We had been into Quetico for a week before paddling Sturgeon one of the park's largest lakes to arrive here. We had to sit for a spell in a cove while paddling it as the gusts had whipped the waves into a froth and even though we were moving with it we were taking water over the stern. When I thought the wind had backed off enough we set out again and set our course, diagonally for a chain of small islands that straddled the lake hoping to take advantage of their lee shore. On this kind of day the wind just blows and abates only slightly. We were within about four hundred yards of the first island and the wind as it can do picked up in increased velocity but we just kept the bow with the wave and managed with only a few heart stopping moments to paddle into the lee of the first island. We hopscotched the rest of the way across the lake behind the islands. We were paddling from the last island to a protected lee of a point when Boomer, my dog, decided to go for a walk. He got up abruptly from his seated position in the stern, walking across the packs unbalancing the canoe and sat down behind Caroline. No amount of coaxing could budge him and after a couple of waves put water over the gunwales I thought it was just best to leave him and focus on keeping us upright so we wouldn't get swamped. We managed to get in behind the point without tipping and turned towards this sand point which was a welcome sight. No one was on it and as the bow of the canoe nudged into the sand shore my smile grew deeper and the ache in my arms dissipated completely.
Northern Blue, ol on canvas, 28 x 70 inches, 2013
We had been into Quetico for a week before paddling Sturgeon one of the park's largest lakes to arrive here. We had to sit for a spell in a cove while paddling it as the gusts had whipped the waves into a froth and even though we were moving with it we were taking water over the stern. When I thought the wind had backed off enough we set out again and set our course, diagonally for a chain of small islands that straddled the lake hoping to take advantage of their lee shore. On this kind of day the wind just blows and abates only slightly. We were within about four hundred yards of the first island and the wind as it can do picked up in increased velocity but we just kept the bow with the wave and managed with only a few heart stopping moments to paddle into the lee of the first island. We hopscotched the rest of the way across the lake behind the islands. We were paddling from the last island to a protected lee of a point when Boomer, my dog, decided to go for a walk. He got up abruptly from his seated position in the stern, walking across the packs unbalancing the canoe and sat down behind Caroline. No amount of coaxing could budge him and after a couple of waves put water over the gunwales I thought it was just best to leave him and focus on keeping us upright so we wouldn't get swamped. We managed to get in behind the point without tipping and turned towards this sand point which was a welcome sight. No one was on it and as the bow of the canoe nudged into the sand shore my smile grew deeper and the ache in my arms dissipated completely.