8-Day Solo through Icy Lake Superior

this wall of ice on Lake Superior is the size of a large city but the only hustle and bustle you'll find here is the jostling of water and ice it's early spring and I'm rolling the dice with this ice out trip this Crystal Fortress has to melt in the next few days for the roote to be possible the rain and warmth and equally important wind and waves are the soldiers of spring fighting back against this icy Empire for now my trip starts from the Coastal Village of rosport in the shelter of some small Islands the surface skimmed over a bit here last night which seems like a bit of a bad Omen but I've been watching the ice at home from sad light and it's been receding rapidly we'll see if I time this trip right but it's up to the weather now there are two Open Water Crossings to start off here and then there's a massive Island on the other side of them which should be the first stop for this trip just about done the first Crossing and these cluster of islands is it's not your typical Island they're very special world's largest freshwater lake by surface area and then you have these huge Islands within it they're so big that they contain good size Lakes within them and some of those have Islands on them not to mention lots of wildlife Bears moose links Fishers and some really good fishing within those Island Lakes but they're still frozen it's my first real canoe trip of the Season sun shining it's calm I'm in Paradise come here little fella it's a nice duck quite rare be free really want to see one of these fall into the water that's a beautiful one just about to start the second bigger Crossing than it'll be on Simpson Island a big chunk of which burnt years ago so you'll be seeing that and there's surprising amount of ice and snow left here on the shorelines so find a camp is going to be a little more challenging be a little Slimmer pickings I'm sure I'll make something work my goal for today was to get around to the other side of Simpson Island to the mait straight and there I'll have reasonable shelter from anything that kicks up on the lake got the tent up and dry suit off feels really good there are some fresh mousse droppings here you can tell they're fresh cuz they're still glistening and these things are actually packed with protein little known fact acquired taste but cocoa flavor nutty this spot's still a few hours Short of where I plan to stop today but I have a huge wall of ice ahead of me on my root so I need to give that time to melt to have any chance of actually going around the big island so what's the rush and also wanted to stop here because there should be really good morning sun to help me warm up it's going to be a little below freezing tonight according to the forecast around freezing throughout the trip so morning sun feels really good in those conditions going to get some dinner going first let's have a look at the map so today I traveled from rosport across to Vain Island Simpson Island and I'm camped on this Shore here and this map I have noidea where i't got it years ago but that only covers to the mait straight so I've got my a trusty guide book for this area and the plan for this trip is to go around stus Island I've been on this Shore a couple of times and I absolutely love it but I'm here to explore the NorthShore of the islands but there is still a bunch of ice here I can see on Noah satellite imagery so we'll see if that actually melts in time otherwise I'll have some fun around here [Music] jalapeno and cheddar smokies with a little extra fresh jalapeno [Applause] Superior always delivers the magic this Trip's just getting started very chilly though thick Frost over everything so sun feels amazing it's time to get breakfast going big pan of cheese and potato progis with onion jalapeno oh yeah [Applause] just sanitizing my dishes by boiling them and then I'm on my way looks like a beauty tiny bit of fresh ice along the shoreline really beautiful excited to see go around this island and see this burnt area which is a pretty cool contrast versus the ice got my dry suit on just around my waist and if I have to go offshore at all then I'll put it on Sun's hot this is just awesome [Music] there's a surprising amount of ice out here but it's super thin and along the shoreline the wave action breaks it up so can plug along here shouldn't last [Applause] [Applause] all that orange stuff on the rocks is called xanthoria and it's a lyan or a lyen a lionized fungus I think is the technical term that's the open Lake out there and the swell is allowed to come in here there's nothing blocking it so it's chopping up here a little bit but perfectly [Applause] manageable amazing color to The Rock [Applause] all that ice is stacked up here against this point and with the chop decided not to go through it just be a bit of a risk so I'll go around it have to go a little offshore the first chunk of this trip there supposed to be onshore winds so I'm sticking under the nipan Bayside behind the islands and then for the back half of the trip it's supposed to switch and come from the North and then it'll be on the other side of the islands [Applause] hopefully the deepest part of Lake Superior I think is a bit over, 1300 ft out there is the deepest part of nippan bay it's close to 5 00 ft I sometimes wonder what's down there all I know is I don't want to join [Applause] them well I'm really glad I didn't push for the off at straight yesterday in the end there's been nowhere to Camp really there's more snow and ice so it would have been really slim pickings got a fabulous Tailwind today pushing me up Simpson Island and like I