0346-63F/58F. Got up early for this last day of the trip!
0538-67F/58F. Had coffee and cookies while I did morning study. Will depart at first light. Wind finally died during the night. Too little too late! Oh well, it leaves the Tetapaga kayak trip to look forward to for another visit. Heat is on, as you can see by the temps.
0600-70F/58F. No light yet, so will read some more and finish my coffee.
Last Sunrise Of Trip
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0614-I will begin to get ready for departure since the sky is getting light in the east.
Todays Travel Area On Temagami (click to enlarge)
Hazards Departing Tetapaga Boat Site
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Approaching Base - Skies Clearing For First Leg Of Drive - Overnight Stop In Upper Michigan
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Another Boat Arrives While I Unload
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The drive home this year was a pleasure with no left over hurricane winds like last year! It was a very successful trip with generally good weather, lots of good hiking, kayaking, and drone flying. I hope to go back again next year! So come along vicariously next time!
0500-65F/62F before heat was turned on. I'm baking cookies to have with coffee. Now 70F/62F after heat is on for a while.
1 Kings 18 was one passage I read today. The message to the people was clear, choose which God you will serve! The God of Israel or Baal? Baal is represented in our day by the god's of this world such as wealth, possessions, career, indulgent pleasures, and self. Elijah clearly demonstrated who the true God is! God in his grace was seeking the heart of the people as well as Ahab, the king, by sending rain. Unfortunately, they were stubborn and hard hearted and did not repent and turn in faith to the true God. They later suffered for it!
0715-72F/61F. Sun is coming up as I read. Breeze already blowing. 10 kts or higher in the gusts. Need more weight on the solar panel!
Red Sky In The Morning - Sailor's Warning! (click to enlarge)
1000-After breakfast I got some gear packed for tomorrow. Wind is rising, now 12-15 kts and higher in the gusts. Not much I can do! Wind is supposed to go lighter later on, so I will read and wait.
1115-69F/65F. Listened to an audio book. Will snack a bit. Wind 15 kts plus! Blew my solar panel off the roof but the cord kept it from going in the water. Unfortunately, I lost both my weighted bags holding it down. I could see them but too deep to retrieve. Need heavier bags I guess?
1142-72F/66F-Continued with the audio book. Finally had a boat lunch while listening. Still waiting for the wind to drop. It is not looking good!
1630-76F/72F. Finished baking corn muffins to go with the chili and a cold beer. Dishes are done, still waiting on the wind. May not happen! It is not dropping as predicted and I want to shower before dark since I'm traveling on the road tomorrow.
2015-Never got to kayak up the Tetapaga River this trip! Tried to stop here last year, but the spot was occupied both coming and going. This year it was my first stop of the trip and now I've been weathered out a second time! Rain the first time, wind this time around! I'm disappointed since it would have been and enjoyable kayak excursion, based on the drone recon video I got yesterday . I guess it will have to wait for another trip?
Sat by the fire until dark, then put the shower away. Will read and then hit the sack early since it will be an early rise in the morning at 0430! 68F/58F.
0322-65F/59F. Did not think it was this early! Anyway, I'm up and dressed now! Baking cookies and making coffee. My eyes itch from the lake water used for showering last night.
0448-In 1 Kings 17, this morning's study, I was intrigued by the starving widow's response to Elijah's order. There was a drought and the woman was gathering sticks for a fire to bake the last of her bread. After that, she felt her and her son would die, since there was no more food. Elijah's instructions were for her to bake the remaining bread, but FIRST serve him (God's representative), THEN feed herself and her son. But there was an added piece of information provided with this instruction! If she did this, the flour and oil would not run out until it rained again! She trusted Elijah and did exactly what he asked. The same is asked of us today! From her act of faith she reaped the blessing promised to her and lived! Salvation and blessing follow faith!
0730-69F/59F. Study, prayer, and breakfast is done. Got a few pieces of wood from shore to take along. Will takeoff soon.
Today's Route Takes Me Around The Corner Up Into The NE Arm
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Today's Boat Track Details On Marine Chart
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Tetapaga River Boat Site - Watch Hazards On Entry!
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Hazards - Entry To Tetapaga River Site
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1137-Cloudy with a few rain squalls enroute. Looked at stopping at Temagami Island to take the hike and fly the drone but weather was not conducive and it looked too busy around there anyway. Total leg distance today was 13.3 nm, time 3:39, and an average of 3.6 kts. 74F/68F.
Loon Family On The Hunt (click to enlarge)
1236-Made a VHF radio call to the Leisure Island Houseboats base to get help with the blown fuse for the helm 12v DC outlet and head pump. Not really needed for the last couple days, but since I was close I thought, why not? Did dishes and cleaned up a bit for my guest Mike. Had a cold beer while I waited since it was warm. This is my last boat site stop for this trip!
