Overnight rain and wind pummeled the remaining ice into submission. We woke up to the sound of gently lapping waves and open water. A few small patches of ice cling to the south shore of Spoon Lake, but the wind continues to howl and I am sure all the ice will be gone very soon. The largest, deepest lakes in the Ely area remain frozen and it appears that lakes farther to the east are still frozen, but for us the paddling season has officially begun! Yesterday we paddled the length of Spoon Lake following a wide, ice-free channel along the north shore. Loons, mergansers and buffleheads flew overhead and floated on the lake’s smooth surface. The thin patches of ice were easy to paddle through. We laughed as we paddled down the middle of the lake for several hundred yards noisily crashing through the ice. When we returned to camp several hours later we realized that we had detached a sheet of ice the size of a football field, which drifted down the lake, disintegrating as it went.
Today is the 215th day of our #wildernessyear to @savetheBWCA . By taking action and speaking loudly for this quite place, we can protect the Boundary Waters watershed from sulfide-ore mines. Please sign the @savethebwca and take action today. #wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #BWCA #canoeing #paddle #canoe #onlyinMN #captureMN #natgeoadventure #WeAreTheWild @MTIAdventureWear
