Boundary Waters, a fairytale experience

Last week, Delta and I finally went canoeing in the Boundary Waters, a trip we'd been planning to take for a couple years now.

We'd known we were going for a few months now, but I'd put off the whole canoeing thing until the trip was almost upon us. And then, a few weeks before our vacation, Delta turned to me and said pointedly, "you know a canoe trip is going to involve portaging, don't you?"

"Yeah, of course," I tried to nonchalantly brush it off.

"You know portaging invovles actually carrying the canoe, right?"

"Right..." my voice had lost it's edge of self confidence now.

"Do you think your arms are strong enough for that?" Delta pressed on.

We both looked down at my arms, which have been used for nothing more strenuous than typing over the past ten years. These ladies were meant for nothing greater than washing my hair. They hung limply down at my sides, like a couple linguine strands from my neck.

Suddenly, I was full of panic. "Delta, what do I do? I'll never be able to carry a canoe!"

"What do you mean?! Go to the gym!"

And so started my new routine at the gym. Arms, core, legs & cardio. Arms, core, legs & cardio. Until suddenly the day was upon us, and we excitedly caught our flight to Duluth, MN. 

As it turns out, portaging can only be done by one person. So Delta was lumped with carrying the canoe after all. 

But enough about portaging, which ultimately turned out to be a relatively small part of the whole experience. If there are just a couple things I took back from our Boundary waters experience, it would be the absolute solitude in nature. And the heartmelting views, simply uncomparable.

A moment of respite, before we launched from one lake to the next.

 Gathering firewood to cook our daily dinner.

 A sunset view from the campsite, drying off on the shore after our evening swim.

 A view of the cove where we had our morning swim

 Ultimately, Delta carried the canoe on his head. I'm still happy I worked on my arms, though.

Each portage point was unique and spectacular in it's own right.

A lazy afternoon reading on the beach

A sudden mid-portage crisis of "I quit! I'm hungry! I'm tired!"