Was up in Ely last Thursday morning and had nothing to do until I needed to be in Grand Marias on Saturday morning so I opted for an overnight in the BWCA. Stopped by the ranger station to get a permit (ended up getting one for Lake One) and was also able to get the permit for PMA #11. PMA's (primitive management areas) are little known and little used pockets within the BWCA where they no longer maintain portages or campsites. You can camp anywhere but you need to blaze you own trail, although many of these areas had portages at one point. I was shooting to head into an area that 40 years ago had portages and campsites and was one of my favorite places to go with my Dad. Wanted to see what it was like now and whether or not the Pagami Creek fire had gone through there. First though I wanted to check out 2 new campsites that the Forest Service had built on Lake One, down on the dead end northeast end of the lake. The first one was occupied but looked like a nice site tucked in a little bay behind an island and on point. The second one was where the main inlet to Lake One is and it was empty. Stopped to check it out, this was also a place I went with my Dad a lot in the 60's and 70's cause the fishing in the inlet was usually pretty good. Back then this was a motor route and there is a resort on the lake so in the evening it wasn't too unusual for 3 or 4 small boats or square stern canoes to be in there fishing. Always thought as a kid that this would be a great place to camp and was bummed there weren't any campsites in the area. Well nostalgia got the better of me and I set up camp and stayed right there, the PMA will have to wait for another time.
Canoe waiting for it's load.
Paddling into the inlet, campsite is on the right.
Morning coffee.
Nice family of ducks for company.
There were a few blue berries left.
Obligatory pic with tee shirt!
This little lady was hurt pretty bad, don't think she could fly and she could barely swim.
Lot's of pollinating going on.
View from my hammock.
Love narrow channels, this was on my way out.
Canoe waiting for it's load.
Paddling into the inlet, campsite is on the right.
Morning coffee.
Nice family of ducks for company.
There were a few blue berries left.
Obligatory pic with tee shirt!
This little lady was hurt pretty bad, don't think she could fly and she could barely swim.
Lot's of pollinating going on.
View from my hammock.
Love narrow channels, this was on my way out.
