Delilah's First Boat Ride

Alrighty, then... Just got back from Wood Lake - at 8:03 PM.  The same party of lodge guests was there today, four in two canoes and two guys in one row boat.  The four in canoes...who had been there before,  all came back at 3:30 PM.  I waited for the two in the boat to come back until 7:30 PM, but no sign of them availed itself.  The fact that we're burning daylight puts me in full alert mode.  I went to check with the rest of their group at their cabin and asked if either of the two guys had ever been to Wood Lake before.  No, was the answer.  I was a bit incredulous at the sheer lack of planning,  but I had a gut feeling that this would be the case when I went to visit them.  In fact, that was why I went to see them.   Wood lake is a a 453 acre lake in the BWCA.  It's easy to get turned around and I supposed that if they were lost, they weren't terribly lost because tonight was a nice calm evening.   Nonetheless, I'd rather have extra time on my side than not enough so I make the decision to go immediately. 

One of the younger guys (age 69) volunteered to join me in crossing the portage and heading out on the lake. I grabbed my guiding oars (I never lend them to anyone, ever), some PFD's, the boat key and Delilah.  I didn't want to leave her home as Annette was visiting a friend and the concept of cleaning up the house after the little dog went nuts was less than appealing.  Cookie was her usual sound, calm self, but she has no control whatsoever over Delilah.  (I don't think she really even tries.  She's a bit lackadaisical in areas of guidance and counsel and running far and moving for approaching cars, etc.)

With Delilah snarling at the strange-to-her guy in the truck, we took off.  Got to the Wood Lake parking lot and their vehicle was still there.  Bad sign Number One.  I take my oars, the guy grabs the PFD's and off we go.  Delilah is on the leash and as I'm moving fast, I'm really wondering if this was my smartest move of the evening.  She's never been in a boat before.  Cookie freaked out last time I put her in a boat.  I figured I might have to tie Delilah to a tree and go.  I get to the water's edge some 210 rods later and see Bad Sign Number Two:  no boat with two guys in it.

I unlocked our second boat and pushed it out and my partner piled in.  That guy moves pretty well for a 69 year old for his second round trip on this portage in one day.  I loaded Delilah and he took the leash.  After a some initial bouncing around, she stood on the floor of the boat like she's been doing this forever.  Whew!  I turn the boat around, pull on my oars and head the boat down the river towards the opening of the lake.  I just round the first "S" turn and am about 200 feet out in the river and there they are.  Whew, again.  I didn't have to row very far this evening.  My partner asked if we could just say that we were "out for some exercise".  I smiled and said "Sure!"  I turned the boat back around and brought it in to shore where I locked it up.  That was a really short trip.  We were happy to see the two newbies coming in completely intact with no issues.  The one guy had two walleyes and lost a third having had no landing net. 

I locked up the boats, and told the three guys that I would be heading back,  One of the guys in the boat asked me if we were the "scouting party".  I said that I was "just out for some exercise".  I'm pretty sure he didn't believe me.   I took off up the trail, oars on my shoulder, dog on leash.   Nothing like the Wood Lake Workout to burn some calories off of my layer of winter fat.