Tetapaga Boat Site - Less Open Site
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Video: Last Boat Site Of The 2019 Trip
1327-73F/69F. Put away the dishes and chopped some firewood. Mike has not showed yet?
Cut and Split Firewood - Drying In The Sun
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1526-71F/69F. Cut some more firewood after I found some driftwood to cut up. Read a little, sipped some wine. Gwen said Mike would come "after lunch", but maybe she meant dinner? Decided to fly the drone while I waited.
Start of Kayak Area - Tetapaga River (click to enlarge)
Google Earth Shot Of Tetapaga River, Potential Kayak Route (Drone Video Below) (click to enlarge)
Video: Drone Recon of Tetapaga River For Potential Kayak Trip
1700-Mike finally arrived to fix the fuse, which was done in short order. I may bring my own tools and a spare fuse for next time. I'm sure the reason it blew was because I had been charging the solar battery, and navigating with the house system and then used the head pump at the same time. Too much amperage draw at one time evidently? We talked a little afterward about the trip and my plans to kayak the Tetapaga River tomorrow. After Mike left I made spaghetti dinner, with coleslaw, hot roll, and red wine. Cleaned up after.
1820-75F/69F. Will go ashore for my usual evening red wine with chocolates for dessert.
Threatening Sky - Does Not Bode Well!
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2123-Sat by the fire and enjoyed the evening. Clouds began clearing. 68F/65F. Hate to see it all coming to an end so soon! Will read a bit and hit the sack. Hopefully I can kayak tomorrow? Could have gone today, but decided to wait, since Mike was coming to fix the blown fuse.
0548-58F/50F. Bright moon, got up early! Started to think about a drone flight to follow the boat from overhead as I pass through the channel leaving the Inlet. Will make coffee and warm up some coffee cake in the stove top oven to enjoy while I study.
Early Morning Fog
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Early Sun On Cliff Side
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0827-Finished breakfast. Getting ready to depart. Picked up stuff I left ashore. Drone is ready for the channel overflight. Beautiful sunny, calm fall day, praise the Lord! Solar battery is up to 14%.
0845-Backed away from the boat site.
Day 12, Leg 10 (click to enlarge)
1252-Stopped to launch the drone to do a video of me passing through the shallow channel, but this time from overhead. Tried to use Litchi and was having trouble so went back to DJI Go 4 application and finally got the drone to track correctly. Stopped to retrieve the drone off the bow on the other side. Hand catch again.
Video: Drone Overflight-Departing Sharp Rock Inlet Through Shallow Channel
Aborted landing at the planned stop at Granny Bay. Too shallow! Tried three or four times but could not approach close enough to put the plank down. So, I moved on to Waters Bay. Still had a problem approaching from the open side. Ended up going around back and was able to sneak in from the west in the small shallow bay behind the site, on the inside. Really had two legs today due to the false stop at Granny Bay. 10a - was 9.2 nm, time of 3:06, and average of 2.2 kts. 10b - was 1.6 nm, 45 min, average of 2.1 kts. Total was 10.8 nm and time 3:51.
Leg 10a 9.2nm, 3:06, Ave. 2.2 kts
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Leg 10b 1.6 nm, 45 min, 2.1 kts
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Wood Cut & Ready, Glass Of Wine, & A Good Book!
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View From Boat Site Looking NE
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1353-73F/82F. Wearing just the T-shirt Paul and Ivi gave me, perfect for this very warm day! Cut some firewood for tonight. Will read ashore and enjoy the peace of a quiet afternoon. Will fly the drone later to get some shots of the area.
Landing Inside The Point Works!
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Video: Water's Bay Boat Site - Walk Through, etc.
Video: Drone Overflight Of Water's Bay Boat Site Area
1600- Getting ready for dinner. Put potato on the grill to bake. Today is pork roast, potato, coleslaw, hot ciabatta roll, and a cold beer, since it is a hot day! 78F/80F! With this temp, I should swim, but I need a shower after dinner.
DJI Osmo Mobile 2 w/ Samsung S9+ Phone, External Audio, On Tripod
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1800-76F/74F. Finished dinner and the shower. Will head ashore for the evening fire an after dinner libation and dessert.
2130-Came in from the fire and discovered the 12 vdc power to the pump that flushes the head had failed! The co-wired 12v dc outlet at the helm station also failed. It is used for charging most of my USB devices, particularly the navigation while underway. Other power sources are working okay. Will look closer in the morning since it is not critical a bucket can be used to flush and I have enough reserve battery to power my devices. Time to hit the sack!
0600-57F/50F. Up before sunrise preparing coffee cake to have with coffee for my study and prayer time. Got a few things ready for the kayak trip over to the portage and the hike up Napoleon Mt. for some drone flights. I put the solar panel on shore to charge the battery pack while I'm gone.
