Contents:
- The Day’s Basic Data and Map
- Some Pre-Dawn Wind-Free Paddling
- Rapids At the West End of Larus Lake
- A Coming Storm Has Us Change Plans
Previous Post: Day 4: Murdock Lake to Larus Lake
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The Day’s Basic Data and Map
- distance: 26 kilometers over 7 hours
- weather: morning sunshine; afternoon rain and thunderstorm; evening overcast and threatening to rain
- rapids/portages: 1 set of rapids -W07- which we portaged 135 meters
- campsites: a nicely sheltered one on a point just below the entrance to Barclay Lake
- Natural Resources Canada Topo Map: 052 M 07 (Sabourin Lake)
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Some Pre-Dawn Wind-Free Paddling
We got up at 4:45! While we had both gotten some sleep, the bear cub – and its mother – were still on our minds. So too was the wind. We did not want to be windbound for a second day. By 5:30 we were off with plans to have breakfast after dealing with the 3.5-km. stretch of open water.
The lake was still very calm and the paddling went easy. We agreed we should be doing this more often! When we passed by the lodge on the south tip of the island we left behind the open section of the lake for a more closed-in river feel. If anyone was at the lodge, it was likely too early for them to be up and about!
Larus island lodge
sun rises as we look back after dealing with the open stretch of Larus Lake
There are many great things about paddling in the early morning – that coolness, the stillness and tranquillity, and that chance to catch a view of some of the locals getting a bite to eat. This moose just stood there and watched as we paddled by shortly after sunrise.
moose sighting on the way to Barclay Lake
moose closer up
post-burn birches along the Bloodvein
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Rapids At the West End of Larus Lake
sat view of W07 at the west end of Larus Lake
W07 P135
We stopped for breakfast shortly after seven at the top of W07, our only portage of the day. By now, the sun was more than up – as the following pic shows –
sun up on the Bloodvein from the top of W07 Rapids
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A Coming Storm Has Us Change Plans
Later in the morning, as we neared the channel going up to Sabourin Lake we met our first fishermen of the trip – a couple of boats which had come down to the Bloodvein from the lodge on the lake. We left them behind and headed for the next target – Barclay Lake. The plan was to find a campsite on Barclay – the map above has a number indicated – and then head up to Musclow Lake the next morning to see the pictograph site.
We never did get that far. We could definitely feel some nasty weather coming in, so at about two when we passed the spit shown in the images above, we decided to stop paddling and get the tent and tarp right away.
The spit has some beautiful fair-weather tent spots on top of the hill. However, we took advantage of the shelter that some trees and the hill itself provided down in the suburbs near the north side shore.
The tent was barely up when it started pouring. We watched as a couple of fishing boats raced by; we wondered how long it would take them to get to the lodge on Sabourin Lake – if that was where they were going. In any case, there is no way they ended up being anything other than totally d.
campsite south of Barclay Lake
This had been the easiest day of the trip so far with one easy 135m portage and some nice paddling. We had also been lucky to get off the river when we did; Barclay Lake could always wait until the next day.
a sky full of clouds foreshadowing tomorrow’s rain
Next Post: Day 6: south of Barclay Lake to Artery Lake
Ramblin' Boy 