The Royce Files

I am not sure I slept a wink in the bow of my 15 foot canoe as I waited for daybreak. As the first glimpse of daylight peaked out near 5AM, I set out. The rushing water sound proved to be a beaver dam and I pulled the canoe over it. I'd see nearly a dozen of these on this trip some more treacherous than others. I then made headway to Nina Moose Lake. Upon entering the lake I discovered my craft was not tracking very straight. In fact it was going in circles. This did not bode well will me. I did my best to cross the lake making one mistaken detour into a bay. I up the Nina Moose River. Not a soul was awake until after my first portage at 9AM. I took in some nourishment and continued at a torpid pace on the river with a badly tracking canoe. I'd often end up in the weedy section of the river while attempting to navigate straight. Nearing mid-day I arrived at Lake Agnes and began to discover that the wind also was playing a part in my poor tracking. Even a slight breeze ...

After wandering up the Echo Trail I found myself spending the night right on the shore of Nils Lake. This followed my failing to take the advice that Fenske Lake Campground is always full of boaters. At least it did not cost anything and was rather comfortable. I was up by 8 and bound for Ely hitting Zups Grocery for some food and then the city park where I cooked up eggs and Canadian bacon. At 10 most of the town propieters open for business. I seek out a yoke for my Mad River Escape 15 to no avail at Piragis. I need to be creative now. I visit the hardware stores in town to pick up some hardware for an improvised yoke. I then get waylaid looking at Boys' Life at an antique shop and other stores before I eventually buy a cooking pot at Canadian Border Outfitters and head up the to the Moose River entry point on the Echo Trail. I think I arrive at 4:30 but it takes me until almost 6 until I am on the water. This delay is mostly due to never having put together the Escape 15 ...