After a very nice night in total darkness, with the wind picking up and keening through the treetops off and on, and a little light rain or drizzle, we woke just before 8 AM, made a quick breakfast, cleaned up and broke camp, and headed for the canoe.
As we paddled out, we saw another canoeist loading his canoe at the far portage, which was a long loop that relatively few travelled, due to the two kilometer length of one of the portages on it, we paddled out and joined him as we all headed to the portage to St. Andrews Lake.
Shawn (or Sean) had been fishing on the next lake over for the last few days, and had just also broken camp and was on his way out of the park. Alex and I started the portage first, and did two trips, Shawn being much younger hoisted two packs and a canoe, and did it in a trip and a half, and overtook us. Approaching the put in, negotiating the very steep slope, I managed to slip, and have the canoe come crashing down, crushing my pinky finger against a rock. Inspecting the damage was a bit hard due to the blood all over the place, but it looked like pinky was intact, but suffering a rather nasty gash exposing the muscle and tendons below.
Alexander immediately came to my assistance, and was able to get a roll of toilet paper out, which immediately saturated with blood, I asked him to look for a sock or shirt, as I had no first aid kit, and then asked him if Shawn was still at the put in, or had he left. Thankfully, Shawn was not quite loaded, and quickly emptied his pack and found his small first aid kit... A brief period of panic, two dense gauzes, a foot of medical tape, and ten minutes later we were both off in our canoes on St. Andrews Lake.
Looking south onto Marie Lake from our campsite. The morning was very mild, with a fine drizzle.
Alexander posing with Chippie the Chipmunk, any stuffy allowed into the park has to do double duty as a pillow.
Getting things organized and breaking camp. The tent was a Woods Backpacker three person tent.
After visiting Barry's bay hospital, my pinky finger in a bandage the next morning. I must have lost about a pint of blood in total.
A very happy young Alexander, proud of his achievement. I was certainly proud of him.
