Another day, another breakfast.
While loading this canoe, with our very heavy food pack, we had a problem. One of the many repaired places in the old fiberglass split open a few inches, while the pack was shifted to the center of the canoe. And water started seeping in. Quickly the gear was emptied out and a conference was held on next steps. The conclusion was to use duct tape to patch it inside and out. Neatly. And to take out all the weight. And complain when we "texted" in for the night. See what the canoe owners have to say. The canoes have been a lot older than we are used to. Heavier. Seats are more awkward. And more expensive...I guess that's just what you get when you are way out in the sticks.:p
At some point today we transitioned into Smoothrock Lake. No idea where the change was as we did not have any portages to go through, and although the water narrowed in places, there was never a place where you'd think "ah" now I'm in a new lake.
I am certainly feeling nervous about this duct taped canoe. We have to bounce over some decent sized waves...but Philip, who is paddling the junky canoe doesn't seem to worry. He heads into the middle of the lake far from the shoreline where ever it is needed to make the paddling distance shorter. At least he doesn't have the food pack with him! I have a different canoe to paddle now, and a different passenger.
The canoe is watertight through that whole section! Even the bigger waves. Yay!
We stop for lunch in a place where it is not windy and wavy.
It is nice to wander around when it is "lunch break". It is almost like traveling in the van nowadays...sit still for hours and hours while we keep going going going. When are we going to stop? :p Kids can't wait to get to a portage again someday soon. That's something I didn't expect!
Off we go again, hoping to find a nice campsite to enjoy on our rest day tomorrow.
Nathan and Daniel pull up, with a rather full load. Camp at last! It was a later time ending (5 pm) again, on account of the unexpected complication of a leaky canoe.
We had a bit of rain, and huddled under a tarp to eat our dinner.
Looks like the rain has passed, time to stretch your legs. Eight people eating under a tarp is pretty tight. Especially when you put it low to the ground so that you keep the wind out.
Daniel and Evelyn made an inukshuk. It might not be culturally appropriate here (we read somewhere in our travels about how it isn't appropriate to make them any old where...it is cultural misappropriation, apparently) but it was fun to make. And super cute with hair on. Or rather, moss.
A lovely sight...you can see the bad weather going off into the distance. Sure nice that it's heading away! Hoping it's sunny tomorrow!
Our incoming "texts" in response to the broken canoe was a helpful "oops". More helpful was a weather report. Tomorrow, very windy and very very wet. Bummer.
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