Happy Surprises - ELTRUT LAKE (TURTLE RIVER) - Day Forty Three

Having no clue what we had in store along the Turtle, there have been nothing but pleasant surprises. Having expected a summer with hardly any white water, we were in for a treat.

More than once we cautiously approached a bend in the river where we had a falls or portage marked on our maps, and were happily surprised when it turned out to be a large runnable set of whitewater. We excitedly scouted each set of rapids from shore, and more often than not we were able to find a perfect line down the set between the frothing holes, jagged rocks, and pounding waves.

As if the rapids weren't enough excitement for one day, menacing clouds rolled in and the heavens opened last night just as we were finishing dinner. As we lay in the tent, a flood of rain whipped against the fabric and the flashes of lightning began. As we tried to fall asleep we were woken again and again by the illuminated tent and on occasion bolts so bright it felt like looking directly at the sun. The cracks of thunder seemed to rip through the sky like cannons firing with consecutive bangs high above.

The river is aptly named, as several times a day we see turtles lazily sunning themselves on fallen logs or rocks poking out of the water. The bears in the area have also made their presence known. Fresh poop filled with berries on the portage trail and a thunderous crashing at the edge of our site during breakfast reminded us that we're sharing the river with some very large friends. I even saw a bear standing on its hind legs at the edge of river, gazing curiously at us before casually lumbering back into the woods. Brynley missed it despite my quiet but excited pointing, much to her disappointment.

This river has been one of the most scenic places on the route and yet there is nobody here. We are camped yet again at a top notch piece of real estate, this time on the rocky point of an island where the wind is blowing all the bugs away and we can watch the waves from a sheltered fire pit overlooking the lake.