TO 10’ FALLS/d ... (easy full day, could make it in a 1/2 day) -- July 12

Paddle west 2 miles then north through a lake like stretch 5-6 miles, then NW (avoiding deep bay to the south) following the left shore after this deep bay.

R as you come down the left shore see powerful big rapid ahead (Clay & Bill shot). Much easier run found by paddling around to the right of large island to the right (above the 1st fast water). Here we shot a small swift and then shot main pitch left at the top crossing to the right of a little island in the way, running out to the right side of the right channel around a little island.

Swift, very small.

R A very large and powerful rapid runs past a beautiful rock C.S. Large shoal to the right of main current with small channel flowing to the right of the shoal and down past the C.S. Scout R from shoal if possible. We shot just to the left of the shoal, staying to the right of a large rock partly covered with water and the huge stacks in the main current, pulling into the eddy to the right (below the shoal). After the C.S. we ran to the far left shooting next to the left shore at the very bottom of the rapid avoiding low ledge like rock formation.

R. (Just below the previous rapid) Scout from small island. We shot to left of island shooting left of this channel, avoiding a shoal in the middle and right side.

P. 150 yds on left around a 20’ falls (second R marked on this 4-1 map). Takes out on a grassy landing at the lip of the falls. We bushed a beautiful lunch side directly across from the end of the portage!

Paddle 2 miles of calm water.

R. (Scout on right) We shot far right (about 10 yds from the shore) avoiding the stacks in the center.

Paddle 1 mile

P. 100 ydr on right around 10’falls. (3rd rapid marked on this channel on 4-1 map). Landing in small eddy on right shore slightly hidden by 2 islands in the way, have to shoot a small channel of fast water up to the unloading spot (only big enough for 3 canoes at a time!) Tricky.

C.S. at top of portage is beautiful. Possible C.S. also at foot of the falls off the portage trail.

Made it through another day of rapids no sweat today. It was excellent! Made it through the rapid where in 1970 (the last time Wabun did this trip) two or 3 canoes swamped. I’m really getting into this trip now. Before I had so many apprehensions, fears about getting wind bound on Mistassini, will I get lost, can I work off 4-1 maps easily, how bad the rapids were going to be. Now though most these fears have passed and as long as I keep my respect for the rapids and don’t misjudge anything (& that’s an awful big if!), I’ll be all set. Some really hairy rapids ahead (a mile stretch of rapids….). Today was the first really nice day of weather since the day crossing Mistassini. All our days since we got trucked except for yesterday and today have been half days (stopping at the campsite for lunch). Today we had lunch across from a beautiful 10’ falls. The country up here is amazingly beautiful. We’ve only seen one boat full of people since we left Mistassini! No other people. Well, the clouds are starting to fill the sky. We have a rest day there tomorrow, hope it’s nice but I expect it will be raining. We are going to repack all the wanningans & get rid of most of the babies (duffels holding food) that we have. I’m so paranoid of running out of food. We’ll be able to find out tomorrow how much of everything there is and if it will last the trip. Typical breakfast here is dry fruit (soaked overnight), oatmeal (or Cream of Wheat) and bacon. The bacon will run out in about one more week and after that we’ll cook a bannock the night before to have then (as long as we have enough flour). Lunches are cornbread baked the morning (with BPB & J ) and some kind of rice or macaroni based meal with soup or some other junk mixed in. Dinners always rice, potatoes, macaroni, or spaghetti, along with some mixture. Oh, Hardy figured out how to do the freeze dried stuff (with a certain special mixture of spices) so it really tastes good. Spanish Rice tonight -- one of my favorites.

Later: Great Spanish Rice. We ate 4 pannicans (8 cups) worth of dry rice. Mixed in with 2 frying pans worth of sauce. So good! The other section took a rest day today so we’re ahead of them now. They plan to pass us tomorrow. I'm going to attempt to fix my canoe which has a rib (part of the wooden support in it) which has rotted away. I’m definitely getting into the swing of things now. It is so beautiful up here. I love just paddling through mile after mile of wilderness, every bend seeing new views –beautiful country.

I shall attempt some bread tomorrow also. I didn’t bring enough yeast though, so I’m going to experiment using less yeast and just letting it sit around longer before mixing everything else in.