0500-Last day of the trip. 54F/56F. Much warmer here this morning than yesterday! Solar 79%.
0630-Finished Bible study. Verse for the day is "When all has been heard, the end of the matter is: fear God [worship Him with awe-filled reverence, knowing that He is almighty God] and keep His commandments, for this applies to every person."(Ecclesiastes 12:13 Amplified Bible)
0715-Finished dishes after breakfast. Will be on my way by 0730.
YouTube Video: Sunrise
(Click To Play)
1230-Stopped for lunch in Rhinelander, WI. This time I chose to get off the highway and check it out. It was only a short distance to Culver's, a favorite.
Last Leg Of The Drive Home (Click To Enlarge)
Typical Fall Colors On The Way Home (Click To Enlarge)
1630-Arrived home in White Bear lake and discovered a flat on the right rear tandem wheel. Unloaded the gear and parked across the street until I could fix the tire. Nothing like ending with a bang! At least it did not occur on the drive. The puncture was on the sidewall and could not be repaired. Had to buy a new tire. Lesson learned, carry a spare tire, even with tandem axles.
My longest trip to date comes to a close. Though weather was generally poor and presented a challenge to ensure food did not spoil, the trip was still a pleasurable adventure, the reason I go in the first place!
0530-Travel Day. 38F/28F. Solar 81%. Fired up the heater to warm up the cabin for about 20 minutes. I got out from under my covers at 44F!
YouTube Video: My Overnight Accommodations At Leisure Island Houseboats (Click To Play)
0730-Study time complete, will now make breakfast and prepare for the road. I will shoot to depart by 9 am. It is mostly clear and very cold. Now 63F in the cabin but 32F outside. Solar is 78%.
Verse for the day from my study time is: "I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness." (Ecclesiastes 2:13)
0900-Went down to the office to say goodbye to the family.
Morning Inactivity - Saying Goodbye (Click To Enlarge)
0910-Took off but stopped for gas in town. Final departure time was 0920.
Nice Day To Drive (Click To Enlarge)
Beautiful Country (Click To Enlarge)
Colors Are Showing (Click To Enlarge)
1730-Arrived Newberry, MI. Border crossing went smoothly with no issues. Toll for the bridge is $8 each way. I will relax aboard instead of eating out. I should have enough to eat since I had a big lunch.
Today's Drive (Click To Enlarge)
Used Local Hotel Parking Lot For Overnight (Click To Enlarge)
0630-44F/36F. Solar 80%. Last day on the water for the boat. I pull out later today. Had coffee and cookies while I studied. Verse for the day: "As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated."(2 Chronicles 20:22)
Early Morning Fog (Click To Enlarge)
0900-Time for breakfast.
Did breakfast dishes and put away forward Bimini. Put out fenders for a port tie. Will get going shortly.
YouTube Video: Island At Entrance To Cove (Click To Play)
1030-Departed the site
12:20 Arrived Leisure Island Houseboats in Temagami.
1230-Tied up at the dock. Leg 14 was 7.3 miles.
Trip Ended With Sun Shining Brightly! (Click To Enlarge)
Trip Totals: 114 total miles traveled. 24 gallons of fuel used. 4.75 miles per gallon average.
Leg 14, Day 19, 7.3 Miles (Click To Enlarge)
All went smoothly but getting the boat on the trailer with a strong side wind was challenging. Mike and Gwen were critical to a successful outcome.
Getting Ready To Load On The Trailer
I'm having dinner with Mike & Gwen and their daughter Abby later this evening. I will stay onboard the boat in the parking lot overnight and depart between 8:00 and 9:00 am tomorrow morning. The drive to the mid-point in Newberry, MI is about 7.5 hours with a stop for lunch.
Beautiful fall day. Enjoying a glass of wine before dinner.
2130-Just got back from a fest at Mike & Gwen's with the whole family, Mike's parents and all. It was like Easter dinner at home. Wonderful!