said yesterday there's a wall of ice in front of me that needs time this wind should really help it should be digging right into that big chunk of ice so today's going great then we're nice to startop for lunch today so lunch on the go these long titanium spoons really come in handy for for these meals coconut curry this is one of the better free dried meals I've had really good all right I got a full belly and the off straights in sight promising start here a few bald eagles couple ERS what else will turn up [Music] [Applause] got a spot to check in out here there's no missing this pretty interesting that someone left some Moka chairs up here I hope it's not private property but I couldn't see any structure or anything like that so I think it's just a public campsite it's pretty nice great view again I just prefer really clean pristine sites rather than stuff but I'll think about it go a little further I might come back this is pretty tasteful though oh is that no I thought it was like a foot stool that could have sealed the deal this is a pretty cool looking spot too got some options first fish of the trip on the way mostly likely case is lake trout but that almost small it's small trout might be a Brookie I think it might I think it might [Applause] be it's fairly pale so it could be could go either way single barbless hooks got to keep that line tight strong little fish there yep nice little Superior Brook troat get that fish back right away there's a very limited size and window for keeping brook trout on Superior to protect the amazing fishery here because they can get absolutely huge here but a nice start paddling to a little island here in the straight and this seems like the place to be all sorts of birds and wildlife and the fish are evidently biting love if something worked out [Applause] here another interesting spot here set up with this big wire spool and a ladder for swimming I think very cool spot and a fantastic view tempting yet again but not a great tin pad here I think these are just Shor lunch spots cuz there's nowhere to camp and it' be a bit of a squeeze for the hammock I'm probably going to to stay at this next campsite for two nights so it' be nice to have a bit more Breathing Room I've got lots of options now and I'll just keep looking have time I want something really good started paddling up the street decided not to push my luck got three great Island options here and I think I made my choice [Applause] had to take this one I love Moka chairs as far as installations go these giant spools are actually pretty nice view is amazing and the weather is supposed to get kind of nasty the next two days and this seems like the best place to ride it out so I'm happy camper so tomorrow's the big Eclipse best one in 50 years I think since the 70s and it's supposed to be totally overcast go figure so I probably won't be needing these everything's pitch black except the sun it's kind of cool so here's where I ended up today around sson Island into the Moffet straight and I'm going to probably stay here tomorrow night as well base camp and explore the area and then continue hopefully the next day along here but this was all ice when I left so it need the weather to do some [Applause] work toal in toight Sunset View what I do [Music] check the forecast this morning for day three and it looks like rain later today and through the night and tomorrow with cool temperatures so upgraded the shelter got a nice dry space here under the tarp some stick fuel if I want to use the stick stove and the tent now opens out onto this dry area so be a lot more comfortable if it turns nasty big bucket of granola with seeds nuts and fruit and tea on the burner this morning to get going as quickly as possible want to make use of the day before it gets nasty and the moof it straight according to my gu book has some pretty good fishing and there's a lot of wildlife here so can't wait to get going it's getting ready to leave Sun's breaking out and my hose for the water filter is sprung a leak I went and looked at it there's a little jump Mark so a little rodent or something took a bite out of it [Applause] well there's a little hope for the eclipse now we'll see if this holds on the wind is pretty intense today just been sheltered on my side of the island but I'll see where I can get not a great day for canoeing I think I'm going to turn around and figure something else out [Music] getting lunch going and the eclipse is supposed to start fairly soon and there's still some blue skies so there's a chance [Applause] things were looking promising for the eclipse it was coming up and there was partial visibility seemed like it was going to stay that way almost to the minute when it was scheduled to start the clouds swept right over it so didn't see a thing thankfully I wasn't expecting to see anything today with the forecast so disappointment is low also wasn't totality here like I'm not rting the path would have been 70 or 80% so it's not quite as magical [Applause] well it's coming down pretty hard now but I'm happy he a clim just had a blissful nap got gray owl to read three books in one brought good thick one on this trip in the event of bad weather of being hemmed in by Ice and I got some scatch Life's [Applause] good and of course the best thing about this rain is it's chipping away at the ice you can just see it washing away the wind Sun yesterday and the day before I'm feeling pretty optimistic [Applause] day four was a wet night and it looks like it's going be had a wet day I'm Restless dying to get going but it's not like summer rain where it's warm it's it's not a big deal