Bug Situation and Paddling Conditions?

[Rafiki]

Just wondering what the bug situation is looking like at the moment. I am leaving on Thursday to make the drive up to the ferry and would love to know what I am getting into. Any updates would be great. Also how have the paddling conditions been as of lately. I know things can quickly change from day to day with regards to paddling, but I figured I'd ask anyways. Thanks.

[johnhens]

Have you been checking the Marine forecast?
http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php ... ssuedby=ls

[sgatz]

You didn't say where you were paddleing, but we paddled the interior lakes (McCargoe-Chickenbone-Livermore-LaSage-Richie-Intermediate-Siskwit-Wood-Whittlesey-Chippewa) from 7/24-8-1.
Chickenbone had some flies, but the just landed and didn't bit.
Livermore-LaSage-Richie We had overcast rainy breezy weather so bugs were a nonissue on the water.
Intermediate Had LOTS of mosquitoes that were quite aggressive and followed us most of the way across the lake.
Siskwit Some followed us out onto the water from the portage from Intermediate
Wood Lake Not bad on the water- at camp in the shade they were bothersome, but not thick - at evening....now that is another matter
Whittlesey We just passed through on a breezy day, so no bugs bothering us there.
Chippewa A few during the day and a LOT at night.
Hope that helps.

[Gimp]

I just returned from a 29 July - 4 August canoe trip. There were always a few mosquitoes around but I didn't think it was too bad. Due to the cooler weather I usually had little skin exposed beyond my hands neck and face. Just a little bit of bug juice kept me well protected. I routed through Chippewa Harbor, Wood Lake, Malone Bay, Lake Richie, Moskey, and Caribou Island. The only place where I felt compelled to put on my head net was at Lake Richie while I was frying fish. I was at the third campsite where it was wet and dark and that seemed to have the most mosquitoes of any place on the trip.

Regarding the paddling conditions, I'd say they were quite good for my time there with one exception. The week prior to my visit I understand that things were more difficult, especially on Sunday the 28th of July. My one exception involved Lake Siskiwit. I wanted to paddle to Malone Bay and spend a night there if the weather cooperated. It did and I had a smooth paddle there. The paddle back the next morning was extremely unpleasant and a constant fight against high winds and waves that started almost immediately after I started my trip. I'd read that the best way to avoid the wind was to paddle across to the north side of the lake, but I saw lots of white caps out in the middle and opted to endure the conditions closer to the shore. I don't think that I will ever paddle on the main body of Lake Siskiwit again.

[Rafiki]

Thanks for the heads up on everything guys. Im leaving tomorrow morning so its nice to hear about how things have been looking. Thank you very much as well John for providing me with the marine forecast website. I was unaware that it existed up until this point in time.