Northern section of Woldaia Lake - Wholdaia Lake at entrance to Dubawnt River
Distance 48km [290 km]
Portage 0 [12]
Fast Water 1
Rapids 1
Another big day, we were on the water paddling by 7am and it was already hot, the forecast promised us another 30 degree day. Apart from the heat and a posse of “no-see’ems” who stayed with the canoe all day driving us to distraction, we had excellent paddling conditions, no wind and flat glassy water.
Early in the day we again paddled through wide expanses of floating spruce pollen
More mostly treeless peat bogs, Woldaia Lake
It was obvious that finding a camping spot was going to be a challenge so we elected to head for an esker near where the lake joins the Dubawnt River. Usually spotting beaches from a distance is easy however this shoreline has large areas of long dry grass left over from last year and from a distance they look like sandy beaches, we have been fooled a number of times. Despite the heat and bugs we made good time. We also had our first “fast water” and a C1 rapid both unmarked and catching us by surprise. We reached the esker and camped alongside an old trap cabin that had not been used in many years.
The top of the esker was open and we went for a walk along it admiring the beautiful views back down the lake and over the entrance to the Dubawnt River. Just after we retired to the tent about 10pm we had a heavy rain storm that cooled the air.
Trap cabin on esker, Wholdaia Lake at the headwaters of the Dubawnt River
Remains of the sod roof
Remains of the sod or moss roof
A ‘jigger’ used to set fish nets between two holes under the lake ice, the jigger is ‘walked’ along the lower surface of the ice by working the metal lever with a rope, once the jigger is through, the rope is used to pull through the net
Exploring the esker
View along the top of the esker back towards the trap cabin and our camp in the far distance
Cyrogenic patterns on the esker
Our camp beside the trap cabin