This Is Drivel

flashback – a trip to the Boundary Waters

As a wee lad, I was in a semi-official Boy Scout troop. Our troop leaders, Dave Sabrowsky and Cliff Stern, were somehow confident enough in our abilities to take us on a trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area one year. I wish I could remember exactly which year — possibly 1978?

I’m pretty jazzed about finding these photos. I thought they were lost forever. Sorry about the sketchy quality; all I had was a Kodak Pocket Instamatic.

eight people stand in front of a canoe trailer; two canoes are loaded onto the racks and the bottom of the trailer is packed full of camping gear
Packed up & ready to go! Left to right, Pat Beck, Rick Strong, Pete Okonski, unknown, unknown, Dave Sabrowsky, Cliff Stern, Gary Rodgers
two men and two boys stand on a rocky shore; three canoes and a fishing boat are beached around them; a tan backpack lays on the ground; the water in the background appears to be choppy and the day overcast
The canoes are packed up and ready to go (the fishing boat is not ours). Left to right, Cliff Stern, Dave Sabrowsky, Rick Strong, Gary Rodgers
two canoes in choppy waters under an overcast sky; three people are in the nearest canoe, two in the farthest; tall trees crowd the shoreline
Under way! In the nearest canoe, left to right: Pat Beck, Rick Strong, Cliff Stern. Can’t tell who’s in the bow of the farthest canoe but Dave Sabrowsky is in the rear.
blurry photo of two people in flannel shirts sitting in canoes; one is paddling, one is drinking from a tan mug; the water is choppy and the sky is partly cloudy
When we got out into the lake, Cliff took a swig of water directly from the lake. He said it was probably okay, so we all took a swig. Nobody got brain worms as far as I know.
a young man in a flannel shirt and beanie cap sits in the foreground; a sign on a rocky shore in the background reads "Welcome to Canada"
Crossing the border into Canada
two people in canoes: a blond boy in an orange windbreaker with a fishing pole in the foreground, and a blond man in a plaid flannel shirt in the background
Rick Strong getting ready to catch some fish, with troop leader Dave Sabrowsky looking for something in the background
a young man in glasses paddles a canoe on choppy waters; two canoes cross the water in the background; the sky is partly cloudy but the sun is shining; tall trees crowd the shore in the background
Gary paddles the canoe across choppy waters.
a canoe on choppy waters under an overcast sky; tall evergreen trees crowd the shore line
Cliff, Rick, and Pat paddle through heavy weather.
two boys wearing brightly colored jackets stand in front of a green tent, surrounded by tall trees
Pat Beck and Rick Strong in camp.
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