Author: Rachel

Andy, Lucy and I dipped in our paddles for the first time this spring!  The Cross Bay entry point dock is open and a little underwater.  The Cross River is running fast and full.  We passed by a beaver surveying the damage to his busted dam and an otter enjoying the fast moving fishing.  The little lake with out a name before Ham Lake was hosting two loons who were too busy fishing to notice us.  We scared up a flock of common mergansers and a pair of buffleheads.  A broad winged hawk was soaring over head.  We made it all the way past the first campsite on Ham Lake before we found the ice again.  We hugged the shoreline as far as we could punting ice chunks out of the way before we reached an icy dead end.  The portages still have a little snow in the shade but mostly they are covered in a nice layer of good old spring time mud. Round Lake is looking promising after last night’s rain.  The opening by Cabin 2 is getting larger and usually has a pair of mallards paddling around in it (at least until Lucy comes zooming in barking her head off).  The ice is pulling away from the shoreline and starting to get dark.  A killdeer has shown up in the canoe yard today, the merlin pair have found their Tuscarora nesting spot and the ravens are making a noisy nest close by.  Getting closer everyone!!!

Round Lake from the public portage

Round Lake from the public portage

Happy May Day!  It is the first of May, Tuscarora’s traditional “Start of Canoe Season” day.  While we are open year round, today we are now officially open for summer.  Some of you out there may be thinking more along the lines of “mayday mayday mayday!!!” when it comes time to think about your May or even early June canoe trip plans.  Keep calm, and send warm thoughts our way.   It has been a strange winter and a strange spring, so no one can know for sure when the ice will go out.  Keep checking in.  We will let you know when the ice goes!

Here are a few pictures from yesterday and today.  It has been overcast and drizzling/raining on and off for a couple of days now.  The Cross River that runs along Round Lake Road is open from the rapids all the way to the start of the first portage.  I caught sight of an otter rafting along on an ice flow before slipping under the water.  The migrating birds are singing like crazy in the mornings.  Round Lake is showing some promising cracks along the shoreline.  The outlet is running strong as well which has harbored a pair of common mergansers.  Good signs!

Round Lake outlet by Cabin 2

Open water on the edges of Round Lake where the main dock will be

Beaver pond on Round Lake Road getting closer to being clear of ice

Cross River is running fast and full

Cross Bay entry point dock

Standing on the Cross Bay entry dock looking toward portage

We are so close to May, yet sometimes it feels oh so far away.  Yes, we did receive 5 inches of snow last night and it is still coming down.  Yes, it has been a long winter.  Despite all that I still can appreciate a good snow storm.  This one dumped the thick, heavy, sticky kind of snow that sticks to every surface and turns the forest into a magical place.

The temps this morning are in the low 30s.  This wet, heavy snow will melt fast.  Until then, we wait.  And wait.  And wait.  Hang in there!  We will be paddling before you know it!

Tow dock on Sag

I’ve been wanting to post something spring-like for a while to give everyone hope and fresh dreams of canoe trips.  Unfortunately, the weather has not been conducive to such pictures.  Spring is coming, I’ve been told, but she is just not very photogenic yet.  Every time I think Spring is popping her shy little head from behind winter’s cloak, BAM, it snows again.  There are signs, yes, but you have to look and listen a little closer.

Round Lake this morning

The question on everyone’s mind is – when will the ice be out?  I’m hearing reports around the county of ice depths in the 20 – 30 inch range depending on the size of the lake.  Round Lake no longer has a snow blanket and the slush is deep and dark.  Last week was in the 20 degree range which did not help, but this week is suppose to be in the high 50s.  A lot of predictions are flying around, but really, it all depends on the combination of the sun and the rain and the wind— today is sunny, windy and 59 so I have hope for sooner rather than later.

The Cross River that runs along Round Lake road is running rapidly.  Where the current is strongest, the water is open.  Yesterday we spotted a male common goldeneye duck doing his funny little dance for his lady friend.  The pileated woodpeckers that hang out around camp have been busy drumming and excavating cavities for new nests.  Their piles of wood splinters litter the nasty old snow piles hanging around in the shade.  A pair of ravens are working on a nest in one of our large white pines.   A number of bald eagles have been spotted soaring high above.  Easter morning we heard robins, happy little nuthatches, bald eagles, a Canada goose and all sorts of cheery chickadees singing their spring songs.  It was nice enough to have the windows open through which we heard a pack of wolves who we hope were not perusing the Easter bunny.

The snow is melting.  Ephemeral waterfalls and creeks are springing up along the roads.  That beautiful music made by dripping water can be heard as it jumps off the roofs.  The beaver pond by the road, filled to the brim, gave up last weekend and washed away part of the road.  A deep, tire grabbing trench cut us off from the world for a day.  A sure sign of spring is when the potholes and road washes start turning up.  The Cook County highway department guys straightened things out in no time.

The wind has been strong with all these snow squalls roaring through.  Saturday’s storm was strong enough to finally blow over the large white pine struck by lightening last summer.  Once again the Cook County guys came out and cleared the road.  Thanks guys!

Spring is coming, slowly and shyly, but she is coming.  Hang in there.  We’ll let you know when you can dip your paddles again in Round Lake!