Depending on the time of year there might be some small algae particles in the water. They are harmless but it they creep you out, then some kind of filter would be useful.

A saw and hatchet is necessary if you are going to use open fire for cooking and sitting around. If you use a stove and go to bed early then not.

The actual number of water borne illness cases from BWCA is very small. Besides, Giardia takes several weeks to make you sick. You will be home by then. :-)

Thank you guys for the info. I really have to cut my list of things to bring down! But...to filter out the particles...I was thinking coffee filters? Use that before I throw in the pills....will that work?

eh, just drink em. mostly algae and cladocerans and rotifers... its good for ya

If you bother filtering at all you might as well go all out and get one of the pumps that you can screw a nalgene onto that will filter all the bad stuff out

I would either stick with iodine pills or get a water PURifier. It is lightweight, compact and has charcoal filtration to kill any nasties. Coffee filters will not filter down that small.

For the first night, I bring in frozen individual wrapped steaks like the ones with "no name". For the second day, ahead of time I make a good batch of spaghetti and freeze it in a pot I will be bringing in anyway. When ready, add water and cook in same pot.

Put frozen stuff in ziplock bags (frozen spaghetti pot also, this bag will be used for my garbage, traps in odors, keeps contents from leaking and making a mess for need to pack out all you pack in), put in a cooler for your drive up there, at the portage, pack all frozen stuff in sleeping bags, towels etc. Leave the cooler in the car.

Not sure if you have read what containers are allowed. No glass or cans are allowed except for what your personal higene items may be packaged in. You can bring in tin-foil for cooking but pack out all you pack in and then some if any garbage was left at the campsite(s) you will be staying at.

Enjoy, take lots of pictures and post how it went.

Katman, I will be on some of the lakes in your area that same timeframe. I am entering @ #77 on the 14th and coming out from the east the following weekend. It should be a great trip. As it gets closer I'll drop you a line and see if we cross paths.

Well, a real nice fillet knife, a cleaning or cutting board with clamp, some cooking oil, flour, salt, pan...a man's gotta' eat some fishys up there...a good comfortable pillow, I bring my down pillow double or triple cased, then you can have a clean casing on the outside, after drooling all night dreaming about those lunkers cracklin' in the oil...or screaming into it all night, nightmarin' about all the bears eating one toe at a time...

One pair of skivvies is plenty, wear 'em frontwards, backwards, inside out frontwards and backwards..and auto wash by swimming...don't forget the biodegradable tp, and I don't mean instead of a tent...

Aspirin and bacteriacide ointment, or whatever...in case you're out in the sun too long, or get a bad bite or sting...

I would go for the little hand pump water filter, no sense ruining your trip or after experience, by a bug that could have been avoided...you probably don't need to filter more than sediment from the water you boil for cooking, just for drinking and making Kool Aid or Lemonade, which reminds me to bring packets of the former, and fresh of the latter, and some sugar, put in a juice bottle on a string, throw into a spring or other cold water, and enjoy on a hot day...

After putting all the suggested items from this thread in your canoe, you won't have to worry about muscle strain from paddling, as you will likely tip and sink right at the landing...not that I ever have myself...

haahha...very true indeed Moby! My list is getting shorter! I just got a Duluth pack...I'm hoping to keep it under 50lbs!

Powerstroke....Yes! Lets exchange info as the time gets closer. We'll have a blast!

I have first hand experience of what can happen if you don't treat/filter the water. Buddy of mine always drinks untreated, unfiltered water, or at least used to, until two years ago when he got a terrible case of "moose juice". We tried to warn him. If it happens to you, you'll have a miserable trip, trust me.

I use a water bottle that has a filter in it. Just squeeze the bottle, and it's filtered when it comes out the spout. No pumping, packs light, Works great.

There are other water-borne illnesses possible from drinking untreated water, but the most common concern in the BW is giardia. Not to downplay the effects of giardia, but giardia gets blamed for illnesses during canoe trips where it was not drinking untreated water that caused the problems. As you can see below, unless you are on a canoe trip for at least 7 days, the diarrhea you got can't be from giardia, it has to be from some other illness, food poisoning, etc.

From a quick Internet search:

...The most common manifestations of giardiasis are diarrhea and abdominal pain...

...Symptoms and signs of giardiasis do not begin for at least seven days following infection, but can occur as long as three or more weeks later. In most patients the illness is self-limiting and lasts 2-4 weeks.

deepinthewoods is correct about when giardia sets in. A huge (90+)percentage of "stomach flu" is from food poisoning. Its not always the blow your guts out problems, but it can ruin a trip.

I think a filter is cheap insurance and they are reusable. If you're renting boats, you can rent a filter too. You can rent anything on this list. There are outiftters in Ely that will provide you with everything but your shoes and underwear. Those can still be bought in town if you have a rough trip.

Whatever you do, don't forget whatever kind of camera and film or chip, etc...you might want to bring a cheap disposable waterproof one also for backup....and don't forget to bring the camera back...careful not to lose it overboard without a floating case... too much blah, blah, blah, I know, but this first trip will be one to remember...no matter how it goes...

I would take along a short 4-5' piece of duct tape wrapped on a credit type card, extra rod tips and a hot gluestick. Glue stick can help repair tears in tents, rods broken or cracked and can make a great firestarter as well! A needle can be handy as well with mono filament for thread, but a straightened fish hook would work in a pinch. Leatherman! If you want to have a little fun then you can make your own wooden silverware.
Tunrevir~

Ways to get sick on a canoe trip.

No refrigeration = bacteria growth on your food.

Drinking from the lake. I've done many times and never had a problem but thats me. Some folks will get an upset digestive system by any tiny amount of bacteria or whatever.

Washing dishes. If your not using hot water and soap to wash dishes and if your wash water looks like soup your really not washing anything. Probably more important is to rinse your dishes in hot water after washing. Like drinking the water, soap film and bacteria left on the dishes can wreak havoc with some people.

Wash your hands, at least wash them if your preparing food for someone besides yourself.

Great comment on dishwashing, Surface Tension! Not getting all the soap off of dishes can make for some frequent trips to the wooden box up the trail. One tip on drying dishes, after you rinse with hot water, air dry the dishes rather than use a dish towel, to avoid wiping stuff back onto the clean dishes. Just turn the dishes upside down on some clean bedrock.

Regardless of one's stance on drinking water straight from the lake or filtering, it is prudent to bring a filter along, in case you get stuck on a small lake or worse. One time bushwhacking we thought we might have to spend the night on a beaver pond due to darkness - I wouldn't have wanted to be without a filter there!

hahah...very good info! We will be renting filters from the outfitters. That will solve the water problem! Now....what will guaranty me a fish?