Voyageurs National Park 2023, Monday, 9/18

0620-55F/49F. Solar 51%. House battery 12.3v.

Sunrise - The Appearance of Fire On The Horizon

0745-Warmed up coffee cake to have with coffee while I do Bible study. Verse for the day: "Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." (Psalms 86:11)

0850-Breakfast finished, preparing to depart.

0900-Departed the site and went nearby to check out a possible portage into a pond. It didn't look great, but possible. 

Park Map - Day 6, Leg 6 - 5.4 Miles

Navionics - Day 6, Leg 6 - 5.4 Miles

1040-Arrived at an anchorage at the head of Hammer Bay and scared up a pair of swans. 

Trumpeter Swans

Several boat and camp sites were unoccupied along my track indicating the season is closing down.  Leg 6 was 5.4 miles.  Traveled 31.5 miles on Tank 5.  

Anchorage - Leg 6

Sunny, cool, and windy fall day but warming quickly.  66F/65F. Solar 58%. House battery 12.6v. Time to wash dishes.

1140-Dishes finished, cleanup complete. Swans have not returned. 70F/67F. Solar 68%. House 12.6v.

1510-Dinner was chicken wild rice soup, hot roll, salad, and white wine. Sunny and wind is still brisk. Started reading a new paperback, "Scorpion in the Sea" by P.T. Deutermann.

Solar battery reached 100% so I switched panels to onboard lead acid batteries. This is the second time this trip I've been able to do this. Works well.

Last night I also finished my e-Book "The Drifter" by Nick Petrie. I will start a new one tonight by the same author called "Burning Bright."   Also starting a new audio book called "The Gray Ghost Murders" by Keith McCafferty. I have three books going at one time not counting my morning study book. I don't feel like kayaking in the breeze (10-12 mph).  I will wait until later or in the morning. Prefer to just read on the aft deck and enjoy the fall water scene.

Thawing strawberries for ice cream dessert later on.

Anchorage Environment

1650-Read for awhile then had dessert, which is always great.  Wind is still up, so I will read more out of my paperback.

1930-My evening watch for wildlife yielded another curious beaver who circled the boat and dutifully slapped his tail 3 times over several minutes. This one circled quite a ways away as though trying to draw my away from the lodge.

Beautiful Fall Color!

No moose or bear and the swans did not return.

Sipping some Baileys as I close the log for the day. 71F/64F. Solar 93%. House battery 12.8v. The solar kick helped the house and starting batteries.

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Voyageurs National Park 2023, Sunday, 9/17

0645-54F/49F, solar 68%, house battery 12.5v. High clouds, calm.

0810-Finished my Bible study. Verse for the day: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."  (Matthew 7:7)

0845-Reading this morning out of "Why God Makes Sense In A World That Doesn't." Time to make breakfast.

0915-Preparing to depart anchorage.

0940-Motored away heading SE. Observed tent/boat campers at the nearby island camp site on the way out.

Circled around the point on south side of Johnson Bay to see what happened to the old boat site I used in 2021.  It appears to have been removed. I have no clue why.

2021 Boat Site Removed - A Mystery?

Proceeded along the border to the east. Along the way several boat sites were empty but on arrival at my destination area a boat was moored at each of two ideal spots I was hoping to use. So, I moved on.

1150-I arrived at an alternative site at Beaver Bay (N56). A nice beach but the ambiance was not in the category of the others sites which were occupied. Leg 5 was 9.7 miles.

Nav Chart Day 5, Leg 5 - 9.7 Miles

Park Map Details - Leg 5

Destination Detail

1250-Completed dishes. I may set up the shower later. Water temp is 63F.

1320-Checked around the site but walking here is very limited. Not a desirable site. I intend to shower today since it is overdue.

Nice Beach

1500-Set up the aft deck shower and the hot shower really felt good! A power boat went by while I was showering. Changed into clean clothes and feel much better. Most of the rig is put away but I'm drying the shower curtains before I stow them.

Will get a pizza ready to bake.  I'm hungry!

Gang Plank Helps Keep Sand Out

1650-Finished my pizza, salad, and cold beer. Baileys over ice cream for dessert. Haven't decided if I will put out the fire ring. Watching the weather which is not the best currently. Cloudy, 70F/64F. Solar 75%, house battery 12.5v.

Cloudy Evening

1930-Finished the Jack Reacher novel (audio book) while I sat by the table top fire in the cockpit. Still cloudy. 66F/58F. Solar 75%. House battery 12.4v.

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Voyageurs National Park 2023, Saturday, 9/16

0600-59F/53F. Solar 65%. House battery 12.3v. Will make coffee cake.

Early Morning Fog

0800-Bible study finished. Verse of the day: "Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you."

(Psalms 84:12). Now time for some prayer and morning book reading.

0845-Time for breakfast of cereal and toast with PB.  Then get ready for the kayak trip and hike.  68F/56F. Solar 58%. House 12.3v.

Angry Morning Sky

0920-All is ready to get in the kayak and head for the trailhead.  Had all kinds of trouble getting the P2 to sync with my phone display.

1020-Gave up and finally just left!

Beast Lake Trailhead - Kayak Trip 

1040-Arrvied at the dock and started the hike.  About .3 of a mile in I made a wrong turn which became not a trail at all and followed the south shore of Beast Lake. I finally realized my mistake and turned back.  

Which Way Would You Go?

What The Sign Should Read!

Track Of My Hike Gone Wrong!

Nice views of the lake but it was very rugged going. When it was obvious I was not following a trail I returned to the trailhead and kayak. I should have followed my track progress on the phone but was distracted getting video footage and keeping branches out of my face.

Beast Lake Outlet

Beast Lake

Rough & Rocky Terrain!

1315-Returned to the boat and put gear away and retied the kayak to the tow rig. I began charging everything before heading out. Mostly sunny now. 68F/63F. Solar 80%. House battery 12.2v.

Munched on some nuts with a cold beer to hold me until dinner.

1350-Departed the anchorage. Enroute I found the channel boat site open but choose to bypass it for the "wolf" anchorage.

Nav Chart For Day 4, Leg 4 - 4.6 Miles

Park Map Details - Leg 4

1450-Arrived Johnson Bay (Upper) or the so called "wolf anchorage" hoping for another wolf sighting.  Anchored in 5'-6' of water with mud and weedy bottom. Leg 4 was 4.6 miles.

Anchorage Detail

I immediately did dishes, which was late for me. Then prepared dinner of grilled tenderloin steak, potatoes, salad, hot rolls, and red wine. It hit the spot!  But now I'm extremely tired, full, and satisfied.  It will be tough to keep my eyes open to see a wolf!

"Wolf Rock" - Where The Pack Crossed The Channel (2021)

Late Afternoon Sun

1700-Poured a glass of wine and sat on the aft deck to begin my wildlife watch. I'm hoping for the best. I need to take an Ibuprofen this eve.

1950-Did a long evening watch for wildlife. No wolves, no moose, but a curious beaver came by and made clear I was trespassing.  He came all the way from where I observed the wolves cross the channel just to see who the intruder was.  He slapped his tail three times to emphasize his displeasure and desire that I make myself scarce!

Beaver Circling Showing His Displeasure With My Presence

There will be a delay but I will do his bidding. At least I wasn't skunked (sorry about the pun). It was overall a pleasant evening to just enjoy the quiet and solitude of the outdoors.  66F/59F. Solar 99%. House battery 12.7v.

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