I need to get some sleep before the long day driving tomorrow. 50F/33F! It will definitely freeze tonight. Solar 95%/
0830-Morning routine of coffee, cookies, Bible study, prayer, and reading is complete. Time now for breakfast. It is cloudy and already sprinkled this morning! I was hoping to be done with that. 66F/50F. Solar 78%.
Verse for the day: "Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." (Proverbs 30:8-9)
0930-Departed Portage Bay site, cloudy, rainy, blustery weather is back!
From Sun To Squalls! (Click To Enlarge)
1130-Arrived at my last boat site for the trip. I will stage for pull out tomorrow. Traveled 11.2 miles on Leg 13. Got 10 Miles on Tank 5.
Leg 13, Day 18, 11.2 Miles (Click To Enlarge)
Fire Ring At New Boat Site (Click To Enlarge)
Destination Details (Click To Enlarge)
Area Sites & Features (Click To Enlarge)
1330-Some breaks in the clouds are beginning to form. I washed dishes. Will read my e-book "Primary Command" by Jack Mars, the second in the series. Finished C.J. Box's "Nowhere to Run" last night. Most of my checked out audio or e-Books expire in two days so I may have to check them out again.
YouTube Video: Looking Out From Cove To NE Arm
(Click To Play)
I set mouse traps and clamped the pecan pretty firmly, added PB for a little extra and toothpicks for making the trigger sensitive since the escape last night seemed pretty smart, either that or he was able to lick off the PB without setting off the trap. He did that once before and was not caught?
Sky Cleared Late Afternoon (Click To Enlarge)
1600-Earlier I went up to walk a short trail out to the entrance to the cove. There was a nice fire ring with an overlook out there. I also noticed a stack of firewood on an island in the entrance too. Must be another camp site there.
Two Leisure Island Houseboats Heading Out (Click To Enlarge)
Made dinner of chicken tortilla soup, with hot rolls, and a cold beer. I will read for an hour then go make a fire.
1940-Came back from the fire. Last camp fire for the 2022 season. Last boat site for the season. 59F/48F. Solar 92%. I will get ready for bed. It's supposed to freeze tonight.
I was up late last night due to an invasion of deer mice. I had to get up, empty, and reset traps three times. In the end I trapped three mice! They are much more aggressive then the house mouse from early in the trip. They would crawl up on the table near my pillow on the berth. Difficult to get any sleep with that kind of threat! The third trap set is still in place, but no more mice. Not sure if I got them all?
I initially thought I was dealing with only one mouse and set the first traps with my dry roasted pecans and a dab of peanut butter and got one mouse but the other traps were snapped but empty. The second and third sets I used Mike's (Leisure Island Houseboats) suggestion of using a half a tooth pick dabbed with peanut butter to sensitize the trigger. That worked well and I got two mice on the second set. I threw the carcasses over the side, deep sixing them for the fish to munch on. A northern pike would love an early breakfast!
Time for coffee and cookies.
0930-I finished my morning study routine. A breeze is coming up and now about 7-8 mph. Sun is shinning again, thankfully! Solar is 75%. 69F/53F. I plan to layover today and enjoy the site some more.
Time for breakfast. Here is my verse for the day, from my study time:"Where there is no vision [no revelation of God and His word], the people are unrestrained; But happy and blessed is he who keeps the law [of God]."(Proverbs 29:18 Amplified Bible)
1015-Finished breakfast and took the kayak ashore to sponge out the water and dry it out for a paddle later on. It also eliminated the noise it was causing on the boat with it's regular bumping against the hull in the wave action.
Site Fire Ring (Click To Enlarge)
1130-Finished my chore of dishes. 70F/62F. Solar is up to 89% with the solar panels flat and not tilted to maximize gain. I haven't had to tilt the panels for two days because of the sunny weather. The panels restore power quickly with any sun at all, even patches.
I will head up soon to cut some more firewood for tonight. I plan to shower later in the day, probably the last for the trip, but it is a little windy now to do that.
YouTube Video: Unique Small Island With Tall Tree (Click To Play)
1245-Just back from cutting and splitting firewood. Beautiful fall day! I wished I'd had more of these days on this trip. 67F/64F. 100% solar this early in the day, two days in a row. A record for this trip!
