “Notch”.
High water is flooding the beach.
Scott, Don and Betty as they prepare to leave the beach area to go fishing.
Scott and Pat show more Walleye destined for the table.
Betty and Don enjoy posing with the Walleye catch.
Trail leading from behind the cabin up the hill to the water tank.
Near the top of the island the trail leads to the water tank. Note the white PVC pipe that feeds water pumped to the tank and then back by gravity to the cabin. Beyond the water tank on the trail is the Crow’s Nest and finally the top of the island.
Looking back down the trail from the water tank. Jim and family run this trail from the cabin up to the water tank and back down to the bear trap for exercise every morning. It is a ¼ mile round trip and rather difficult running, considering the incline and the rough trail.
Cabin front… note missing front railings.
Scott seems thrilled with this monster Northern.
It is possible to catch even smaller Northerns on this size of Dare Devil bait. Those little guys will attack bait not much smaller than themselves.
Sunset from the Crow’s Nest.
Rear of cabin with temporary awning. This awning has now been made semi-permanent by attaching it at the cabin side with a long straight sapling and then draped over a log frame at the outer edge of the deck. It is lowered at the end of each season.
Leaving the island to take Betty, Scott and Pat back to the landing for the start of their trip back to Colorado had to be delayed a bit to allow the fog to lift from the lake. An eerie rainbow was created when looking to the west. A fog “shadow” caused by the low rising sun casting its shadow on the fog could also be seen to the west.
The water was mirror smooth this morning and it was obvious that it was going to be a trip in total contrast to the violent rough water trip to the island 8 days earlier.
This view of the western horizon had been totally obscured by fog a few minutes earlier.
Fog is much preferred to deal with than rough water, it might delay you but it won’t capsize your boat.
We determined that we could make better time by having someone run the 10 HP backup motor in the trailing 14 Lund. We sometimes do this when the water is calm and a qualified operator like Pat is available for the chore. The operator in the rear boat must be quite attentive and keep the his boat in the lead boat’s wake and be aware of the lead boat stopping or swerving for whatever reason.
The fog is totally gone, now it is hopefully an uneventful 3 hour ride to the landing.
The fog is totally gone, now it is hopefully an uneventful 3 hour ride to the landing.
Scott smiles for a self portrait.
Eagle Island on the right. The small island on the left is where we camped most of the summer of 1991 while exploring the lake. The high ridge line takes about ½ day to hike to and back, as Dewayne Niebur and I did in 1991 and gives you a very good idea of how impossible it would be to hike out of this place.
The big water, with Ice Island on the horizon left of center about three miles away.
What a pleasure to cross the big water when the lake is mirror smooth. Betty is pretty well bundled up, so it was a bit nippy for the morning trip.
We are about to enter the 7-mile (from the landing) channel. This is the exact spot on the lake that I found Tom and Mary canoeing last year and then towed them back to the island, about 19 miles. After Betty, Scott and Pat left the landing area, Don awaited the arrival of Alistair and his friend.
Betty, Scott and Pat encountered this flooded road on the way south to LaRonge. The rain that made Scott and Pat’s trip to the island so bad the week before was responsible for washing out many culverts and flooded the road in two spots. They were in a small group of vehicles that were the first to travel though the just re-opened road. Notice that there were no posts to indicate exactly where the road was located so it made for a nervous transit.
And just when they thought they had finished their fording, they encountered a second flooded spot in the road, a 1/2 mile further south.
The second flooded spot was not as deep as the first.
It did help to have other vehicles in front and behind you. If the guy in front can make it through, you probably can too.
