Re: [Paddlewise] Boundary Waters Region

Glad to hear the maps have gotten better.  Reliving this BWCA trip some 34 years
ago on PW, I called my dad and we reminisced about it some.  I was amazed that
he and Uncle Dick were navigatiing by compass, sextant, artificial horizon, and
HO 208 tables....which are accurate to about 2 NM, 1 NM at best with an
artificial horizon..<g>  He does remember though that the charting and positions
of the lakes were badly done and nothing ever tweaked up right, except for the
bigger lakes.  An amazing feat if they can chart all these small lakes accurately
now, maybe through satellite imagery and non-selective governmental GPS?  A lot
of fun anyway, and in spite of the insects, I have wonderful memories about this
trip to this day and am glad something is being done to save it "being loved to
death".  Have a great trip Mark, and give a return cackle to a loon for me!
You'll never regret this trip and have wonderful memories of it.

-Nick


whiterabbit_at_empowering.com wrote:

> The maps have gotten a lot better, the mosquitos, black flies, etc haven't.
>
> Generally, if you go after mid June/early July the bugs aren't bad during
> the day.  In late July we generally did not even use bug dope on the water.
>  Some of the portages can be bad for bugs and make sure you relieve your
> self and are inside a tent with good bug screens by dusk.  If you can't
> make it through the nite without a pee break a jar is recommended.  One
> evening I counted over 100 mosquitoes on the tent screen.
>
> We found that the maps now are so good that we didn't even really use the
> compass until we got lost.  As long as you keep track of what lake you are
> on, you can generally keep very good track of your position by campsites
> and other landmarks.  I took a group of Scouts up and we let the Scouts
> navigate.  We got lost once all week when I told my (then) 14 year old son
> that he was wrong about where we were.  He wasn't and it took four hours in
> the rain to fix the error.
>
> The scenery, animals, and fishing make it well worth the few welts.  I
> remember the loons and moose far more than the bugs.  My son seems to
> remember chasing the bear out of camp, and me getting them lost.
>
> At 04:10 PM 04-24-2000 -0700, Nick Von Robison wrote:
> >
> >
> >Mark and Bob,
> >
> >I went on a week long canoe trip with my Dad, brother, and Uncle into the
> BWCA
> >when I was about 14 or so, and though details are fuzzy now, I do remember
> that
> >we were hopelessly confused most of the time as to what lake we were on
> and where
> >we were exactly (many of the lakes didn't have names).  Nothing serious,
> and I
> >don't know if the map was faulty or the adults navigation.  I think a GPS
> would
> >be a good investment for your trip.  Also, gloves and a mosquito net for the
> >head.  Most of all, I remember dreading going to the powder room and
> exposing my
> >backside to thousands of biting insects.
> >
> >-Nick
> >
> >
> >
> >


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