Unpacking, then repacking the packs we packed before hitting the water.
Loading up on the water for the first time....one of the many times we would do this with the large number of portages on this trip. It didn't take long for the group to work together, with each person fulfilling a specific role. By the end we had it down to a science!
Our first camp site after day #1. By this time we're still fairly clean and no one has discovered our lack of bread and pancake mix. :-)
Bri with a little froggy-frog! Question is, Which one is more cute?
Dad, Patty and me in the kevlar canoe. God blessed us with beautiful weather like this pretty much the entire time. When it did rain, it was light rain off and on. And there was only one hard headwind to speak of, and that only lasting a couple hours---a perfect first-trip for the newbies!
Bry took every opportunity he could to catch the "Big One". Maybe he thinks the bright orange will attract more fish....? :-)
Bry and Dad Acheson with one of the many whopper bass that Bry hauled in. Bryant had more success with catching bass than anyone else on the trip. Nice fish, Bry!
Here's Bry man-handling his canoe, a typical site on our trip. Partnered with Brynn in the front seat, these two fitness fiends easily motored to the front after every portage. Next time, we're bringing our water skis!
No, that's not a Northern Pike! That's a MONSTER walleye Brynn hauled in after we trolled by a rocky point near our camp. Bry and I are in the pic because we were the expert paddlers who masterfully controlled our vessel to give Brynn the precise trolling speed so appealing to monster walleye. I'll also note that the fish was hooked one of my "hot-n-tot" lures.
Because we didn't have a net, our method for landing fish was to negotiate the fish up to the edge of the boat to the person without a fish on, and that person would attempt to clamp the jaw of the fish with a pair of needle-nose pliers. (this sometimes required the person with the fish on to quickly find and toss the pliers to the other end of the canoe). I was so nervous when I identified this fish that my first clamping broke through the fish's jaw, plopping him back into the water. Thankfully, he didn't get loose and we all got fat on walleye that night.
Nice fish, Brynn!!
Bryant and I enjoying the fabulous weather. I'm the dry one in the picture. :-) The bigger they are, the harder they fall, Bry! (you can see Bry holding on to the left end of the canoe on the right). I did fall once, but only after turning around too far to watch Bry fall!
Before departing our second-to-last camp site. Nice weather! No mosquitos!
Bry was on a quest to find the perfect cliff-jumping spot, and on the last leg of the last day we found one. Bry was, of course, the first to jump.
The girls went next, jumping together!
Bry, Dad and me trying to convince Dad to take the big plunge! Unfortunately Brynn didn't capture it on her camera, but Dad did eventually jump. Nice job, Dad, you still got it!
Bri making one last haul at the last take-out point. The funniest story of the trip came on account of Bri accidentally carrying another camper's canoe at one of the portages! Many of the canoes look similar, and we were so tired of hauling our gear, that it was an easy mistake to make. The other campers were sure delighted to have a break! Thanks for the laughs, Bri! :-)
Here's the whole crew at the "Chainsaw Sisters Saloon", a landmark at the final take-out point on our journey near Ely, Minnesota. We're all tired, hungry, and in desperate need of a hot shower! It was a great trip, and I'm so glad everyone was able to make it. Thanks for viewing!!