Meanwhile, Don is sitting next to the road at the turnoff to the four wheel track, waiting for Alister to arrive, unaware that the road has been closed for a week and that Alister, having encountered the blocked road at Brabant, the day before, had returned to LaRonge, trying to figure out his next move. He had been told the road would be closed for another week and was ready to return to California. He called Don’s phone in Boulder and Sakeenha referred him to Steve in California who then took on the role of message coordinator. Don finally sensed something was wrong since there was absolutely no traffic driving by his spot. He walked back down the 4 wheel road to the landing to retrieve his satellite phone that was left in the boat. After unsuccessfully connecting to a satellite, he drove south on the road to try the phone again at a higher elevation. He encountered a parked road grader. The operator told Don of the closed road, how they had been flying supplies north to people stranded at camps like Davin Lake and showed him digital photos of the flooded road. He did not know if they had re-opened the road. Don went south to see if he could catch up with Betty, Scott and Pat and then decide what to do.
Betty, Scott and Pat got through the flooded roads OK and had a normal trip back to Colorado, driving straight through. Don meanwhile got a shaky satellite connection, called home and discovered that Alister had called and that Steve was acting as coordinator. Steve told Don that he had suggested to Alister to wait in LaRonge a day or two for me to discover the flooding problem and to check at the Robinson Trading Company for a message from Don. Don eventually got to talk directly with Alister and agreed to pick him and his friend Wes up in LaRonge.
Meanwhile, Betty, Scott and Pat were enjoying good weather and pretty sunsets on the drive home.
A wrong turn took Betty, Scott and Pat on a short detour that ended up going by the Devils Tower of “Close Encounter” movie fame.
Telephoto of Devil’s Tower. Looks like a tough climb.
Pat’s nice clean truck encountered a few bug along with the mud on the way home.
A couple days earlier, Alistair and Wes were driving their very low slung auto north of LaRonge on the way to Brabant to spend the night, then drive the next day to the Wathaman River and hookup with Don and then be boated to the island.
Along the way they encountered several spots where the road had been dammed on one side to keep water off the road.
This whirlpool developed at a culvert under the road. When they reached Brabant, they were told that the road north from there had been closed due to flooding for over a week and that it might be a week before it would be opened.
They drove back to LaRonge, refueled at the Shell station and found a place to tent that night. The next morning they called Don’s home phone in Boulder and then talked with Steve in California who suggested they wait a day or so for us to connect by phone and figure out a plan.
While waiting to get connected with Don by phone, Alistair and Wes toured the town of LaRonge. As typically happens, new visitors are drawn to the lake-side activities along main street, especially all the float plane operations.
A nice sunny day brings out boaters and water skiers. In the winter, they have auto racing on the ice here.
After hooking up by phone, Don drove to LaRonge, met with Alistair and Wes, then got a new batch of fresh groceries (Alistair and Wes had given away the supplies they had planned to bring into the island when they thought they were not going to get to the island) and drove both Alistair’s low car and Don’s Suburban back up to Brabant where they spent the night. Next morning, they left Alistair’s car in Brabant and started driving north to the Wathaman River. About 40 miles south of their destination, they ran into the flooded roads.
At 7AM, there was no convoy of vehicles or highway workers or markers to show the way through the water.
The truck created a substantial bow wave.
While this looks like a “Y” in the road, in fact, the road goes straight and the flooded lake is on the left.
The truck makes a pretty good wake as well.
Alistair leans out of the truck to get a better look at how deep the water really is.
We are getting near the end of the water.
Of course, there were many places along the road that just had big water holes, ready to flood if the water should rise a bit. The culverts and bridges just could not handle the 9 ½ inch rain that fell in this watershed 9 days ago.
At the Wathaman Bridge, the river is still a couple feet below the bridge. In the next weeks, the water would reach the bottom of the bridge, coming very close to washing it out.
The truck is parked at the end of the 4 wheel drive track and it is from here that we must to portage to the landing on the lake, about 100 yards.
All the water significantly raised the level of my lake and while it was a real nuisance on the roads, it made the portage much shorted and quite a bit easier to load and unload boats.
This shows water flowing down the old portage trail to the left and the new portage trail on the right. Wet weather like this is why a person must have high rubber boots for the portage. After my lake rose even more, we were able to load and unload the boats from this very spot.
