Day One

Entering the Locks on the Sault Canal. We will soon descend 21 feet in the locks from Lake Superior to Lake Huron. We radioed the lock master to get permission to pass. He seemed a little confused when we requested passage for 10 kayaks.

Bill "Wapiti" Smith, Expedition Leader, leads the team through the Soo Canal, Canadian Locks. We were required to hold a cable, sheathed in plastic and raft at the lock walls.

The rest of the team rafts while a few hold the cables. In the Background are the huge gates that will keep Lake Superior at bay as we a wait passage to Huron through equally huge gates.

Our first lunch break was interrupted by the arrival of a US Army hemmit vehicle with a large watercraft as cargo. They delivered the craft to the water a spent some time cruising around us as we continued down the river. Here Chuck "Papa" Hill is pictured with one of the diesel powered watercraft in the background.

Our first camp, on Sand Island, was located only 3/4's of a mile from an aid to navigation tower on Neebish Island. The two island are presently connected by land bridging. We decided to look into the operation of this tower. What we found were 6 unsecured deep cycle batteries charged by what we assume to be a 200-500 watt solar array at the top. Pictured is the expedition leader "Wapiti" pausing on his ascent of the tower.

The view from an elevated tower position. The right lower corner shows the containment system for the batteries. Pictured are (left to right) Randy "Recondo" Letts and Sweeper Chuck "Papa" Hill.

On our return trip to camp, we found what we assumed to be a cougar track in the mud of the marshy shoreline.

Just before we hit the rack, this heavy scene presented itself. It seems to make a good picture.