Finally getting into the BWCAW...

Kiwishiwi Lake at sunset...

Once and a while you get lucky with your schedule at work.  Usually I don't, as I'm a bottom of the seniority list regional airline pilot, and it's pretty hard to get what I bid for, (I know- complain, complain after taking tons of trips, sorry- I should shut up), but this month ended up pretty sweet due to a mistake in our bidding process.  Long story short, I got to name my days off this month, and it just so happened that Alison had a stretch of days off between flying trips herself, so we got 6 days off together.  Nice.  Seeing as we just bought our first canoe this year, it was time to get out into the BWCAW in Northern MN.  

We couldn't be picky about where we entered, as most people reserve their entry permits sooner than a couple days before.  :)  Oh well.  We ended up entering at Kawishiwi Lake.  Most people were avoiding this area as it was on the far eastern tip of the big P.G. Fire from last year, so there is a stretch of burn zone you end up paddling through early on.  We thought it would be neat to see though, and it was.  A sea of blackened dead trees, surrounded by new growth and lots of wildflowers.  The portages were pretty.  Didn't get any portage pictures though; sorry, I guess I was carrying a boat.  :)

Portage point at the north end of Kawasachong Lake...

Paddling the burn...

If you care to see on a map where we were- we paddled from Kawishiwi Lake, to Square Lake, to Kawawschong Lake, then portaged through Townline Lake to Lake Polly, where we spent a couple days/nights.  The first night we were tired from the day's journey, and got the last campsite on the Lake.  Being that most of the route was burn area, it funnels everyone into Polly or further and camping gets tight.  It was funny being out in a wilderness area and having it feel just like the populated Superior Hiking Trail.  Whether we're bike touring, backpacking, or canoeing, it seems like we're always fighting to find a place to sleep.  There sure are a lot of people in the world.

First Polly campsite in the morning...

The second morning at Polly, we snagged what I think is the choicest campsite- a small island right in the middle of the lake.  We thought it would be a great spot to chill out for a day, so we did.  We swam, napped in our hammock, cooked, fished, and then did more of the same.  Good to relax in the woods once and a while.  

We also got out for some good twilight floats close to camp during the evenings.  Loons calling all over, and fish jumping and the smell of campfires...

Paddling back between Kawaschong and Square...

Beaver dams call for a bit of quick grunt work...

The last night we relaxed some more on Kawishiwi before exiting in the next morning.  Chopped wood, burnt wood, ate food, looked at stars...

I did quite a bit of fishing during the trip (yeah, I started dabbling in this MN pass-time while out in our boat this year), and I watched pretty much every other party we met catch a ton of various fish, with not much luck myself.  I'm much more of a REI type than a Gander Mtn. type, but I did catch, fillet, and eat one small northern pike while out there.  Alison and I have become close to vegetarian at most times, but this is one tasty bit of animal food I enjoy occasionally.   I brought out some seasoning in hopes that I'd find a fish worth cooking up, and it was pretty tasty.  Plus, I think you have to do this to earn you Northern MN badge, so to speak.  

We had a great time floating the water paths of the BWCAW this first time, and will definitely go back when we have the chance between balancing work and so many other types of outdoor obsessions.  I found it to be very much like bike touring and backpacking, being that you are self sufficient, traveling/exploring places you've never seen, and don't have to return home for at least a few nights.  These tend to be my favorite times outside.  It takes some time to unwind and a few nights "on the trail" does the trick.