Marshall Lake Gathering

[Mihun09]

This will be our part of the trip report for those of us who gathered in Geraldton, Ontario on August 7th for the Marshall Lake soiree. It will be picture heavy, I edited 186 photo's down to 57. Although I keep a journal during trips, this one presented a challenge since I usually only need to note just our progress, not that of a group of 6.

This trip was our first in that part of Ontario and not likely our last. It was the latest instalment of the Adventures of the Wilderness Chicks.

After many months of e-mail conversations and planning, on August 6th, the participants set off from various locations headed for Geraldton, Ontario. Robin coming from Connecticut, Brad and Miranda from Southern Ontario and us from Manitoba, 2 days drive for each. We split our drive into equal parts, camping at Sandbar Provincial Park in Ignace, Ontario.



It wasn't the best start for us, I had food poisoning the night prior to starting the drive and out here we had 4 inches of rain fall in less than 24 hours. The rain set the stage for the first few days of the trip.

Sandbar PP is a nice park, clean, quiet and a nice stop over for the 1000km run to G'Town and half the cost of a motel stay. It rained overnight but stopped just before morning, then started again when it was time to pack up the tent, so we just threw it in back of the truck in the hopes of setting it up later to dry it out. As we left Ignace, it poured cats and dogs for the first hour heading east but eventually stopped and we had a nice cool drive the rest of the way.

Sleeping Giant in Lake Superior at Thunder Bay, Ontario


As is becoming our custom, we stopped at Helen Lake rest area for some relief. I called Rob and let him know we were only 2 hours away at that point. We would be arriving just before 4 and I figured we should be last there.

Last year when we were out that way we never made it into the town proper, but this year we passed right on by Rob's place so I could visit the beer store and get some Molson Export, a beer I hadn't had in 12 years and had a hankering for, before heading back to the house and finding we were actually the first to arrive.

Rob and Irene greeted us with cold beer and the BBQ was already cooking that nights feast. We got the tent and fly laid out in the breeze to dry and waited for everyone else to arrive. Brad and Miranda were in next an hour later and Robin was tardy, not arriving until after 6, which had a few of us worried.
With all the trippers in attendance, the beer flowed freely, gifts were exchanged and copious amounts of food was eaten. Irene is an awesome cook and they both love to entertain. Rob had a few other friends over for the evening and many stories were shared of past Outer's trips going back over 20 years. It was quite the start to this adventure.

It poured overnight and well through the morning. The boats were secured, gear sorted into various vehicles and we were off early in a steady rain to the Marshall Lake portage.




We dropped gear and boats, then Rob, Robin and Christy headed up to the bridge to drop off the two trucks. In the meantime, Miranda, Brad and I started porting boats and gear down the 1.2km road into Marshall Lake. Prior to heading for the bridge, Robin loaded his Chestnut onto his cart to show us how to do it, loading his boat with gear and giving a tutorial on how to easily bring the cart back up the port after dropping the boat at the end. Quite ingenious.

We three each donned a pack and headed through a light drizzle with Robins boat down the portage. At some point I pointed out we had left all the gear out at the road unattended and Brad was thinking the same thing, so he dropped his pack and headed back to the road while Miranda and I kept moving to the lake. I must say, I should have not shouldered a pack and just taken the boat down, it was a mistake I didn't make again. At the lake we unloaded the cart and headed back to the road, passing Brad on the way. It worked out to be about 1/2 hour each way even with taking out time walking. Back at the road we loaded Rob's boat onto the cart, loaded much gear and with moving paddles to and fro achieved a decent balance on the cart. I figured the shuttle gang must be close as we headed back down the trail and as M and I came back after the second load we met Rob and Robin on the trail in. The 3 of us walked 6km before even getting into a boat, but for the last walk we only had a Bud Lite to carry.




We had left the house around 9:30, driven 130km to the put in and were on the water around 2:30 or so. The lake was blowing up really good, not humungous white caps but large rollers and Rob gave us all the option to stay put if we weren't comfortable out on the lake, but we all took it in stride, working our way around the bay in the relative shallows before getting out into the headwind to get around the point and heading west.




We were in a borrowed boat for this trip. A Wenonah Spirit II, which would later become known as the party barge. We got our massive load in and level and the boat took the heavy seas well and steady and although we left the beach last, we got out ahead of the pack and led the way around the point and then across to the lee shore. Once across everyone took a breather watching the Bald Eagles winging around the nest with the little one peeking out at us.
Once on the lee shore it was easier paddling, Robin unpacked his fishing gear and trolled the shoreline while the rest of us headed towards first camp. After the eagles we passed a group of Pelicans and a pod of 5 loons. The following morning 7 loons winged over as they headed down the lake. Loons and Pelicans equals plentiful fish.