it's nasty so sit tight for now [Applause] not much to report here for day four even under the tarp with my warmest clothes on it's still been a cold and damp day it's been the odd bird to provide a bit of excitement but other than that I'm very restless and I can't wait to get going tomorrow so big days ahead at least I got some rest in here because yeah I'm going to have to cover some ground in the next few days it's 90 km around sanding this island alone so got lots left if the ice lets me get through we'll see you tomorrow Sun's actually just breaking through which is a welcome sight but hypothermia is a real threat on this Lake any time of year and especially early in the season so it'd be a stupid time to be out there shivering big breakfast start off day five black beans and hash brown burritos sour cream and hot sauce onions really good I'm on the move today finally and the birds are on the move today too they're flying overhead every minute or two there's a bald eagle flying around making their lives a living Terror and I was hoping to get in a flight of my own this morning to have a look at the ice which is I don't know I think it would be within sight of the Drone if I look that way so on the other side of the island I'm might have to find out the old fashioned way it's all fogged in this morning and I couldn't fly yesterday with the rain or the day before with the wind so going and blind finally saying goodbye to Camp feels fantastically back on the move the ice sheet was about 10 km from this point when I started the trip so let's find out where it is now [Applause] h fog's clearing a bit so I did send the Drone up but I can't tell if what I'm seeing is fog or ice fascinating Shoreline here on the North Shore of St ignas and I've lived on the NorthShore of superior for almost 6 years and I've spent probably 100 is paddling I can only ever recall running into one other paddling group and what the guide book says about a campsite maybe 105 kilm down called burnt Point located on the seldom paddle North Shore of St ignis Island this long Sandy Beach is a great spot for a large group to Camp so it's describing this is seldom paddled in an already very dispersed paddling population on the world's biggest freshwater lake by surface area so there a beautiful feeling of isolation out here no I in sight yet but still a long way to go pretty good inflow here coming up wasn't even marked on my topo map just melt water there it is the water's running down a slide of ice and I've reached my hand into the water a couple times and it is scary cold C size would be just awful dry suit would buy time it would be very very dangerous it's pretty nothing tributary when it comes to this Lake and the biggest tributary on the lake the nipan river is um the other end of the bay probably 40 km away [Applause] so far so good no ice in sight but still so far to go it puts it into perspective and scale when you're trying to paddle along this whole island is long burnt point just came into view and it's there looks like there could be something there I don't know if it's ice or fog or Haze but a little anxious about it [Applause] oh no no [Music] it's just it's crazy I had to get this close to it to see it but that's the end of the road so I won't be going around the island but I'm going to go back to the mopet straight which is a fair paddle now and then go back down it and do some other exploring there is a supposed to a really strong North Wind coming in here on day seven so I need to get on to the other side of the island cuz it's going to get nasty in here and that wind's probably going to break this up but I can't just sit around here there's nowhere to Camp the shoreline is all iced in here still so it was pretty cool to see this it doesn't feel like a wasted experience by any means I'm still having a fantastic time and there a lot of other interesting places to see [Applause] finally back to the mof at straight it's now 4:30 so kind of blew the day but it was a pretty cool experience to be on the edge of the ice where it's thawing I guess I'm looking for Camp again hopefully something different though pretty fair headwind kicked up on the way back and in the straight here so see how far I get hard to believe it but I'm back same camp it's the lure of the musoka chairs I guess and it just made the most sense with the headwind and I didn't know where the next campsite would be so it'll be a quick stay be on my way early tomorrow [Music] a Frosty start to day six be cool this night yet everything froze up but I'm on my way just had granola for a quick breakfast and I want to put in hopefully a big day today after basically going nowhere the last 3 or 4 days I want to go down the Moffet straight which is about 10 km and then across the bottom of Simpson Island which is probably another 15 and close to it anyway and then I if conditions are good I might make that bigger Crossing because the forecast for the following couple of days looks nasty so i' probably be wise to get that [Applause] done blue sky behind me and pretty dark clouds ahead which are blocking out the sun just picked up a rock at this island nice little geode in it there tons of these on Superior they're all quite beautiful [Applause] sh sh there's an otter here oh and something on the shore what is that is that another otter it must be yeah it looks like it I could hear something from the shore maybe it's the young and it's begging for food you can tell that the parent got something rolling around on Shore now what a loud eater the otter chop chop chop chop chop it's probably keeping the fish out here so it can get a