Listen to our 9/6/2006 Podcast!

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After finishing the crossing between Pigeon Point and Victoria Island, we found ourselves in Canada. We paddled behind the shelter of a long string of islands with the biggest of all, Pie Island, looming in the distance.

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We are using a canvas tent with a wood burning stove inside. On those chillier nights, it sure is nice to have the stove heat up the tent. We’ve noticed in the morning that there is a lot of condensation making the canvas wet—and making the tent harder to pack. We’ve discovered that if we fire up the stove for a while in the morning, it will dry the tent out a bit. However, if we light the stove in the morning, it adds almost an hour to our morning routine. Do you have any other suggestions for how to deal with this condensation in the mornings?

What should we do about the dew?

Posted by Dave at 8:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

Slaty-backed Gull
Larus schistisagus

The Slaty-Backed Gull is a large white-headed gull that breeds on the western coast of Alaska but travels widely during nonbreeding seasons. Claims have been made as to its occasional presence throughout North America as well as the eastern coast of Asia.

We had a lone Slaty-Backed Gull visiting the beach in the east bay of Grand Marais, MN for several weeks. This was the first time this type of gull has been spotted in this area. Although this bird is not typically found in the Great Lakes area, we decided to pay a special tribute to our foreign feathered friend in our very first Animal of the Day entry.

The Slaty-Backed Gull is a very large gull at 27 inches (68.5 centimeters) long. It has a white head, belly, and tail with a dark slaty-gray back and wings with a broad white trailing edge. The underside of the wings features a "string of pearls" pattern along their edges; these can be seen from below when the bird is in flight. Its eyes are yellow. The legs are pink and short when compared with those of similar-looking gulls, and the body appears more stout. The bill is yellow with orange-red spot. Immature gulls' plumage is brown. Like other gulls, the Slaty-backed Gull is both a forager and a scavenger.

While we were excited to see this rare visitor in Grand Marais, the Herring Gulls that are common in this area were not very welcoming. Why do you think these local gulls tried to drive the Slaty-Backed Gull away?

Posted by Dave at 5:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

46% of US lakes are too polluted for fishing, swimming, or aquatic life.

Posted by Dave at 4:44 AM | Permalink