The spot Rob had picked out for the night had anglers on it, so we headed across the lake to another spot he knew of which took all of us comfortably. A tarp went up fast as it had begun to rain again as we headed across the lake earlier. It was starting to blow hard from the south after the wind had let up awhile and it would continue to blow and rain all night.



Rob and Robin were doing solo tents, B & M and we had 4 person tents. We all managed to find spots for our respective tents usually on 8 inches of soft moss. Once Robin had rejoined the group we saw he had a stringer of 3 nice pickerel which was shared by the entire group that first night. Once camp was established and dinner consumed, I rigged up and managed a couple of small pike casting from shore. It was the beginning of what would be pretty awesome fishing the rest of the trip.

 

[Mihun09]

Sunday dawned grey but calm. We had to pack up wet again but everything would dry out later. Cooking was mostly done on fires although we did employ the trusty Coleman 2 burner for breakfasts and coffee daily. We saved a lot of fuel on this trip. We have a system when tripping where I take care of the equipment and Christy does the kitchen duties so we were packed and on the water first that day, although that wouldn't happen again.

We made the crossing in a light wind and I started fishing my way down the Gripp River. At one point another canoe came along and during conversation we were asked where we were from and once offered, they said, how the heck did we find out about this area? I said Rob Haslam, the fellow goes, "the school teacher". Uh huh. Rob is known by all.

Rob did some cutting on the first portage, to make a slight change in the path to a better put in. He was eager to fish the incoming stream and was first on the water. Prior to making the port I had asked the others to let Brad get on the water first because I really wanted him to catch his first pickerel. It didn't turn out as planned. As the rest of us were getting boats in the water we could hear Rob hooting around the corner out of site as he boated a few pickerel and pike in the outflow. In his eagerness to wet a line he left a few key items on shore, which Robin took with him but we didn't tell Rob about...

We who fished got into some nice eating size pickerel at this spot and again later in the day as we worked through the ports. The water was low and getting lower as we moved downstream towards Gripp Lake. Christine still did not rig up but we managed to get 2 pickerel for dinner.

Well downstream from that first port Rob finally realized he was missing something and asked if anyone had seen his chainsaw chaps. We laughed a bit and Robin said he had them, then Robin asked Rob if he had his axe? Grumbles about leaving that behind and Brad offered to go back and get it, but Robin broke in about having it with him. That would be the omen for what came later for Rob.

We didn't get away with the nice start to the day, being dogged by a headwind regardless of the way we were pointing the we were poured on during the 3rd portage for the day. To add to that bit of misery as we approached Gripp Lake we got into a lack of water and had difficulty finding the channel through the delta and occasionally ground to a halt on the loon crap mud. We did managed to push through following Robins path from a distance and turned into a good headwind on Gripp Lake. B, M and Robin were well out ahead of us and Rob was lagging behind as we worked our way to our second camp. As we put distance on Rob I was getting concerned and considering turning around to go find him, which we should have done under the circumstances. Rob got mugged by a cedar tree we found out later.

I was too tired to get back out fishing after setting up camp, which is our usual custom. Rob said we did 3 ports and 20km that day, which may explain why I was tired.




I did some casting off shore and got a pike and pickerel, watched Brad work with his new twig stove, Robin and Christy took turns trying out Robs stripper. During the day I had seen what Brad had rigged on his rod so after dinner I sat him down and gave a little tutorial on how I tie on a leader and set him up with a 1/4oz yellow jig with 3" yellow twister tail for the rest of the trip. Jigs were what most were using although Robin does troll a Rapala when the conditionals allow. All the fish Christy and I caught on this trip came on that yellow combo. We lost our fair share of fishies as well, at first I was using a 1960's Vintage Berkeley pack rod that lacked backbone to set the hook so I switched out to a much heavier fibreglass rod and Christy kept breaking fish off, either her 6 pound test was too light or it was getting nicked by the rocks and breaking at that weak point.



Stylish!


Watching water boil is like watching paint dry...





As we sat around enjoying the evening it was offered as a good spot to stargaze and possibly see the Northern Lights. Funny how it turned out that much later that night, when needing some relief, I saw a beautiful star field and the Aurora Borealis was indeed lighting the night sky.

There wasn't much of an issue to this point with bugs. Mosquito's were almost non-existent to this point and it would carry on as such for the entire trip. I only used bug spray once in 6 days out. The flies only came to haunt once the sun finally arrived.

