Packed up and left camp, went across the lake and headed up Moose River. We expected this river to be calm and serene like it was on the way in. Nanny stated she hated for the adventure to be over. The Lake was just too calm. Well, thanks to Nanny, we found a very different river from the calm one on which we’d paddled in. After about 5 inches of rain during the night, the Moose was really flowing---naturally going the wrong way. We had to fight the current all the way up, but stayed tight to the grass and on the inside of the bends, so it wasn’t too bad. Cuz did get wet to the waist trying to cross the first beaver dam, but that was really our only mishap. Cuz and Donnie were able to use their knowledge of sailing a couple of times as the ‘tacked’ across the creek. Often we would hear Donnie, ‘Draw Carol, draw!’

We made it up to the 160-rod portage without too much trouble, and finished our second and last trip through the portage just before 3:00 PM. Laura from Piragis was right on time with the shuttle, and we enjoyed the comfortable van seats on the ride to Ely. We got everything boxed back up and shopped in the store at Piragis for a while. We had a fine supper at Cranberry’s, along with several Labatts, and later a bottle of wine topped off the evening. We relaxed in the motel for the evening, and had a post-mortem discussion of the trip. We all felt we’d done well for age 50 some (I am the youngest) and that it had been a real adventure. We’re already planning what we’ll leave and what we’ll take the next time.

Quote of the day (from Donnie during the difficult trip upstream in the swift water): “Carol, when in doubt, don’t think, just paddle!”