Early Morning Fog (click to enlarge)
Peaceful Morning
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0930-Finished breakfast and was ashore for one last alignment of the solar panel before leaving. As I was coming back aboard the boat I stepped on the end of the gangplank and it gave way, sliding down the rock face and into the water! I went down on my back and up to my hips in the water!
Site of My Demise! Plank Slid Down Rock Face Into The Drink, With Me On It!
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First Aid & Emergency Kits
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Unfortunately, while falling I threw my hands back to fend off the rock face and took off a big patch of skin from the back of my hand, which bled profusely! I had to do first aid on myself before I could go anywhere! Fortunately, I carry a fully stocked first aid kit of my own and was able to fix myself up well enough to continue with the kayak and hiking plan for the day.
First Aid Kit
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First Aid Kit Contents
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Day 11
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Day 11 - Kayak Trip & Hike, Boat Move In Afternoon
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Google Earth Shot Of Area
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1000-I finally finished the first aid and got into the kayak! However, in trying to hurry along, after the forced delay, I rushed too much! As I sat in the seat of the kayak ready to push off, I noticed I was not wearing my life jacket! Getting into the kayak while carrying a full pack is like putting on a tight glove and doing this from the stern of the boat, instead of shallow water, makes it precarious at best! Conditions were sunny and calm so I almost said forget it! Then I came to my senses and said that's stupid! So I got back out of the kayak and went to retrieve the life vest and started the glove fit all over again. After two delays, I finally got away in the kayak. Not sure the time I actually departed.
Backpack Emergency Kit
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In Addition to Drone & Photography Gear
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1030-Arrived at Napoleon Portage. Two guys arrived from the other end of the portage and were getting ready to load their canoe and head west into Sharp Rock Inlet. They assisted me in pulling my boat into shore, since it was very shallow. It kept me from getting wet feet! After a nice talk they departed and I pulled up the kayak, high and dry. Put on the back pack with all my drone gear and was off! The portage was rocky in places but well used and easy to follow.
Rocky In Places! But Well Used
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I had no trouble finding where the mountain trail left the main portage, though it was another steep rock climb, not as well maintained, and I lost the mountain trail a couple of times. Like Devil's Mt., I used roots, rocks, and trees for hand holds as I worked my way up the steep mountain. I finally made it but I was huffing and puffing when I got there! Beautiful day to be on the overlook!
Rock Wall To Climb!
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Trail Hard To Find In Places!
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I set up the drone and other photo equipment. Yea! I finally got the Litchi program to work! I had to program it on site. The pre-planned flight would not work! So, the good news is I figured it out, the bad news is it makes the program less useful! I also lost the map cache and have no idea why? Litchi needs to do some work with their program! Works great with an internet connection but loses a lot of functionality in the wilds!
Napoleon Mountain Overlooking Sandy Inlet Ferguson Mt. In Distance
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Drone Flight - Napoleon Mt Overlook
Played around for 45 minutes to an hour flying the drone and taking other photos. I drank some cold water but was not hungry enough to eat with the warm temperatures (around 70F). Finally packed up the gear and headed back down the mountain. I noticed my bandage was coming off while using the strap on the walking stick so I stopped using the strap, which seemed to be pulling too much on the bandage. I slowed down and took my time going down.
On Top Trail Was Well Worn
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Difficult In Places Coming Down (click to enlarge)
1300-Returned to the boat at about the time I anticipated. Had some white wine with my mountain lunch of cashews and chocolates, after rebandaging my hand. Got everything ready to depart. Retrieved the solar panel from shore, pulled the gangplank, and departed the site for the channel over to Sharp Rock Inlet. It was touch and go with the shallow water, but thankfully, no bumps! I did not have far to go to the boat site I had in mind.
Departing Channel Boat Site - Heading To Sharp Rock Inlet
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Day 11, Leg 9
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1500-Arrived at the new site on the far end of Sharp Rock Inlet. Distance 2.3 nm, time 1:47, average speed 2.3 kts. The slower average was due to the slow passage through the shallow channel into the Inlet.
Sharp Rock Inlet - Shallow Channel, Enroute, & Landing
View From Sharp Rock Inlet Boat Site
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Boat Site - West End Of Spark Rock Inlet (See Map)
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A couple of canoeists passed soon after I tied up. I offered them some cold beers but they declined! Must not drink? They said thanks, but they had a long way to go. I thought that was weak! The day was warm and drinking a cold beer takes a couple of minutes and something I know I would enjoy when working up a sweat on a hot day! This boat site is nice, though not as nice as the last. There are a few fishing boats around.
1650-A Leisure Island Houseboat (#4) came by my site, obviously looking to come in here! They kept going up lake to look for an alternative. There are some on the far end, but they were either too shallow, or they didn't like them, so they came back and took the site just east of me, around the corner and out of sight.