 

[Mihun09]

Monday I was last out of the tent, not dragging my butt out until after 9 but we still managed to get on the water around 10. It was overcast again and we endured some heavy downpours during the day.

Shortly after leaving the lake proper we got into the only portage for the day. It was long but nice and dry for a change, as though all the rain we had had to that point had skipped this part of the world. Robin got into the fish first below this rapid, eventually we all did, including Brad who not only caught his first pickerel but it was his first fish ever he told us. Amongst us we had 7 fish for the dinner feast.



After the portage the river really began to dry up and we pushed our way through much thinner water out to Summit Lake. We picked our way along the East shore in the deeper channels before take a brief rest before making the crossing, once again into a headwind. It is one of few deeper sections in a lake choked with wild rice. Rob and B&M went first, then Robin with us in pursuit. It was a long haul but with not much chop for a change. We had sunshine but threatening weather and not long after shelter was up a wall of water came down the lake. It really was something to see. It formed a straight line across the lake and was white with water falling and Rob heard it coming first. The bulk of it missed our site but we watched storms pass the rest of the day. It was again threatening rain so we set up Brads ready rigged colourful tarp in true Hoop fashion. Of note, Always tie the center pole to the tarp, as twice we had the wind lift the tarp and the pole fall towards someone.









To this point we had beavers, loons, pelicans, ducks but no mooses. Rob had seen bear on the road to drop the trucks off the days prior and apparently he and Robin, who usually led the pack down river, had seen bears on the banks eating berries, the rest of us had not.

That evening, Rob took to his tent just after 7 to read on his Kobo while Christy and I put in to try some fishing. We managed some pike and pickerel once again, letting the wind drift us down the deeper channel. Once back on shore and lounging, Miranda spotted a wolf come out of the bush and trot up the shoreline away from us. It stopped once to mark territory, disappeared into the bush then came out again until out of site. Insert fuzzy wolf photo here... I need a longer lens.




We all sat around chatting as the night cooled off. It felt as though a cold front was moving through as it got chilly overnight. Rob and I had brought minimal smokes with us with the intent to quit smoking and he had shared his last pack with me on Sunday, so now we were both out. Robin was kind enough to give me one of his cigars which helped to a degree.
The illness I had the night prior to hitting the road was finally leaving enough to allow eating more than just basic foods, but at this point I was close to setting a record for time in the bush before needing to go #2. Tied the record at 3 days in the morning.

 

[Mihun09]

I still have the last 3 days to write so bear with me...

 

[Mihun09]

Tuesday brought more headwinds as we pushed north out of Summit lake and into the Powitik River. Pushing was about what it took with how low the water was and how thick the mud under those precious inches of water. 4 boats spread out trying to find the channel and we took to grooves in the mud possibly made by moose walking through and their body leaving a meagre trail with a foot of water in depth and about as wide. Wild rice thick as the mud. We did manage to struggle through into the river and make better progress. It was a clear blue sky day with the temperature rising throughout after the cold front passed. Post cold front is what I call a mile high bluebird sky. Normally it would put off lake fish due to the pressure change but river fish are less affected because the water is moving.





There was another Eagle nest up the lake with the parents guarding and posing for us.



We would have had some small white water or portaging but with the water so low we either waded or lined the boats through the boulder fields. Rob once again commented he has never seen the water so low out there.




Although we managed some pike out of the pools there would be no pickerel feast on this day. It was a long day of lining and rock hopping. I was quite impressed with Brad's lining skills, something I have not done much of since we generally just portage. I'll wade if given the chance but lining is never something I took a fancy to and considering we were using Rob's canoe, we let him line the boat when needed, although Christine rode down part of a rapid with him while I took photo's.

What?







We were once again lagging behind because we were fishing and at a turn in the river we saw Robin wave us to pause and Miranda indicated for us to be quiet. Once we caught up we saw that Rob was around the curve and cautiously stalking a big cow moose in the river. I had the worst place for photo's being at the back, but when she eventually spooked I just followed since I knew when she got out to the tree line she would stop and look back, which is exactly what happened.





Further lining and wading was done prior to getting to the days camp.










We went as far as the falls that day and were into camp late afternoon having travelled only about 12km or so. After camp was up I fished the pool below the falls briefly and landed a nice 5-6 pound pike. Shortly after that, Brad took a swim in the same pool as it was the first day that was warm enough to think about swimming.






