8/2/05 – Camping with dogs is a pretty routine phenomenon here in canoe country. Every season, hundreds of dogs of all shapes, sizes, and temperaments pass through Sawbill Lake, headed for adventure and wide open spaces with their human pals in tow.
The only problem for Sawbill customer Julie Grieves is that she is a cat person–an avid cat person. To her delight, Julie discovered that her 11-month-old cat Cara Mell loves canoeing.
If the next time you visit the BWCAW you happen upon a canoe with a feline riding bow, prancing up and down the gunwales, or swimming alongside (yes, you read that right), don’t tweak out, man.
This is cat country.

Cara Mell the cat surveys a calm Sawbill Lake at sunset.

Julie Grieves and Cara head out on Sawbill Lake for a little evening walleye fishing.

7/31/05 – They just keep freaking coming. Former Sawbill crew member Natasha White (1996 -1999, formerly Natasha Warner) and her husband Ray White recently became parents with the arrival of daughter Willow White. Natasha and family currently live outside of Grand Marais. Congratulations!

Natasha, Ray and Willow White.

7/28/05 – Sometimes people do daring, adventurous, inexplicable things. Hillary and Norgay. Lewis and Clark. Magellan and de Leon. And now, Kari and Sonya.
Defying conventional wisdom and the threat of severe sunburn, Sawbill crew members Kari Anderson-Hermann and Sonya Hansen decided to tackle the infamous Kelso Loop–by inner tube.
After 7 1/2 hours of tube-assisted swimming, including through the shallow, weed-, leech- and fish-filled Kelso River, the duo completed the trek looking tired, slightly deranged, and very, very wrinkly.

Day One: Sawbill Lake. Spirits: high. Food supplies: low.

Kari and Sonya patrol the Kelso River. Baffled canoeists look on.

Always setting a good example, the adventurers made sure to fill out their day use BWCAW entry permit.

7/26/05 – Sawbill Head Cheese Bill Hansen and his children Clare and Carl recently completed a week long canoe trip in the remote waters north of Atikokan, Ontario. They reported seeing few travelers, abundant wildlife and heavy airplane traffic (the main difference between this unprotected area and the Boundary Waters). Fishing, especially for northern pike and smallmouth bass, was excellent.

Where is the portage?

Clare keeps calm while landing Carl’s monster (OK, medium sized) northern.

Muddy shoes build character and enhance family togetherness.

7/24/05 – Fishing has remained steady despite constant heat and high pressure. Small mouth bass are probably biting the best right now, but we continue to receive favorable reports about northerns, walleye and lake trout.
Former Sawbill crew member and fishing enthusiast Jeff Thompson sent us this picture from a recent canoe trip he took with fellow Sawbill alums Jason “Jase” Morse and John “OB” Oberholtzer, and current crew member Adam Hansen.

The lake trout are still biting on the remote Raven Lake. Great photography Jeff!

7/22/05 – I proudly present to you the Sawbill Crew of 2005:

Top (from left): Alison Behm, Tess Dornfeld, Shannon Grace, Kirk Dornfeld, Carol Winter-Dornfeld, Adam Hansen, Molly Breslin, Kari Anderson-Hermann, Dave Freeman, Mary Alice Hansen, Bradley Rysdahl, Bill Hansen. Middle (from left): Jeff Green, Lida Storch, Carl Hansen, Clare Hansen, Jasmine Hanson, Cindy Hansen, Frank Hansen. Bottom (from left): Pat Nash, Sonya Hansen, Sunnie, Laura Smith, Homer.

7/21/05 – OK, take a breath. This is momentous stuff. Longtime Sawbill family friend Tess Dornfeld, seen below flanked her parents Kirk and Carol, began a 10-day internship here early last week.
As Sawbill closes in on its 50th anniversary next year, Tess has become Sawbill’s first ever second-generation crew member. Mom Carol was renting canoes and outfitting camping trips here from 1977 to 1981. I hope this makes some of you feel as old as I do!

Kirk, Tess and Carol take a family breather during last Monday’s Dome Dance.

Carol Winter, highlighted, together with other members of the legendary crew of 1980.

7/19/05 – The annual Sawbill Dome Dance lived up to expectations last night with an evening of hot music, sweaty dancing and cold home brew (Jock Mock Porter, courtesy of Sawbill crew members Pat Nash and Jeff Green).
Thanks to dance caller Terrence Smith for another great year!

Sawbill crew members Jeff Green, Clare Hansen and Tess Dornfeld “turn the dish rag.”

Everybody circle left!

Dance caller Terrence Smith and his daughter (and Sawbill crew member) Laura swing down the line.

The sound of stomping feet resonates through the dome like a giant echo chamber.

7/17/05 – The blueberries are ripe! The unseasonably hot weather of the past two weeks has transformed the bitter green berries into heavy pink, blue, and deep purple morsels. Sawbill crew member Shannon Grace and former crew member Missy Peschman went on a blueberry harvesting mission today, returning after a few hours with berries by the bucket load. Pies and pancakes may be in our immediate future.

2005 is shaping up as a banner year. The blueberries are ripening fast, but plenty of green berries remain for the coming weeks.

7/15/05 – Some of the baby loons of a few months ago are turning into adolescents, still reliant on their parents but gaining small chunks of independence. This mother and child loon were spotted on Agamok Lake–Mom paddling along and junior catching a quick nap under her wing.

You’re never too old for nap time.

Sensing danger, Mom abruptly ends the siesta with a piercing call.