Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA)

Neighbor Andy, neighbor Erick, friend Mark, friend Jimmy, nephew Will and I took a trip to northern Minnesota for a 7 day - 6 night canoe camping trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA).  We traveled with 3 adults and 3 kids aged 12-13.  Mark provided Satellite Tracking that was available to friends and family at home.  Each night he "pinged" our location and people at home could use the internet to see where we were.  Here is a screen shot of the tracking page from share.delorme.com:

The yellowish border is the boarder between the U.S. and Canada.  At our closest we were about 5 miles from Canada.  (Makes me wonder why we are so worried about the Mexican border when you can walk or canoe uninhibited into the country from the north).

Here is a photo of one of our maps.  The outfitter that we rented canoes from, Tuscarora Lodge and Canoe Outfitters, provided us with a map and took some time the night before we left to mark out routes.  This is a photo of a map I purchased after the trip was over.  I marked out our routes.

Pictures of the trip:

Left to Right: nephew Will, Erick and Jimmy

Andy, myself, Erick, Jimmy and Will on the dock the night before departure.  

Bunkhouse 4 at Tuscarora outfitters

Map on the wall of the outfitters

Picture before departing

Jimmy practicing to portage a canoe

I think the map is upside down

Mark catching some zzzzz's

3 Loons

Let's fish

Uncle of the Year

Nice view from camp

Will portaging the Kevlar cane

Filleting one of the nine Walleyes Jimmy caught.  

Walleye for dinner 

Nice Northern Erick

Delicious Bass

Erick and I exhausted after a long portage

Cold night starting a fire

Foggy morning

Mark snuck up on me at 6:30 a.m. while I was deep in thought on a crossword puzzle

Check out the video of Will cliff jumping:

Still shot of cliff jump - check out his shadow

Beautiful Lake - Peter Lake - and a beautiful cliff jump.  Not another soul around. 

Midday moon

More crossword puzzles

Imparting life's wisdom to Will and Erick

Walking the canoe down a shallow stream connecting two lakes

Calm waters - time to relax

I got it Will - take it easy

Will - ready for a portage

Check out the bag that Erick manhandled all week

Saw and ate lots of wild raspberries and blueberries 

Rainy night

Jimmy, Will and I getting ready for another portage

Jimmy snuck up on me during a nap

Resting in the middle of a portage between lakes

Pack, oars and aluminum canoe

Will - looking a little ragged on last portage

Group shot pulling into outfitters at the end of the trip!

Group shot at end of trip at same place as day one photo

Like any good adults, we took the boys to a Wisconsin bar for pizza, beer and pool

The boys bellied up the the bar with their new friend.  Check out his shirt. 

Whose guns got bigger from all the paddling?? I think Jimmy takes it.