First Camp

Once we have the gear ashore, Ryan and I take separate paths to scout the nearby forest. We're looking for dry, flat ground, ideally not too far from the beach, and we'd prefer some distance from prominent game trails.

What we find: from the beach, over a berm with a clear bear track, it's all swamp. The woods are dark and wet, and there are moose tracks squished into the mud. In the less brushy spots, moose and bear trails intersect. Moose dung, like giant deer droppings, is all over the forest. There's bear sign piled on the beach, though not too fresh.

We're not thrilled. But the sun is setting, so we might have to make it work.

We cross the stream, scout further afield, but it doesn't get a lot better. But we do find a wider, flatter part of the berm, where two game trails intersect. It's not a puddle, and it's not rocks — so it's going to be home.

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