Alistair and Don do the usual rearrangement of gear in preparation for getting underway.
After unloading the truck, portaging gear and then loading the boats, everything gets quite a bit mixed up. Normally this 14’ Lund would be loaded to overflowing with supplies, but this trip we were quite lightly loaded.
It looks like we will have a nice calm trip to the island. Notice that by late July, the weeds and water lilies have started to fill the bay where my landing is located.
Underway!! Alistair is still wearing the mosquito net headgear we use at the portage. The landing is directly behind Don’s head.
Alistair relaxes for the 25 mile boat ride.
Wes is happy to be finally underway, only the day before he was faced with the prospect of an aborted trip and the long drive back to California without ever getting to the island.
Camper’s Island is in the background as we approach the halfway mark of the trip across the lake. It was the complete opposite of the trip taking Scott and Pat to island 10 days ago, calm and uneventful.
Don and Alistair work in the kitchen.
This is about as tidy as the cabin gets.
The rugs are hanging on the outside railing, awaiting a cleaning by “beating”. I may get a vacuum cleaner some day.
Another pretty sunset from the crow’s nest.
The beach A-frame and moose rack, backlit with a bright sun reveal a nice clear morning sky. It will be a nice day to go fishing.
Don is checking something in the water.
Wes is getting some motoring instruction as we make circles in front of the beach. All newly mixed cans of gasoline get tested in front of the beach by making a couple big circles. If the gasoline is “bad”, then it is much easier to correct when in rowing distance of the pier than in the middle of the lake. So far, this process has yielded only one “failure” while making circles but it has resulted in zero failures out on the lake.
Alistair takes a turn at running the motor on our way to the “honey hole” (five miles away) for some fishing. Don relaxes from his usual duty as being the motorman. Notice that Don is wearing an old white dress shirt. It acts as a light windbreaker, crossing the lake but more importantly, it reflects much of the sunlight while fishing on a sunny day and helps keep you cool plus it prevents a bad case of sunburn on your arms.
Don shows that the walleyes are biting.
Wes does the duties of stringing up the walleye. Shortly after this, Alistair caught a northern Pike. Don was removing the hooks when the fish lurched and one of the hooks on the treble hook buried itself in Don’s thumb. While the fish is flipping around, the treble hook was removed from the lure. The fishing was cut short and we returned to the cabin to find a way to extract the hook from Don’s thumb.
Most of the treble hook was removed with wire cutters but the real problem remained buried.
Don ponders the problem. A trip into LaRonge and back would mean 50 miles of boating and 400 miles of gravel road driving, plus two trips through the flooded road. The trip would consume most of two days. Fortunately, we always smash the barb on our hooks to make it easier on the fish we normally release (except for the ones we eat). Unfortunately, the smashed barb was still getting snagged on something in the finger and preventing the hook from sliding out even with Don pulling as hard as he could stand. Don had just about given up trying to extract the hook when he managed to force it a bit further into the thumb, then force it laterally to unsnag the smashed barb and wonder of wonders, it backed out quite easily.
The danger of working with Northern Pike seems to be forgotten between episodes of getting hooked like this. The hook was buried at least 3/8” into the thumb. Too bad you cannot buy true barb-less hooks. Every year I try, but nobody has them. A smashed barb works pretty well but if the smashed part of the barb were not there it would really be good. Given the geometry of the hook, it is almost impossible to grind off the smashed barb, plus the grinding would expose raw metal and it would quickly rust.
Typically, the cloud cover increases as the day rolls on, but it is still a nice day to get back to fishing.
The 17’Lund, used in the first few years, lays unused well up on the beach along the trail from the beach to the cabin. Never could get it to stop leaking. We always had a bilge pump running and that worked well, but it was just too heavy to use regularly.
Alistair has attracted a large dragonfly. They are harmless to people, but they tend to help keep the mosquito population in check, so we love them.