meal before the little one devours it OTS are really hilarious animals two of them thought there might be oh look at that it wants to come out but the parents trying to restrain it I guess or is or is that a fisher with an otter in its mouth oh my goodness oh my goodness it's hard to watch I don't know I know it's nature but it's hard to just let it happen I'm going to go over there and see what happens oh okay I guess it was apparent that's good seemed like it was attacking it like dragging it here they are just two OTs it's just really weird Behavior at first I thought it was like a parental protection thing and then it looked like it was in a real struggle so I'm happy to see that hello I'm off at straight full of life now there's another otter up on shore it just hopped in the water I don't know if that's the first otter but they're everywhere greater yellow legs don't see too many of them [Music] [Applause] it's the open Lake for the first time on this trip hopefully conditions stay good right now they're excellent very calm but some menacing clouds still hanging around [Music] [Music] even on a relatively calm day today with pretty gentle Swell this like well there's a bigger swell actually this Lake still strikes fear in the heart of paddlers at least this one it's like standing before a mountain but the mountain is fluid it's always in motion you can drown in it get hypothermia but it's one of the most beautiful sites in the world to me tucked in behind an island starting to chop up a fair bit and I was expecting an offshore Breeze in really calm conditions but it's shifted it's more or less onshore now and it's uh fairly windy so I'm going to proceed with caution there's a really exposed stretch ahead it could get bad but the good news is there are some excellent camping options here I've paddled this stretch before so if I need to hunker down then I've got option I it's not bad here I'm just having some fun seems to have calmed down a little actually just as I said it was calming down the wind picked up so I hopped off the water for a bit really fascinating place to check out here with some sea caves and it's time for a lunch stop anyway so this is perfect and we'll see how the conditions go from here earlier today I was thinking if I put in a huge day I could get home and beat this storm that's supposed to come tonight really strong winds North Wind uh lots of rain and could even turn to snow so I was kind of thinking I'd get ahead of that and just get out of here but that's almost certainly not happening at this point and this would be a pretty sweet place to ride it out I almost hope I do get stuck here when the wind blows into the front of this thing absolute unit P TI for lunch thre in a few extra fresh ingredients to the kit [Applause] that was a nice long lunch break conditions have settled down a fair bit so see if I can get around this next point yeah I'm glad I waited a little chopped up here at GRE Point points are always the worst it's not bad at all plugging away here it is now 6:35 and I'd love to stop in this sheltered Bay but now I think is my only good chance to get across the Simpson channel it's like 2 and 1 12 kilm maybe even three and the next 2 days e it' be probably pretty dangerous and following days I'm not sure so had to try today it's going to be a late night all right that's the end of Simpson Island onto the channel it's good from here there rain in the distance hopefully it's not coming this way motored through that not going to lie it's never a barrel of laughs being that far away from land in this cold water but I've got a nice sheltered paddle here in this island chain and I'm still not sure where I'm going to end up tonight but still got a bit of light well I'm at the next Crossing and for the same reason I better hammer it out tonight I've been stuck in one place waiting for cold wind rain and Ice enough on this trip it's a nice looking campsite on the next Island that I've seen before so about an hour away took me a long day kind of a beautiful experience out here it's gotten calm Sun's going down and these storm clouds looming it's actually pretty cool experience I can't wait to make Camp that's for sure quarter after 9 fully dark now the rain is held off so I'm grateful for that and I'm about to pull into this little Bay very sheltered where I'm going to set up camp always a little spooky setting up camp in the dark but I've seen the site before on another trip so I have the lay of the land somewhat and I'm glad to be in the hammock tonight for the first time on the trip You Know It's a Spooky thing in this scenario when you hear something emerge from the water thankfully I heard a beaver SM smack its tail just a minute ago so I'm sure it was that but oh my goodness so comfy well didn't get much of that storm last night bit of rain and the winds picked up but I'm really sheltered here so should be a nice little morning here before I head out was actually within an hour of rosport but I was just too exhausted to get there not to mention pack up drive home unpack so I'm happy to be here this morning hard to cut the trip short expected to be a a little longer but the conditions were what they were and this was all bonus based on getting out early with an early ice out on Superior least ice coverage I think it's had in recorded history yeah all bonus too tired for dinner last night so this is going to be good all packed up and ready to head out it's just about an hour paddle to rosport from here normally this headwind might be closer to 2 hours but anyway I really enjoyed the trip great opening to the season and debut trip for