Aren't you supposed to paddle a canoe?

From Anchorage we headed south with Homer as our ultimate destination. Crossing over onto the Kenai Peninsula we saw the tide rushing out and were very happy not to be in a canoe out there. There were tons of fishermen with huge boats and nets mostly heading back north but some still fishing at the streams and rivers. We found a cute campground tucked into the lush green mountains and Ron made me brownies to celebrate our four year wedding anniversary. Very delicious.



The following day we headed for the Swan Lake Canoe Circuit. Allegedly it is one of two wilderness canoe circuits in the US with the other being the Boundary Waters. As we were driving to the beginning of the trail we saw a black bear bound out of the brush and jog across the road in front of us. There was only one group parked at the trail head and they were finishing their trip as we were getting ready. On our first day the weather was great and we paddled across 6 lakes with 6 portages (two of which were the best kind – water portage!). Ron was super tough and carried the canoe solo. The lakes were short and filled with lily pads, loons, and swans. The terrain was slightly undulating with enough elevation change to support spruce, birch, and some really large aspen trees.



Our second day in we paddled 5 lakes with 4 portages (1 water) in the rain. We did get a nice surprise and ended up pretty close to some peaks. Since paddling the Bowron Lakes we have pondered the Canadian tarp-over-the-tent system. Lucky for us, we decided to try it out and even though it rained, our tent and gear stayed relatively dry. We decided to keep our camp at the same location and explore Swan Lake and the Moose River. The Moose River was a bust with no moose, bears, or fish so we spent the day paddling around Swan Lake. There were even swans to chase around and a bald eagle who kept an eye on us.



The next two days we looped back to the trail head. I carried the canoe solo for 3 portages and Ron was pretty excited to get a break. Wildlife sightings include two moose, countless loons, and swans with cygnets. The weather was beautiful on the way out and we were even able to dry all our gear. From here we head to Homer.