The walleye are biting at the head of the small outlet, about 60 yards west of the honey hole.
Don continues work on the log chair, started last year.
Alistair brought along some paper work. He wrote several recommendations for his students trying to get into colleges. Alistair is a very accomplished “wordsmith”.
Don continues work on the log chair.
The great room makes a good workshop, except it does tend to create a mess with all the shavings. This is permissible in a wilderness cabin.
Wes worked at carving a face in wood. He makes guitars for a living and it was not unusual to see Wes thumping various chunks of wood on the island, testing their acoustical qualities. According to Wes, the black spruce so common to this area is a superior wood for musical instruments.
Wes documents in the next few photos the process of “treating” the water in the water tank after it has been pumped full. Water directly from the lake has never created a problem and some, like Jay prefer to drink the water untreated. I treat the water as an extra precaution because it is so easy to do and does not change the taste of the water. It also eliminates algae growth in the tank.
We add 1 oz of Clorox per 50 gallons of fresh water. The 4 oz. measure bottle and Clorox are left at the tank. Since we normally pump about 200 gallons every 3 days under normal usage, the 4 oz. measure bottle holds just the right amount to add to the tank. Less will be added proportionate to smaller amounts pumped. A chemist has advised me that this is the dosage used at Tyson turkey farms and the National Guard on field maneuvers.
The lid is normally only placed over the opening and not screwed in. This keeps out any falling debris, but does not expose the tank to rupturing if over filled when pumping with the lid screwed in place.
This is the path leading down to the cabin from the water tank.
More path down to the cabin in the back ground.
Approaching the rear of the cabin. Note that the new door for the water heater cubical has not yet been installed. The heavy green tarp has been very serviceable over the years but it is a bit of an eyesore.
Front steps viewed from the cabin deck.
Front steps and cabin entrance viewed from the trail to the cabin.
Alistair watches as Don starts work on a new section of deck rails. Don is making pins in the ends of the horizontal rail sapling.
Don starts another pin while Alistair is working on spindles.
Don uses his homemade round chisel to split the pins to size, after the sapling has been scored around it perimeter at the appropriate length and depth for the pin.
Don has both the top and bottom horizontal saplings fit into spacer jigs at both ends of the railings. The rails are oriented with any bow facing up and a locking nail driven into the end of the sapling through the spacer jig. Now the spacing of each spindle can be marked on the railings, showing where holes for the spindles need to be drilled and defining the length to make each individual spindle, since irregularities in the saplings make each spindle a slightly different length.
Wes scores the end of a spindle to a depth that corresponds to the outside of the pin, prior to splitting the pin with a 1” diameter round chisel. Don and Alistair are cleaning up the spindle pins with files.
Although it is suppertime, the pancakes for breakfast tasted so good we decided to have some for supper too.
Don and Alistair try their luck fishing at the entrance to the Campbell River, only occasionally a good spot.
This shows the water level being a couple inches over the top of the Campbell River plaque. The water would eventually get a full 18 inches above the plaque by the end of the year. Indeed, it was a very wet year.
The Campbell River flowing into the slow moving part of the river, about one mile upstream from the Wathaman Lake.
Alistair tries his hand at filleting a Walleye while Don gives help as needed.
Removing the ribs is always the hardest maneuver to master.
Don trims the pin on the end of a spindle for the front railing. Note the penciled 1” desired circular shape of the pin end.
Don is happy to have this section of railing finished, especially since we can clean up the mess we created in the main room.
Wes and Alistair seem proud of their work on the front deck railing.
The trees grow very slowly at this latitude as this picture shows by the close growth rings. Slow growth is caused because of the short growing season, the lack of adequate water and the struggle they have by growing on top of permafrost. This is a black spruce variety, most common to the area and what was used in the construction of the cabin.
Alistair prepared for rain.
Don and Alistair underway to the fishing hole.
Don steers a straight line across the lake.
Alistair is ready for rain.
