Wednesday July 15th Kawishiwi River Forest Park, Ely MN

Last night we went to bed during one of the best storms ever…lighting and thunder went on for about 4 hours, accompanied by rain. Nice to be dry and warm in Ruakiwi.

Woke to a very still morning, and looked outside at 7 and could see mist in the trees, Dressed and off with my camera to the lake edge….just beautiful with fog around the lake and the sun trying to shine through, so peaceful after last night.

Had breakfast and donned our walking shoes and headed off for over an hours walk to the park falls. It was great and the first part of it took us along the rugged lake coastline with the lava rcks, then up the Gooseberry River, which was quite brown after all the rain. Started to walk off the track at one stage and a small snake slithered off into the undergrowth….gave me a huge fright…just not used to them.

Up the coast and stopped at the Split Rock Park Lighthouse. Did the “tourist” thing and paid an admittance fee, but well worth it. Watched a film on the making of the lighthouse then toured it and the outer buildings. We enjoyed it all.

Lunched beside the lake, then on to the Pallisade River lookout. Decided to leave Ruakiwi at the bottom of the hill as heard that it was quite windy, and were tramping up the hill, when we got offered a ride…we must have looked like a couple of geriatrics and they took pity on us. Once again great views, and so impressed with the clarity of the lake, it is a real blue colour, and the rock formations are quite majestic.

It was getting on in the day so headed inland to Ely, which is the base city for the Boundary Lake Canoe area….a vast area with hundreds of lakes which can be canoed on and they are so close, travellers portage their boats between lakes. Laura and her dad are coming up here on Friday to spend 4 days on the lakes.

The town looks very interesting, intend having a nose around tomorrow, so popped into the library to get my emails…had a few problems with large emails jamming up my in box….so please, no large attachments while we are travelling. Headed 10 miles out of town to a Forest Park on the edge of a river, very peaceful..the noisiest things are the mosquitoes…and they are huge!!! These camps don’t have electricity, but we are all equipped so it doesn’t worry us, and only $10 per night. Even started the generator to dry my hair!!!