We had lots of fun day outings with the Campanoe and it even went all the way to Madeline Island and over to the Chippewa Flowage with our grandkids, you can see the "living quarters" in the shot, our Old Truck and camper.
It took until September of this year to get out and spend a night. We enjoyed it thoroughly and can't wait until next year.
Rudy and I purchased our Campanoe in the fall of "99. Throughout last winter we discussed where we would enjoy taking it on a several day trip. Would it be down a favorite stretch of the Wisconsin? How about along the Superior shore around Bayfield? Wait, wouldn't the Chippewa Flowage make a great trip?
Unfortunately, the reality was that the summer came and wore on to one commitment after another. Finally in July, we hooked it behind the truck and camper and headed off toward Lake Superior with our two grandchildren. Although we have some great pictures andmemories of day trips with the kids, we still had never slept overnight in it.
We planned next to take five days in August and head down the Wisconsin, but our days off could not coordinate.
September arrived and the warm weather held. On a warm Friday in the middle of September, we decided on the "spur of the moment" to pack up and head "down river" at a spot close to home just for one stolen night.
Saturday morning, we put in at the Pine Island boat landing several miles above Portage on the Wisconsin River. We spoke with a fisherman who with a grave look was studying the river. He was concerned about the water level for his weak old boat. The Wisconsin River is a master at hiding trees and logs just under the surface. Although the river was higher than normal due to the dams being opened for the recent rains, it looked pretty good above the Prairie du Sac dam.
Forty minutes of slow and casual motoring and one sand bar stop later we were under the Highway 51 Bridge. As we looked up at the traffic, we were dismayed to see a truck pulling a trailer with four snowmobiles heading...south. Under the Highway 33 Bridge some minutes later we checked water levels for the meandering main channel frequently. Passing houses on the north bank in portage, we spied another Campanoe anchored along the bank next to a retaining wall. It was good that they had the bimini top up or we would never have noticed it in the greenery along the shore edge.
Just after that Rudy pointed out ahead in the gathering gloom of early evening what appeared to be large dark birds on the water. We peered and puzzled over the shapes as deer making their way across the river. We slowly chugged on downriver past the deer looking for a good campsite that we could both agree on...hmmm. We finally pulled up near the Portage Power plant south of the Baraboo River junction on an island sand bar. After Rudy secured the Campanoe to some sturdy shrubs, we removed the non-night essentials to the bank to give us more legroom for the night. We got out our new lantern for use to prepare sup per as dark had really closed in by then. I can advise quite readily that you do not try out a new lantern and read instructions by the light of two tiny flashlights. That accomplished, we heated our dinner and toasted our (finally) first night on the boat. We got our beds made up after supper and prepared to snuggle down. The night was cold and we felt pretty snug inside listening to the river sounds. A strong wind kicked up about 2:00 A.M. and tugged the Campanoe upriver and downriver on it's mooring rope, but it was securely tied and we were rocked back to sleep.
We awoke at about 7:00 A.M. I can't tell you what a blessing that porta-potty was in the boat. We did not open the canvas until after breakfast when we had packed up our overnight gear and stowed it in the compartments. It's always amazing to us how much we can stow in the end compartments. Breakfast was quickly accomplished on two small camp stoves. Coffee is best on the river.
After cleaning and packing away our dishes, we brought in the extra gear and started back up-river. A quick ckeck of the gas tank showed that the 5 HP Honda had used less than 1/2 tank on the trip down, so we were "good to go". Motoring along on our way back, we niticed quite a few cottages on the south bank and of course along the north bank we saw familiar businesses along Hwy 16/51. Passing again under the bridges in the warm morning sun, we soon came back to the south point of Pine Island. Unwilling to end our stolen 24 hours, we pushed into the soft bank and dragged out our cooler and chairs and snacked and walked the island and commented on the quiet of the waterway after Labor Day.
The end of our mini-odyssey was in sight at the Pine Island landing where our truck and trailer awaited.
As I write this from notes I took along the river last September, I am looking out my window at snow deep on the apple tree limbs and piled over a foot deep on the neighbor's garage roof. The Campanoe is tucked into its winter storage at a friends' old barn near Portage. Spring is so far away and the snow seems never-ending. Thoughts of next year's adventures attempt to warm our spirits as we drag out the snow blower yet another time!
(Thank you Rudy and Marti)