Don and Alistair at the “Honey Hole”.
Alistair thinks we may not get rain now.
On the path to the cabin.
Another different sunset from the cabin.
Northern lights getting started.
Northern Lights are always changing both shape and brightness.
They also change where they appear in the sky.
Now the color is showing more red.
Frequently the flares appear to be dancing up and down.
The Eskimos believed the Northern Lights were their ancestors.
Now they are almost gone.
But now they are getting brighter.
No, let’s not go out yet.
Let’s light things up again.
This is about all I got left to show you!
This time I am going out.
Finally, out for the night. And after one goes to bed, they never seem to come back “on”.
We always have the option of watching the cozy fire in the stove.
Cloud watching is always in vogue.
Storm can come up in just a few minutes.
It is time to leave the island. Don is arranging the boats for the trip back as Alistair looks on.
If it is cloudy, you better have your rain suit on. Don has his waders on and Alistair if quite ready for any rain.
With little wind, getting the towed boat away from the beach is no problem. It isn’t always this easy.
Don is getting his heavy parka to put on before we get underway. Alistair looks down the lake to where we will be going.
Alistair smiles as we start our 2 ½ hour journey back to the landing.
As we drive toward LaRonge, work is still going on to repair the road after all the flooding.
This road work is part of the annual effort to straighten out curves and raise low spots in the road.
Wes, Alistair and Don say goodbye at Brabant where Alistair had left his car on the way in.
Terry Brown changes out of his “coming to the cabin” clothes after the long ride back to the island. Don had met the Urys incoming party at Brabant and then we all drove back to the Wathaman where all the new supplies and gear was portaged to the lake and then motored back to the island to start the Ury stay.
It didn’t take long to get fishing. Don looks determined while Terry, in the background, fixes his bait.
Bob, as always, catches more fish than anyone else.
Terry and Don relax in front of the stove.
Peeled Black Spruce saplings dry out front, awaiting their transformation into deck railings.
Just look at how happy Ron is!!! After several years of trying to get Don’s permission to enlarge the access hole to the loft, he finally prevailed, so he is now a little less likely to get stuck going up and down the loft ladder. Hey, Rod, a little less bacon would have accomplished the same thing!!
Rod, who thinks of everything ahead of time, actually portaged in a birthday cake for Bob, who appears to have snitched a taste of the frosting while Terry Brown lights the candles and Don looks on.
Bob doesn’t seem to mind being 23.
Rod, Bob and Terry seem ready to kill the cake. Note the deck railing in the background, it was constructed by the prior party but not yet installed on the deck.
Don and Bob are looking forward to a great two weeks together.
Terry, Bob, Don and Ron in the only “non-goofy” picture on the front steps.
At the last minute I just had to include this “goofy” picture to show what “clowns” come to see me. Terry Brown and Bob Ury just don’t seem able to keep a straight face in front of the camera, while Don and Rod seem a bit more subdues, at least in this photo. If you don’t think we have a really great time at this remote cabin, you just don’t get it.
Does anyone enjoy catching snakes more than Rod?? He is extracting a small fish that the northern had recently swallowed.
We had a fire going most of the time on this rather wet and chilly trip.
Terry relaxes in the new Adirondack chair.
Don works on sizing the pin end on more deck railing spindles.
The moon peeks under the cloud cover.
Bob and Terry are sorting out the colored jelly beans for their favorite flavors.
Don reads his “Discovery” magazine.
Terry is just happy to be on vacation.
One of the many “signed” lures left by visitors on the decorative lure rack as a memorial to their having been there. Rod started this tradition.
The rain shows no sign of letting up, it is a good day to be dry and warm inside the cabin.
It is also a good day to work inside on more deck railing.
Hey Bob, are you so cold you need that beaver skin to keep your head warm??
Rod cooks one of his fabulous suppers. He always manages each year to introduce some new delicacy; this year it was Walleye fillet nuggets wrapped in bacon strips. MMMMGOOD
You can bet that Rod is deep in thought here, plotting how to put his party onto a bunch of big Northerns as soon as the rain lets up.
