9:45 am: Started paddling 6:00 pm: Found campsite Today’s distance: 24.5 mi. Trip Total: 75.4 mi. GPS Readings (UTM) Lunch: 11V 637575 6478494 Camp: 11V 653916 6493235 |
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| Last night we camped above the portage on the flats at the edge of the falls. During the night, we were awoken by strong winds. We were concerned about the canoes and moved them further away form the water and tied them up. Fortunately, it was only a gust of wind and we did not have any further problems. This morning I felt good. Don’t know if it was some 24-hour bug or if I was a little dehydrated. We decided to load the canoes in an eddy at the edge of the falls. The ground was about 10 feet above the water. Further down stream, there were two chasms across the flat area before the next suitable access to the water. We would have had to improvise something to get across the breaks. The procedure for getting around the rapids and falls was the same one used by Canoe Alberta in the 1978 trip. We lashed the canoes together with spars to help lower them into an eddy at the fall’s edge. This also helped stabilize them while loading. Paul climbed into the canoes to load them and we lowered the gear to him. A safety rope was attached to the barrels and packs in case they fell into the water while loading (none did). After the canoes were loaded, we paddled into the rough water. The spars were removed after we got into calmer water. We had problems finding clean drinking water. The pre-filter for our system was left in Farmington. That left us with three pump filters for the entire trip. The silt from the river clogged them very fast so we started boiling river water when possible. The silt is so fine, that it will not settle out over night. We found that some would settle after boiling and that all would settle out when Apple Cider mix was added! We stopped at Little Red River were we saw our first boat/person while paddling up to the landing. He was checking fishing lines at the mouth of the Mikkwa River. There was a family camped there who were very ‘distant’. When we asked them where they got their water, they pointed to the river without saying a word. We thanked them and left. Closer to the river was an outdoor Catholic Church. The seating area was a large covered shelter. In the front was a tepee-shaped pulpit and alter. One place that had religious icons had a hockey metal placed there also. We went back to the river and pumped/filtered water into our 5 gal. container. We passed a cabin a short distance beyond Little Red River. The residences came out and waved and the children were looking at us through binoculars. We did not stop but later wished we had. Further down the river we passed the Fox Indian Reservation with several building set back from the river. The building looked more “modern”. We found a campsite on an island flood plain but it was well above water level. Paul was totally beat and slept until dinner. We had green chili stew, jalapeno bread and chocolate pudding. |
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Journal Summary, July 8-13, July 14, July 15, July 16, July 17, July 18, July 19, July 20, July 21, July 22, July 23,
July 24, July 25, July 26, July 27-28, July 29, July 30, July 31, August 1, August 2-3
Intro, Maps, History, Equipment, Personal Equipment, Menus
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