First Round of Camps Open!

We have been busy in the North opening camps for the opening week and Mother Nature made it hard. Bruce and I figure this was the worst weather we have ever had for camp opening. We have a good crew this year, willing to work, and get the job done. They are Josh, Josh, and Cristian. All pilots looking to gain experience in aviation, by the end of the summer they will gain much more than that.

The weather had been nice for a long time before we left and the ice was going really fast....We opened the Cobham River on Tuesday and had a nice warm south wind and beautiful weather. It was really great! On Wednesday it rained but we were able to get into Cherrington that day. Thursday was a good day and we cleaned and readied Daniels and I was able to haul more motors north for more camps.

We knew the weather was going to change on Friday but we were glad to be at Cherrington where there was much work to do. We were not able to get into Vee or Morleys yet, the wind had blown the remaining ice into each camps front yard:( We woke Friday morning to a cold, windy, snowy day. The wind was howling across the icy water, large chunks of ice were coming into the bay from the far side of the lake since we had a south wind the day before. As me and my good men cleaned the cabins, tested motors and everything else needed for the season, Bruce and one of the Josh's kept the ice at bay in a hard snow. We were happy to be there to get the Bay and Point ready and not in Red Lake where they got way more snow than we got up north.

Saturday came with clear but cold weather and it took some time to get the airplanes ready for business but we were able to get Vee lake done. It wasn`t easy though. Bruce, Young Josh and Cristian hauled a motor through the bush from the other side of the island to get a boat to move the stubborn ice from the front of the camp that re-froze during our snowstorm the previous day.

Near the end of the day, Bruce and Cristian took of for Morleys to try to open a path for the Otter to bring in the supplies, crew and tools. They were successful! We had a group of our regular guests coming on Sunday but were more happy to be there than worry that we were still cleaning the camp. I was able to get into the camp in the morning after Bruce The Ice Breaker made me a path again dropping off my crew and supplies. I was headed south to start hauling people and bringing Morleys up on the last trip. Bruce and our crew would have the majority of the work done by the time I was back. Time was tight but we got it done, Mother Nature sure put us to the test. It was cold today but the weather is getting better and is supposed to be warmer everyday, turning on the fish! I will have fishing reports for you as they come in and of course keep my camera handy.

Here is the crew, from the left Josh, Josh, John(me), Bruce and Cristian


The scene at Cherrington on Friday


Saturday we had to try to keep the Otter warm so we could get going


The ice that was pushed into the bay away from the airplanes


Some lake. The ice was being pushed around by the wind and getting caught in the narrows on most lakes.


The snow was much heavier in Red Lake, I am glad it was not like that up north, although it is all gone already.