Rob had cut out the lower camping area and some lay-down was used for that nights cooking fire. Rob had forgotten his grill at home so he borrowed one on Gripp and was bringing it along for the ride. Most of the sites have grills on them already so it wasn't a loss as new ones will show up as the old ones die of old age.

Rob had the classic Canadian dinner of fried Klik. Brad and Miranda ate very well, which might explain why their 30 litre barrel weighed 80 pounds. None of us went hungry and some of us brought much food out with us. We had planned for up to 14 days of food with the 4 days of driving on both ends but that turned into only 7 days so we brought a lot home with us.

 

[Mihun09]

Wednesday brought a slight chill in the morning but sunshine and bright blue sky. It took awhile to get the sun above the trees and then the day just got hotter. Robin had pancakes again and Rob had the last of his bacon. Brad and Miranda had ham and cheese and other scrumptious morsels and we still had eggs and toast.





As we packed up I walked down to the ports end and found a large mud flat to cross to get to water so we all did some rock crawling to get down to the water and launched at the falls. While waiting in the first pool below I landed another nice sized pike.

Once we got out on the Kapikotongwa River, the group decided to not go upstream towards Faubert Lake due to the low water conditions and to just proceed down to the bald rock as the added water from the Powitik should add enough to the Kap to make travel easier.

We had to put some miles on but we lagged behind once again at the first rocky necked down area with a bit of current to fish and it was worth it. First pickerel in the boat was about 24", second was 19.5". Christy added a third for the day and a few pike and in what seemed that little time we could no longer see anyone downstream. As much as we wanted to stay and fish, we picked up paddles and headed down to try to catch up, but, there were other fishy looking spots to try along the way and I would bet we were over a km behind before I insisted we stop fishing and catch up before someone turned around to find us. I would certainly have liked to just fish my way down all day, but after Rob's incident on Sunday I knew he would be concerned if we weren't in sight after too long.

It took over an hour to get to the point where we could be seen by Brad and Miranda, who were themselves behind Rob and Robin. Eventually we caught up to the entire group at the next rock garden/rapids. Although we all had to wade the first part, we managed to bump and grind the party barge through the only run-able current which wasn't much wider than the canoe itself.




Wet had been the theme so far, either due to the weather or the fact we were in and out all the time and dry socks commanded attention daily. Even getting wet clothes to dry by morning was a challenge until later in the trip. The last couple of days, wet was combined with mud and methane.

The bald rock once again provided ample moss for everyone to set upon for a cushy sleep but no chance to rig a tarp if needed. I waded out through the mud to have a float since I needed to bring my core temperature down a few notches, it had nothing to do with how I smelled, really, since we all were sour by that time. Christy and Brad also took dips in the refreshing waters on a hot day.

Just prior to the last rock crawling adventure the large pickerel released itself from the stringer, but I think Miranda should have a photo of it thankfully, but we still have a couple of fish to have yet another pickerel dinner.

Rob put to the group the options ahead of us. We could go down to the bridge and grab the 23 warm beer from the truck then head about a mile out to the next camp and have one last night on the river, OR, we could go down to the bridge, drink the warm beer then head to the house for ice cold beer and a BBQ dinner. Guess what won?

Rob had already called Irene a day before saying we would be out earlier than planned, but he called back that night to let her know we would be out the next day and we knew a feast would await us.

After dinner that night Christy and I launched the boat and paddled back up to the rapid to give the fishing a go but had no luck as we casually drifted back downstream. In the last bend before getting back to camp I hooked into a monster pike. It was towing the canoe around and in circles as it made runs against the drag on my reel. It was not something we could boat so we picked a piece of shoreline and went in to beach it once I had it tired out a bit. The boat grounds on shore, I step out rod in hand, and sink to my knee in mud. Crap!

Standing one leg on mud, the other in the boat, I gently drag the fish to shore and in it's thrashing to free itself it just jumps further onto shore. I drop the rod in the mud, grab the fish and heave it into the boat. Wiping the mud off and slowing my breathing before picking it up for some quick photo's, then back over the side and hang onto the tail, holding it upright for 10 minutes or so as it regains its strength, only letting go when it can swim off under its own power. By far my best canoeing pike but also my biggest yet, 37 inches long.



We headed back to camp so I could tend to my bleeding finger where it gilled me and Christy went back out for more, boating another pike of similar size and several pickerel before coming in just before dark.

I did say we like to fish right?

It was a quiet night and the 5th in a row I had no bearanoia whatsoever, although the Melatonin I took every night must have helped a bit.