this boat too I bought it this winter and it's a 15ft prospector T4 Max layup so it's plasticky about 60 lb it's a little heavier than my 16t pal from novocraft which is about 50 lb you can feel that difference for sure and it's intended to be a Whitewater canoe for me primarily but it also is a good boat for this Lake because it's quite seaworthy and stable it's not the fastest so can't cover ground as fast as some boats but I'll take the stability on a trip like this and the plasticky layup is easier to drag up on rocks you know I try to be delicate with my boats and not grind them over rocks when they're fully loaded but it's nice when you have a bit more leeway with a layup like this it's turned into a beautiful day too weather forecasts but it's really the wind that was the concern of getting those Crossings done I didn't want to be stuck out there for days potentially so I guess I'm glad I did it overall always hard to end a trip on a sunny day though this Bay is still half iced in some people might wonder why would you even go on the trip at this time of year with all these these factors the ice and cold and the forecast wasn't excellent this is my life this I'm absolutely obsessed with canoe tripping and as soon as I can go out like a lot of other canoe Trippers I do go out so the season short and there's always a million places I want to go got to make the most of it and a week alone on this lake is always special it was really cool to get the ice out experience here too for the first time be on the edge of that ice sheet and see all the beautiful ice formations bird life was fantastic it's just getting started here as the migratory birds come through the Otters were the wildlife highlight though saw a number of them and then the one eating the fish and then the two that I was I was worried one was eating the other one but no so great trip and I can't wait for so much more this season [Music] well I noped out of that there's such a short distance and I went to all that effort yesterday to get here so I could just get home today but that's not happening right now I've been playing it safe all trip and that's the full sense of security that gets people into trouble you think oh I'm so close to the car I can take the risk it's virtually no different so no I'm going to fish even if I have to Camp here tonight this is a beautiful spot so I'm happy well it might be here for the night very good chance I will be so might as well get comfortable get everything dry should be a beautiful day would have been perfect timing to get a fish there for a short lunch but maybe for dinner if I'm still here and I still have a great lunch to cook up someday when I'm elected Supreme Chancellor I came with to start my penal colony on the [Music] moon so yesterday I came from the mopet straight around Crossing one Crossing 2 onto this island South of rosport so I'm very close maybe 4 km or so and I knew there'd be a north wind today but I figured that'd be a few kilometers of fetch offshore shouldn't be a big deal the wind ended up coming up more from Northwest or even West Northwest and that gives it 60 50 or 60 km of fetch to build so this is not a horrific day on Superior by any means but not great for an open canoe so I'm sitting tight what it's almost dinner time now cast it out a few times here and there set up the hammock to have a nice hang and I'm starting to lose the light I just checked the other side of the island and it's still raging out there incredibly calm here so picked a really good spot cuz it's freezing over there so I'm going to rehydrate some chili and I expect I'll be here for the night it's not like I'm stranded I'm comfortable I have lots of food and I should be able to get out tomorrow I think on Superior this isn't stranded this is just delayed you have to factor these days into your schedule on on this Lake [Music] [Music] so that's about it for today hopefully better conditions tomorrow morning but looks pretty dubious based on the forecast I was happy to stay here today I had a lot of fun filled the time easily and could be some good stargazing tonight supposed to be chilly and these cold nights can be pretty good for stargazing hope for that for packing up camp here at first light before anything picks up and as I woke up I could see a big chunk of the ice in this Bay had broken off and it was just sitting out there in the middle and I just slowly watched it drift over and block up the channel but I'm pretty sure I could still skirt around the edge but kind of funny oh was just messing with me it's on its way back out on my way not wasting any time today wind's supposed to kick up again later so take my chance not exactly a pleasure Cruise out here but it's doable paddling on this lake at Sunrise can be one of my favorite things in the world it's usually very calm at least in the summer and the vibe can be very special um not so much this morning but I'm across and I should be in the clear now feels good and it's a good thing I didn't dilly dally because the wind's sweeping across nippan Bay again and the waves are building town of rosport just came into view which is a comforting site you can see why I had a sense of urgency to get those Crossings done on day six but really enjoyed the trip pure bonus trip in early April and I can't wait this is my favorite time of year PR rest of the canoe tripping season ahead he

Channel: Lost Lakes

Views: 124,624

Keywords: lost lakes, camping, fishing, ontario, canada, bushcraft, backcountry angling ontario, winter, wilderness, solo

Id: 8dwt-Qznj9U

Length: 70min 43sec (4243 seconds)

Published: Sat Apr 27 2024