David and I shared a tent. I placed my shoes outside with my socks hoping they would dry. They didn’t. The roar of the falls ahead kept me awake. It also drove me crazy.  I should have brought earplugs.  In addition I realized my sleeping pad was not very good. I tossed and turned all night.

The next morning was brisk and crisp-- no 80-degree weather up here. I put on new socks and a second part of shoes. We broke camp and loaded the gear into the canoes for a short jaunt to the next portage.  I have little recollection the next two portages. However, there were more bogs to trot through and hills to climb. I remember one trail from the start of a portage made a steep ascent that was tricky to get up.  How did the voyageurs do this with 90lb packs?! At the top on one portage was a majestic waterfall (the same one that kept me up) that we took pictures near.  After these two portages the trip got much easier.

Nearing noon we entered Baptism Lake.  Less than a mile from the entrance to the lake we found a campsite on a small island. Neil had camped there many times before. Once we passed the falls the scenery of the Quetico changed to rocky islands and coniferous forests. It reminded me of the north shore of Lake Superior. The island we were on was no different- rocky shoreline, pines, and plenty of moss and fallen trees. We made camp and awaited a scrumptious meal made by Neil. Although we were in the wilderness, Neil brought a two-burner gas stove. David and Neil fished in the afternoon and caught two Northerns, which we ate for dinner. At nearly every meal we ate these fish. According to Neil, There are no other species of fish in the lake. A popular trout lake, Cache, is nearby but the portage to it is nearly two and a half miles. Needless to say, that portage has a bad reputation, but rightly so.

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