 

[Mihun09]

Stirring in the dark of morning, listening... is that thunder? I could hear that most of the others were already up, not something that was uncommon on this trip, but sure enough there was rumbles of thunder all around.



A wet tent is heavier in the pack when facing the longest port at the start of the day, the 660! Rob left early since he knew he had to cut it out and although he had an hour head start he had only finished cutting it when we arrived. We had taken our leave before the others just due to the fact we had 6 carries for any port and didn't want to clog the port up, we had tried to be the last over on all previous ones to avoid this issue. 3 carries each.

I took a pack the first trip and the lack of water in the area proved to be a bonus on the port since it was fairly dry. There was still muck to deal with, but the stream in the middle was dry. The difficult part was really only the mud. Do I try to walk across the logs in the hole or go for the mud? When I took the canoe on the second carry I decided mud was better than potentially doing in an ankle falling off a log. In one spot I sunk to almost my knee in the muck and when I pulled my foot out my shoe didn't come with it. I dropped the canoe to my right, pulled my shoe out and put it back on. Christy was right behind and helped me get the canoe back up on my shoulders and I pushed through the end.



As with all the ports on this trip, everyone helped where they could, be it carrying our gear or us helping with their gear or boats. It really was a team effort to get across even the shortest portages. Stuff needs to get from A to B and we got it done in fine style.





The low water presented some issues with egress at the ends of the ports, either boulders or loon crap, but we prevailed. The other two ports that day were walks in the park compared to the first and we were all glad the longest port was the first one we tackled.

At some point during the day, Miranda, having lamented about not seeing any turtles during the trip, did her best imitation of one on the 660.

After the last port, and the temperature rising all day, we were all wondering around which curve the bridge would appear!







We saw a bear on the way back to Marshall to get my vehicle, in a small way I'm happy I didn't see one during the trip. After getting organized at Marshall and heading back to G'Town we drove into a monumental thunderstorm with sideways rain, wind I thought might blow us off the road and hail that last a full ten minutes and grew to the size of mothballs. It was truly phenomenal.




Dinner was truly awesome and ice cold beer. 6 new friends who went out and conquered and yes, you didn't kill us Rob. After dinner Rob and Robin used their laptops hooked up to Rob's big screen to run through their photo's. Robin even had video and his "f'in hail" was priceless.
Once again we set up air mats on the floor of Rob and Irene's great room for a final night in town before we went our separate ways.

~~

Although the canoe trip was over, the trip wasn't since we finished it in style. Our original plan to stop in Thunder Bay for the night got scrapped with an early start Friday morning and we drove all the way to Dryden, got a motel, ate Domino's Philly Cheese Steak Pizza, watched the PGA tour event and drank the wine B&M gave me as a belated birthday present. To top it off, Christine got to go to a gun show the next day.

Ugliest Bridge in Ontario


This proves it!


Dryden




We wish to thank Rob and Irene for the amazing hospitality and our friends Robin, Brad and Miranda for a great trip and memories.

 

[Rippy]

Great TR Karin. Glad to hear that Bearaphobia wasn't a problem.

 

[snapper]

What a wonderful trip. Like many others I'm sure, I had hoped to join you all when this first came up but life sometimes changes plans. I'm so glad for the rest of you that it proceeded as planned. I can only hope that something like this is offered in the future. It would be a pleasure to travel with each of you!

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[HOOP]

Great TR Mihun09! A little bit of everything: tough portages, hard paddling in the wind, weather, loon crap slogging, swimming at base of falls, nice camps, wildlife viewing, fish dinners, good food, good hosts, and guide-with-chainsaw, post-trip celebrations.....Wow, I am tired out after that long vicarious trip experience....think I will have a beer!

 

[memaquay]

Great pics! That was one whopper of a pike, I bet that place is crawling with those monsters, can't believe you guys swam there!

 

[Robin]

Hi, I came out form Marshall lake this afternoon at 1 pm, sort of a post trip solo trip, lots more wind but the 4 days solo was a real treat, sort of the topping after our group trip.

These TR's are great, I'm in Hearst, Ontario, I have a 15 hour day of driving tomorrow, so I'll hold off on my contribution.

Good time on the trip with great folks, Thanks for including me.

 

[memaquay]

Geeze Robin, you missed another gut buster of a meal! Have a safe drive home!

 

[Sturgeon]

Another superb trip report. Thanks for sharing it with everyone.

 

[daveo4]

Great TR. Wish I was there. Thanks.
Dave

 

[Mama]

Great pictures, lots of wildlife sightings. Looks like a fun trip. Thanks for sharing a great trip report.