View From Fire Ring (Click To Enlarge)
1530-I set up the shower to clean up for the road trip home. This was to be the warmest day, even though windy. 65F/69F. I have the solar array charging my smaller backup solar battery system and will go retrieve it since it should be charged up by now.
Portable Solar Array (120W) With Small Solar Battery (Click To Enlarge)
1545-Retrieved the portable solar array. Battery was fully charged. I will put on dinner and hope the wind drops for a kayak trip up Back Bay.
1630-Wind is still blowing so I may not take the planned kayak trip if this continues. Had chicken wild rice soup, butter rolls, and white wine for dinner. I feel tired from the shortage of sleep last night waging war with unwanted intruders all night. 68F/68F. Solar 100%.
Back Bay View From Trail (Click To Enlarge)
2000-Came in from the fire. A very nice evening but the wind was blowing the smoke all over. I pulled the gang plank to hopefully foil the intentions of any miscreant boarding attempts. I will listen to my audio book and then hit the sack and hopefully regain some of the lost sleep from last night.
Another Setting Moon & Pleasant Evening Fire (Click To Enlarge)
0900-Coffee with cookies and my morning study routine is complete. Now I will make breakfast of cereal, toast, with peanut butter. Verse for the day: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Start Of A Good Day (Click To Play)
Went up top to rub down the panels to remove the heavy dew. Solar 39%. 66F/46F.
After breakfast I read a book and did dishes then got ready to move.
1200-Departed the boat site after the solar was near 70%. Stopped and tried to tie up at High Rock Island as planned but there was too much cross wind going between the islands. The dock was too short and the boat site too exposed to wind, so I passed and headed SW. I was not sure where I would go.
Today's Boat Site (Click To Enlarge)
YouTube Video: NE Portage Bay
(Click To Play)
1315-Arrived at the new boat site and tied up, which was located in NE Portage Bay. Observed two kayaks pass by.
Track For Leg 12, 4.7 Miles (Click To Enlarge)
High Rock Island Attempt - Failed (Click To Enlarge)
Portage Bay Site (Click To Enlarge)
Jeff's Map Of Area (Click To Enlarge)
Back Bay (Click To Enlarge)
Back Bay Cliff (Click To Enlarge)
1415-Made a chicken salad sandwich with cashews accompanied by white wine. Still a bit chilled from the passage. Very nice site but no firewood. May scout for some.
1520-Just got back from cutting and splitting some firewood. It will be nice to have a real fire tonight if it isn't too cold.
Terrain Looking NE From Site (Click To Enlarge)
1545-Did some filming ashore and prepped for drone flights. I will eat later since I had half a chicken salad sandwich. Solar reached 100%! 64F/64F. Warmer, sunnier, and more enjoyable today. Four days since my last 100% on the solar battery.
Made pizza for dinner accompanied by a cold beer. After dinner I flew the drone then made a fire.
Sunset (Click To Enlarge)
2100-Came in from a very enjoyable evening by the fire watching the moon set. Took a bunch of pics and videos. Time for bed. 61F/53F. Solar 96%.
0710- 52F/45F. Solar 21%. Cloudy but no rain this morning...yet!
0920-Finished coffee with cake during the morning study routine. The verse for the day is: "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring." (Proverbs 27:1). Time for breakfast.
1020-Finished breakfast of cheese & vegetable omelet with bacon, toast with strawberry jam, and orange juice. Put things in order. Next I need to put the panels down and prepare for departure. 67F/48F. Solar 18%.
Barge Moving Sewage Waste Truck (Click To Enlarge)
1045-Departed Temagami Island site headed for Shiningwood Bay. I will scope out several sites.
Leg 11, Day 15, 9 Miles (Click To Enlarge)
Checked Out Sites At Head Of The Bay - But No Go! (Click To Enlarge)
1245-I didn't like the crowds of cabins at the head of the Bay so I returned to a site just a quarter of the way up the north side of the Bay. I put up the panels right away and saw a peak of 400 watts input, which is maximum for this array! Best I've ever seen.