I was going to start dinner, but decided to go swimming first. 78F/72F. Water was cool but not bad at all. Cleaned up then put the chicken on the grill.
Prepared for a fire tonight by cutting some wood with the ax and saw, and also took up what I had left on the boat.
1821-Dinner was grilled chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, hot ciabatta roll, and white wine. Nice evening, so I will go up and read ashore, while I enjoy my evening libation with chocolates. I later followed that up with a fire. 78F/72F.
2153-61F/61F. Sat by the fire and listened to music until now. Took a few sunset pictures. Will read some more in bed and then hit the sack. Beautiful starlit night!
Peaceful Evening Sunset By The Fire
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0650-56F/50F. Got up to catch a photo of the sunrise. Went out in my skivvies so I wouldn't lose the shot this time! A bit brisk for being only in skivvies! Later I baked fresh cookies to have with coffee, while I study.
Early Morning (click to enlarge)
In the book of Job today: Job's friends want to put God in a box! While Job just wants to understand and be encouraged to remain steadfast in his faith, in the midst of severe suffering. Not too different from dilemmas we face today.
In I Kings 13, God uses a prophet to tell King Jeroboam a future king named Josiah will be his agent for bringing judgment on the illicit worship of other gods Jeroboam had instituted in Israel. God first withers his arm to get his attention, then subsequently heals him, after the king asks the prophet to pray for healing. God gives him three signs for emphasis. The third sign ends up being the dramatic death of the prophet who brought the message in the first place, after he disobeys God's instructions.
The prophecy given to Jeroboam is fulfilled in 2 Kings 23:15-20, 300 years later! God was simply trying to get Jeroboam to repent and lead his nation in a return to God. He uses dramatic circumstances to try to get the king's attention, unfortunately he did not respond! Not unlike many of us today when we do not respond to attention getting circumstances, God brings into our lives, to encourage us to turn around and trust God, instead of ourselves!
0818-73F/51F. Just finished reading "Humans 2.0" by Rana and Samples on the subject of transhumanism, a heavy topic. Last night I also finished the "Poacher's Son". So, I'm starting two new books today. For my post Bible study and prayer time I will read "Experiencing the Father's Embrace" by Jack Frost. For fiction I'm starting "The Teeth of the Tiger" by Clancy. I plan to make an egg McMuffin for breakfast.
Egg McMuffin For Breakfast
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1246-I was busy on departure, flying the drone to document the departure procedure. Got distracted with that exercise and forgot to select "Start Track" on my marine nav program, thus the leg is a little short! It was only .6 nm, 19 minutes, for an average of 1.9 kts.
Video: Drone Flight Showing Departure Procedures
Actually, I was simply moving a mile down the lake to a better boat site right across from the Napoleon portage and adjacent to the channel into Sharp Rock Inlet. Average speed is low since I stopped to hand catch the drone.
DJI Mavic 2 Zoom Mounted On Floats For Overwater Safety
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Short Move Down to Boat Site at Sharp Rock Inlet Channel (.6 nm, 19 minutes) (click to enlarge)
Underway
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Jeff's Map - Indicating Boat Sites & Napoleon Trail and Lookout
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Video: Drone Footage of The Channel Between Temagami North Arm and Sharp Rock Inlet
The new site is better, but tree tie downs were still lacking. So you make do! (see photos below)
Port Guy - Nice Broad Angle
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Starboard Guy-Rock Tie
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Starboard Bow-Root Tie
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Root Tie Close Up
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I did a couple of drone flights of the site and a recon of the channel over to the inlet looking for shoals and obstructions. It is very shallow, but I think there are satisfactory depths. Several boats passed through, a good sign.
Much Better Boat Site
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Large Open Boat Site
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Typical Boat Lunch
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Set up the solar battery and panel on shore for better exposure to the sun. I moved my firewood ashore and laid it out on the table to dry out for a fire tonight. I will swim or shower later. Tomorrow I plan to hike the Napoleon Portage (755 m) to the trail up to the lookout. I hope to fly the drone, weather permitting! 68F/63F.
Video: Boat Site, Solar Generator, Shower Equipment, etc.
Solar Panel On Rooftop
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Solar Generator On Land
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Drying Firewood For Evening Fire
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1602-Timed the canoeists going over the portage. They take approximately 30 minutes each way. Which gives me an idea how much time I need to plan for my hike. I went up to explore the boat site further, took some photos, while charging up batteries. Will put the potato on the grill for dinner.
Canoists Heading To Napoleon Portage In Background
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2130-Had a great evening after steak dinner of tenderloin, baked potato, coleslaw, hot roll, and red wine. I made a fire then spent several hours playing with it while listening to music. I watched the moon rise and took some photos. Finally went to bed, read for a while, then dozed off.
