THE LAND NORTH OF SUPERIOR

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It was mid August and the lake trout were biting all over.  We had decided to go to one of our favourite laker lakes.  This lake wasn’t one of the easier ones to get into.  On this trip north of Superior we would be tenting, our tent trailer would be left at home.

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My boat and motor and fishing gear were in the back of my truck.  The boat was on the roof rack as usual.   What was different was that there was a box of cooking utensils, a canvas bag with my sleeping bags, and another canvas bag with clean clothes.  As I surveyed the inside of the open tent trailer I dismissed items as not needed.  It was really warm today and I wasn’t happy to be packing in the heat.   The propane cook stove went into the back of the truck; the 20# tank, just filled yesterday, was already in the back.

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I had wrapped two of my propane lanterns, one with my sleeping bags, and the other with the cloths.  I did grab two packages of mantles for the lanterns, the fragile ‘socks�?would most likely be broken, the lights were wrapped to protect the glass globes on them.  My cook table went on top of this load and the cooler loaded with food and ice slipped into a spot I had left.  Last went the tent, the poles and the ‘peg bag�? this trip was about to start. 

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My sister and her husband were due to arrive right on time and I figured our good friends from the city were only a few minutes behind..  Once we had settled on riding partners we would be on our way.  I pulled a lawn chair open, sat down and lite a smoke.  It wasn’t long and after quick greetings and handshakes we were on our way.  The plan was to drive into the lake, set up camp, and go fishing for a couple of hours.  We had made ‘quick�?food for super that night.  We wanted to be out there as early as possible so the after work people wouldn’t take the few tenting spots there were.  In the two places that we knew there would be trouble, we were able to pull the big van our friend was driving, up with no problems.  We got to the lake and found it deserted.   We had our choice of spots.

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An hour later out on the lake I noticed a chill in the air and pulled on my quilted bush shirt, a little while later I put on my heavy vest.  The fish were co-operating and soon we had six nice five pound plus lakers between the five of us.  As agreed we headed back for camp and before landing we put the fish into our two live traps.  We had lots of room on the limits so we would be hitting the lake for the morning bite provided the winds or rain didn’t come.   In any case we had enough lake trout for tomorrow night’s supper. 

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Just before grabbing a plate of home fries and beans with a legion sausage I went into my clothes bag and found another shirt.  It was definitely cooling off and the wind quartered more and more from the north.  During supper the main topic of conversation was the falling temperature.  It was mid August and a frost could be expected, but not likely.  Others in the party added clothes as we finished supper.  It soon became obvious that it was going to be a very cold night.  Once in my tent I knew I would be comfortable, I had my moose hunting bag along and another heavy bag for ground sheet.  Nobody wanted bed yet; it was only 9:30.  In short order we constructed a windbreak with one of our traps and once out of the wind we were fairly comfortable.  Talk amongst friends quickly passed the time until some one happened to look at the sky.

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The northern lights were in action.  The whole skyline was a bright wall of fiery lances.  There was a difference tonight.  A spear of light, at times yellow, green or deep red would launch south.  It would flare in brightness as it screamed over our heads and then it would wink out.  Our heads would turn north again and search for the next sheet of colour to head south.  We drank coffee, some laced with a warm up tonic, and marvelled at this display.  None of us had seen such a violent show before.  The lights would often stream into the skies from several places and be different colours.  They would dash out and cross paths in a show no laser lights could hope to duplicate.  It was 4 am before we slowly drifted off to our various sleeping places.

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It was 7am when I woke for a nature call.  My neck muscles were bunched in a screaming fist.  Outside there was no sound from the van or the other tent, I went back into mine and let sleep and warmth flow over me.  My hip was in need of a position change and I turned around.  Bright sunlight filled the tent and there was noticeable warmth inside.  My watch said almost 10am.  I needed coffee.

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That morning we never did go fishing.  We thawed out and loosened over extended neck muscles.  A leisurely breakfast and more coffee was followed by lengthy discussions on the marvels we had seen during the night.  The day warmed up very nicely and by the time we left for fishing it was a nice August afternoon and we had our heavier clothes in our boats, just in case. 

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We did eat fish that night and were able to sit around the campfire.  The next afternoon saw us packed and on the road at three.  The fishing had been good in the morning and we all had fish to take home, one of mine was a gorgeous nine pound ‘salter�?

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We still talk of that trip, the beauty of the lights and the cold.  We now never go anywhere unless we have everything we might possibly need.  We learned that to travel in the land north of Superior you need to be prepared for every eventuality.