What Secrets Exist in This Vast Wilderness Lake?

Response to DEP prompt 46 of 52: “What had a positive impact on your life?”

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area is a wilderness destination for canoeists worldwide. They come for the experience of a lifetime. It is located in the Arrowhead region of Minnesota. The Canadian Province of Ontario forms the northern border. Paddlers can explore thousands of lakes and acres of solitude amidst unspoiled beauty.

I remember the first time I saw Snowbank Lake. Our family came here on the recommendation of a friend. A young man rented rustic cabins on an isolated peninsula. It was a former fishing camp. He planned to develop a unique resort experience.

Brent and I arrived with three small children. The family had no experience with primitive living conditions. But I was intimately familiar with such. The vast lake lay before us. A patch of cattails grew beside the dock. A bay-sheltered lily pad with white flowers. A huge island was opposite the landing. A feeling of peace and serenity hung in the air.

We waited for Lee to pick us up. The only access to Wilderness Bay was by watercraft. We loaded our gear and boxes of groceries aboard a pontoon boat. He motored around the island, leaving a broad wake behind us. The kids exclaimed with joy while sprayed with mist.

The pristine sights promised a week of adventure and excitement. Some memory deep inside me bubbled to the surface. “I know this energy. It feels like home.” I recalled my childhood days roaming my mountainside. The bay loomed ahead. Lee cut the motor and glided to the dock of cabin one.

He helped us carry supplies to the screened porch. Then explained how the kitchen hand pump worked. There was a latrine out back. The lights and appliances ran on propane. A motorboat and canoe came with our lease. If we had any questions, someone was in the lodge.

We were free to explore the lake at will. There were no planned activities. The isolated peninsula had a few trails meandering through the woods. Wilderness Bay was for independent-minded clients. Most came to fish and relax — away from civilization. He gave us a map to orient ourselves.

We took day trips in the motorboat, hiked on portage trails, and caught bass and northern pike. The kids swam and jumped off the dock. A campfire blazed every evening. Loons fascinated us with their mournful cry. A bald eagle watched our movements from its aerie in a tall pine.

I realized that I was a child of Nature after that week. I needed a wilderness setting to be truly happy. City noises disturb my equilibrium. I could feel my inner body revolting as we drove towards home. I decided to be a Girl Scout leader of an outdoors-oriented troop. They were some of the best years of our lives.

One day a Scouting magazine asked for adult volunteers to chaperone senior scouts. They planned a canoe trip to the BWCA. I wanted to know that area further. I signed on. Moose Lake Outfitters supplied everything we needed. Then they bid us “Bon Voyage”.

We paddled four canoes up the lake to a portage trail that accessed the next lake on our map. Our group ventured forth by the “seat of our pants”. I had some experience with this country. After observing a group before us, we learned how to portage our canoes. I knew what campsites looked like and the location of box latrines.

We had canvas tents and a kitchen tarp. They got heavier when wet. Our Duluth packs were cumbersome. It rained most days. It was difficult to find dry squaw wood. Fortunately, we carried a can of kerosene. We needed a fire to cook our meals. A rope thrown over high tree branches kept our food away from bears.

Each lake and portage had its own unique features. Oh, how I fell in love with this lake country. Now, I knew my family could venture further into the BWCA. Over the years our knowledge and wilderness skills grew. We have pleasant memories of our spectacular adventures.

My Scouting opportunities expanded. One year I chaperoned Midwest Scouts to the International GS Chalet in Switzerland. We spent a week with Girl Guides from other countries. One activity involved hiking to the summit of a mountain. The Swiss Alps resonated with my spirit. I knew I had a body suited for climbing.

That experience urged me to explore this sport called mountaineering. I was hooked after taking a basic course in Colorado. I went on to climb peaks around the world for 25 years.

Volunteering as a Girl Scout leader impacted my life in many ways. It led to opportunities I wouldn’t have had otherwise. My life has been enriched because of it. And it all began with a family trip to Wilderness Bay on Snowbank Lake.

Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles suggested this prompt: “write about something that’s had a positive impact on your life.”

I praise the hard-working editors of Dancing Elephant’s Press, Dr. Gabriella Korosi, Dr. Preeti Singh, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, and Annelise Lords for posting these inspiring prompts.

Caroline de Braganza writes — To have total freedom in this world, one must live as they authentically are.

Garima Sharma reminds us that hope lurks around the corner even when things feel darkest. Read this beautifully expressed poem.