Back Tracked To This Site (Click To Enlarge)
Jeff's Map Details - Leg 11 (Click To Enlarge)
1400-Finished the largest batch of dishes of the trip. It took a while. Time to relax and enjoy the site. Steak is planned for dinner later. The big breakfast will carry me for a while. 65F/55F. Solar 43%. Observed three canoeists pass to the west.
Shallow Side Of Point (Click To Enlarge)
1700-Heating the grill for steak tenderloin. 68F/53F. Supposed to freeze tonight.
Unique Old Tree (Click To Enlarge)
1730-Had steak, mashed potatoes, hot rolls, and red wine. Remaining salad had turned, so no salad for dinner. More sun this evening, very nice! 67F/52F. Solar 62%. A 44% rise in mostly cloudy conditions. Only occasional breaks. It's amazing how well the solar can gather watts with just a little sun, of which I've had very little on this trip.
Panels Finally Collecting Some Rays! (Click To Enlarge)
I plan to motor down to High Rock Island tomorrow. About two miles away. I've not been there since 2018 when I flew my DJI Spark drone there. This time it will be the Mavic 2 Zoom. Not sure if I'll fly the preprogrammed flight or not.
YouTube Video: Does The Sun On The Trees Bode Well For Tomorrow? (Click To Play)
2000-Sat on the aft deck having my evening Baileys with chocolate covered almonds for dessert. Took some time lapse video and pics. I set up the table top fire inside since it was quite cold out, 66F/45F. I will listen to music until I get tired then hit the sack and listen to my new audio book by C.J. Box, "Nowhere to Run."
0900-I baked coffee cake this morning which I enjoyed with coffee during my normal morning study routine.
Verse for the day: "It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart." (Ecclesiastes 7:2)
I connected the back up battery to the primary as it was down to 7%. I will bring it up to 45% to get through another cloudy rainy day, the current situation. Time for breakfast.
YouTube Video - Leg 10, Day 14
(Click To Play)
1010-Departed the boat site enroute to Temagami Island, it rained most of the time. Wind picked up as I came out of the entry to the SW Arm. There was a long fetch running NNW to SSE perpendicular to my course and I was taking some bad rolls in the waves. Several jars came off the counter crashing to the floor and one solar panel leg and my spotting scope came out of the overhead racks.
Leg 10, Day 14, 12.1 Miles (Click To Enlarge)
Destination Detail - Enroute Hazards (Click To Enlarge)
Temagami Island Site - Others Available (Click To Enlarge)
Fortunately the crossing was short (1.5 miles). Downwind was not a problem, even though there were white caps. I need to remember to bungee the solar panel legs since they are heavy and could do damage if they come out of the overhead and hit something vulnerable.
Temagami Island Boat Site (Click To Enlarge)
1230-Arrived at the new boat site on Temagami Island. Leg 10 was 12.1 miles. After I was secure I put up the panels to soak up any energy I could, despite the cloud cover.
Nice Open Site - But Table Left Behind! (Click To Enlarge)
1330-I washed the dishes and made a cup of hot chocolate with Bailey's. Turned on the heat in the cabin since inside temp was 60F. Now temps are 66F/54F.
Current Fuel Consumption:
Tank #1Unused9 gallons
Tank #240 miles 9 gallons 4.4 miles/gallon 3000 RPM
Tank #3 30 miles 6 gallons 5.0 miles/gallon 2500 RPM
Tank #4 26 miles 6 gallons 4.3 miles/gallon 2700 RPM
Tank #5 Unused 6 gallons
1545-Made spaghetti dinner with salad, hot rolls, and red wine. It is still misting out, so another night without a wood fire. I may do the table top fire tonight.
Panels Angled SW - A Futile Effort! (Click To Enlarge)
Started the paperback "The River" by Peter Heller. 65F/53F. Solar 46%.
1900-Read my new novel then listened to music while enjoying the table top fire. Really heats up the cabin! When the fire goes out I will crawl into bed.
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
