Early to bed, early to rise, again.  We arose before 5 AM this morning to grab a quick shower, our last for 6 days, and meet our guides for the trip to Quetico.  After taking traveling clothes to the truck, i.e. clothes we would not take into the wilderness, we met our guides and good friends, Harry and Mary, at 5:30 AM for a continental breakfast.  Shortly afterward, the canoes and packs were loaded onto jon boats for the 20+ mile motorized portion of the trip.  For the first time since our first trip in 2002, I paddled from the bow position; Mary was in the stern seat.  The paddle was smooth, with calm conditions and flat water.

Harry and Mary setting up camp

We arrived at our destination, a small island adjacent to White Island in Basswood Lake, at 9:30 AM, unpacked the canoes, and fished while Harry and Mary set up camp.

Kay steered us from the front of the canoe, and I managed to catch a few fish on a gray and white Clouser.  We returned to camp, unpacked, took a swim in the lake, our first ever, and relaxed prior to a wonderful pan-fried steak dinner.  It’s going to be a good week.