Boundary Waters Passage Part Two: Stormy Trek
Aidan catches a smallmouth bass after the storm passes. (Photo by Aaron Lavinsky)
The balance of our first-day paddle along the border route passed with ease, down the middle of South Lake with the wind at our backs. But challenges lay ahead.
Brad Shannon, my friend and a longtime Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) guide didn’t like the looks of the first two campsites we surveyed, but he approved the last one on the lake, on a rocky promontory alongside the portage to Rat Lake.
Being our group of five’s first night together, we hadn’t yet assumed our setup roles, so it took a while to erect tents, hang a tarp and sling a hammock and rainfly between two trees. Our load included two personal portage packs (one shared by Brad, my son Aidan, and me, and the other shared by Bob Timmons and Aaron Lavinsky); separate food, stove and equipment packs; a knapsack full of fishing gear; a saddlebag for my dog, Crosby; and all of Aaron’s photo and video gear.