Richard Pepper October 2003

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Richard Pepper's October 2003

Richard Pepper's Canoe Trip
with
(Some of) the Zavitz Men
Oct. 9 - 13/03
along the Turtle River

A more complete set of pix

Thursday and Friday

We arrived too late at the Hwy 622 Turtle River Bridge to start Thursday evening. We set up camp there and had pork chops and potatoes for supper.
Next morning, after bacon and eggs, we paddled along the Turtle River to a short portage at which the Zavitzes prepared their fishing gear. Thence we paddled across a rolling Pekagoning Lake and continued up the river to "Missing Shoe Island" for lunch in the sun.

Once back on the river, Jacob caught (and released) a bass. A while later he hooked a pike but it escaped.
At our campsite island we had sausages and perogies, sang a bit around the fire and went to bed.

Heading out	At the Portage	Lunch Break
Mr. Bass Man	Dad needs help.	Warm those legs!

Saturday

After breakfast, in anticipation of rain, we set up our classy multi-tarp shelter and Steve and Jacob chopped more wood (which we neglected to put under the shelter). After lunch we paddled up to the next set of rapids, where it began to rain. Steve and Jacob played with their canoe a bit in the current and I steered our canoe from the bow as Tim fished.
When we returned to camp, we were unable to start a fire, but we cooked our pasta on our camp stoves under the tarps. The rain didn't let up until well into the night and so I think it was c. 20:30 when we went to our tents.

Tarp City

Before the flood.

Riding High

Sunday

I spent the whole day tending the fire, mainly to dry out my clothes. The others spent the afternoon fishing back at the rapids. After ham and potatoes for supper, we stargazed for a while before bed.

A pic by Jacob

Fishing Party

Smokin'!

Monday

We departed our island c. 10:30 to head back to our vehicles across glass-like water.
After a brief snack on the water, we met a blaze-orange clad American hunter in his power boat. He demonstrated his moose call. Fortunately, no one shot him.
After lunch at the portage, we paddled around the bottom of the rapids, hoping actually to land a fish. A pike stole Steve's lure, but that was it.
I think we reached our cars before 15:00. When we reached Atikokan, Tim treated us to supper at the Outdoorsman Restaurant, where we sat enviously surrounded by many stuffed large fish.