As we approach our 28th canoeing season on Moose Lake, we are excited and thrilled to get started. When we wrap things up each Fall, it always seems like it will be a long time until the ice goes out and we can open our doors to guests again. Just like life in general, it all goes by in a flash, and here we are once again preparing for your canoe trips.

We know that March came in like a lion for many of you and certainly we hope that it will go out like a lamb for all of us. Usually, my posts try to take on a certain topic and avoid rambling, today I am unabashedly going to ramble. You are lucky, because my wife says I am very good at that!

Quetico Park

First, let’s talk about the Quetico Park. All our Quetico paddlers want to know if they are going to be able to get into the Park this summer. The answer is a resounding “Maybe.” See I missed my calling as a politician.

This is the latest. The Park will be open, but until the US/Canadian Border reopens for “non-essential” traffic, we cannot access it. My observation, with each passing day, COVID numbers are improving.

There is immense pressure on law-makers to get things going again. A major portion of the Quetico Park’s revenue is derived from US dollars.

There are other places in the US, think Maine, Washington, and New York that have major stakes in getting the border reopened, so we are not alone in our efforts. We are also hopeful that the political winds will blow in the right direction to get a favorable result.

All things considered, I am cautiously optimistic that we will get into the Park this season. To hedge our bets, we have helped many of our guests get both Quetico Provincial Park permits and BWCAW (US) permits so they have the insurance of a US trip should the Quetico remain off-limits. All right, so bottom line, we have our fingers crossed.

The related issue here, is the Canadian Remote Area Border Crossing Program (RABC). We all know that after you get a Quetico permit, you then apply for a border crossing (RABC) permit.

Well, we have received official notice from Canadian Customs that at this point, they are not even accepting applications. So, don’t waste your time submitting an application, you will just have to do it again later. We will keep everyone informed on this issue. Just keep those barbless hooks ready.

Boundary Waters Webinars

Second, webinars! Hey, I didn’t even know what a webinar was until last Fall. Then, Dave made the suggestion that since we could not do sport shows or Boundary Waters Nights around the country this winter, we should do webinars.

Well, we did and you all made the endeavor very successful. As you know we did 3 webinars and each one was well attended. We have made them available on our website for replay, and many of you have taken advantage of that. The three webinars cover:

• Planning a Boundary Waters Trip from Start to Finish

• How to Plan and Organize a Scout High Adventure or Youth Group Canoe Trip to the Boundary Waters -for youth and adults

• Fishing in the Boundary Waters - smallmouth bass, walleye, lake trout and pike

So to those of you that joined us on a cold winter’s night in January, Thank You. To those of you that missed the show, the replays are still available on Williams and Hall.com.

Covid - 19 Protocols

Third, COVID issues. We are listening closely to all the info and guidelines coming from the CDC, State, County, and whoever has something useful to say. We are watching the numbers and really enjoying seeing them move in the right direction.

Here in the Border Country, things are looking pretty good statistically speaking. And, Charlene and I get our first Covid-19 vaccination this week.

Be assured, that we will do our part to keep everyone safe this summer. (You can check out our protocols here.)With a bit of luck, the whole pandemic situation will remain on the downward spiral as we approach the summer. We will let everyone know if there are any restrictions that may affect your visit. As we sit, things are looking good.

BWCA Ice-Out Is Coming!

Finally, what a winter we have had. For those of you that have had a dose of cold and snow these past few weeks, welcome to the club. We want you to know that we have been happy to share. Hope everyone enjoyed.

The best part about the cold is that, there is always spring and open water to look forward to. At Williams and Hall, there is that next season to look forward to. We can’t wait to see you all “Up North” in just a few weeks.