WOW! Did I say BIG Northerns? Bob tied into this 24 pounder in the bay just north of Ice Island. The fish didn’t survive because he had taken the lure so deep into his gullet that it was difficult to extract the lure without the fish dying.
What a beautiful fish. It is the largest fish caught so far by anyone at the island. It beats out a 20 pound Northern caught by Jerome Bolen.
Bob does look happier than the fish.
Naturally Rod and Terry would like to have their pictures taken with this monster fish. Who wouldn’t?? It took two meals, but we did eat the whole thing and surprisingly, it was very good, thanks to the cooking skills of Rod.
When Rod and his group left to drive home, the water was still rising under the Wathaman River Bridge. A week later, at the end of the season, the water was running through the lower stringers of the bridge.
Bob finishes packing their Suburban just before leaving the Wathaman River Bridge turnoff where we normally change clothes for the upcoming trip, either into the island or back home.
Don has now returned to the island with Harry Menton and Jay Niebur with the objective of closing up the cabin for the season.
We always manage a few chores the last week before wrapping up the season. This year the window trim was sanded and painted with polyurethane.
This shows the new deck railing installed when the Ury’s were at the cabin and windows cleaned by Jay.
This flat edged log is used as a scaffolding to work on the front high windows.
Jay is always working at something. He is getting ready to wash the high windows in front.
Harry is happy now, but after an emergency trip to the landing the next day, he was feeling not so good.
Jay scrapes varnish splatter off the high windows. Unfortunately, this year he had some serious medical problems after getting to the island. Harry and I took him to the landing two days before final close-up so he could get himself checked at the hospital in LaRonge. They cleared him to drive back to Boulder and he made it back OK. Harry and I had a terrible trip back to the island after leaving Jay off at the landing. The weather had steadily deteriorated on our trip in with Jay and was very, very bad returning to the island. To make things worse, Harry had fallen into the lake at the landing and as a result almost froze on the slow, windy return trip. We almost didn’t make it back.
In total contrast to our trip back to the island two days ago, our final trip across the lake for the season, while cloudy, was rainless and on mirror smooth water.
Harry is bundled up. The boat travels 1 or 2 miles per hour faster in this unusually calm water.
The deciduous trees, mostly birch, have been turning to their autumn color since the middle of August. It is a very short summer at these high latitudes. The water was so high, that the shore where we usually leave the boats overturned for the winter was totally under water and I was forced to just tie the boats to a tree and let them float.
As we were stashing the motors, an Indian happened by in his boat, along with his family. Harry heard the motor coming down the river and we had just enough time to scramble off the island and into our three boats, now motorless. We were a bit paranoid about him finding and stealing our motors but that was unnecessary worrying and next spring the motors were where we left them.
The Indian had left the lake via the Wathaman River, running five rapids and traversing 116 miles of Reindeer Lake to his home in Southend. This I found out the following summer after running into him at a café.
Harry and I made it out to Brabant just in time to get supper. As I was out of the restaurant, checking into their cabins, the only other person in the café approached Harry and asked where he had come from, since we looked like we were fresh from the bush. Harry replied that we were down the Wathaman into Spalding Lake. The man replied to Harry, “That old guy (pointing to me at the counter in the adjoining room) must be “Crazy Man End of Lake”. Harry was stunned that this total stranger, who looked like the truck driver he turned out to be, could possible know of me. The stranger went on to tell Harry how “well known” I was in the area, especially to the Indians who frequently came and stayed with me while Moose hunting. The Indians claimed I had magical powers to bring them good luck hunting moose. Harry of course had heard these stories from me, but to hear them from this stranger just “blew him away”. The truck driver turned out to be the brother of the ex-mayor of LaRonge who I knew and even entertained at my cabin several years before. It is a small world, especially in the far North.
