I quickly take a shot of Rum Lake as we prepare to depart.

We started the day at about 9:15am by paddling out of Rum Lake to Unna (no moose this time). A bald eagle was standing sentinel as we passed from Unna Lake into the Cariboo River for a quick trip to the Babcock Creek portage.

This columbine was along the side of the portage trail and had to stop to get a photo. I only saw the one plant but it sure stood out. Not my best photography but you get the picture?

Another shot of the end of a portage. We had three portages today: Babcock Creek portage 1.2km (.75mi); Babcock Lake to Skoi Lake portage 0.4km (.25mi); Skoi Lake to Spectacle Lake portage 0.4km (.25mi). These were by far the easiest portages of the trip--not that portaging is easy--just easier!

We pass through the reeds on Skoi (means "baby") Lake to get to our LAST portage.

About two hours later and half way down Spectacle Lake we stop for lunch at a very nice cooking shelter. There is a ranger cabin across the lake and a couple of campsites adjacent to the shelter. People use this shelter to document in various ways that they have been there and done the circuit. I don't know why I didn't take a picture but see small carved paddles dangling from the rafters with names and dates; a scout troop from Sisters, OR actually brought a wood plank with all their names and the date they passed this point; many others simply wrote their names and the date; and still others carved their info into the timbers; folks who had done the circuit multiple times simply added another date to their original entry. We take the opportunity, while Merlin and Cheryl prepare lunch, to lay on the beach in the sun for just a few minutes as the sun ducks in and out behind the clouds. Soon we are back on the lake. We've still got a few hours of paddling to get to our next, and final night's campsite.

It's almost 5pm as we near our final campsite. We have been successful in finding a supply of wood at the designated wood stop--FINALLY!--so everyone carries their share. Reaching the Bowron River, we follow the channel as it meanders through an extensive marsh. The river level and our canoes are too low to see what lies above.

After dinner I grab my camera to catch a shot of the Bowron Marsh from the small bluff by the old cabin.

There is an old cabin/shelter that some college kids are staying in right next to our campsite. Other than the campsites by the "Chute", this is the most populated area we have been in. But it makes sense since it is very close to the end and some folks do only a 3-4 day trip along the west side of the circuit. We can also hear the Europeans across the small marsh from the outhouse. So these kids are in this old cabin that apparently was infested with mice. We hear them every once in a while, too--they must be playing games or something as there is much laughter. They were pretty cool though and we let them fill their water jug using our filter.

Tomorrow we will get up really early (5am) and quietly paddle through the marsh to Bowron Lake as early morning is the best time to observe wildlife in the marsh. It is 9:30pm when I turn out my light.

During the middle of the night I wake up to run to the outhouse. The sky is clear and moonlight is shining through the trees by the cabin, illuminating my tent. I see the Big Dipper and all the rest of the stars--AWESOME! But I'm the only one awake, and heeding the sign, decide I don't want to be out there alone and pass on the opportunity to take some night shots of the moon and stars.