We Finally Saw The Moose.

Day Three

Today we travel. Our goal is to make it down to Chatterton Falls. So we want to get through Pine Portage, the Deux River, down through Sturgeon Lake. The final leg will be up to Russell Lake through the Russell River. The terrain changed incredibly throughout the day. From high cliffs on Twin Lakes, to the Deux River, which cuts back and forth through weeds and over beaver dams. You expect to see a moose around any corner.

We finally did see the moose, but not until we made it all the way down to Sturgeon Lake. There was a cow with her two calves on an island no more than ten meters long and five meters wide. We could paddle right up beside them and take pictures! On our way down Sturgeon Narrows we saw a dead moose in the water by the bank.

When we got down to Russell River, we were in for a little surprise. Trent and I decided to hang around the mouth of the river and fish for a while. So we're watching the other guys go up the river, and I noticed they're moving kind of funny. I watched the last canoe, with Phil and Jay, paddle real fast from one side of the river to the other, like they were running from something! Then they turn and race towards the other bank, when all the sudden, over they go! They just flipped over in the middle of the river! I couldn't believe my eyes.

We paddled furiously to rescue what we could of equipment and food. We knew the guys could swim. The amazing thing is, we didn't lose one pack or any food! The guys lost a few lures and a fishing pole. But we had extras of everything. After helping them pull their boat ashore to empty it out, some of the guys needed to warm up in a sleeping bag for a while!

We all agreed we needed to make it up that river. This time, though, we knew what was coming. The current was so strong, if you let your canoe get sideways for half a second, you were finished. The guy in front had to do exactly what the stern paddler said. This time no one flipped over. We made it up the river and found a great island to camp on.

The Little Things
Are So Huge

You wake up with so much energy here! It's exciting to jump out of your bag. The smells, the sunshine, the adventure... Before we get going, though, we relax with coffee made over the morning fire.