Springer2,

Thanks for your post.

I will be passing through Kett Lake around September 9th on my way back from a 2 week Quetico trip.

I have never been on Kett Lake but it looks like the only real campsite on Kett is KZ (a 3 star), located on a point in the southern part of the lake about .6 miles from the 1st of 2 long portages going into Basswood. Is this the campsite with the message jar?

I may have to make it a point to stop by the campsite and read a few messages in the jar. I have been to Quetico every year but one since 1979 and I have never taken the time to find a message jar... usually too busy fishing or paddling to my next destination.

Love the message jars, there is a separate forum for the message jar sites if you aren’t a member you should join.

I personally don’t post this type of info publically anymore as others in this Q forum have expressed the jars violate the rules (even though I have read messages from Robin Reilly in them] and professed they need to be destroyed to follow leave no trace.

Here is an example from our message cache group and why people don’t post publicly about these sites anymore.
“Does anyone know why an individual would remove a cache? Apparently the one I mentioned on Louisa was picked up and removed just 3 days later by a member of of this message board. “

T

timatkn
I personally don’t post this type of info publically anymore as others in this Q forum have expressed the jars violate the rules...

I have mixed feelings about them also. I will go ahead and edit this thread.

Didn’t know about message jar theft T ... I will keep silent about jars from now on. I can’t believe there are folks that would do such a thing.

It is true that the location of message jars needs to be communicated outside of the internet's public eye. There is at least one out there that is very special to the few that know of it with messages going back to the 70's. Many people on this web site have been there but we just can't talk about it openly. Usually a person stirring up conversations about going to lakes near it are invited to know. It seems to be the only way to share it.

I also have never shared fishing spots, campsite info or anything else that I selfishly think needs to be protected.
Tom

I think it’s a sad day when message caches can’t be discussed because a few people think that their opinion should be the law. Actually, some of them are artifacts and there are laws against the destruction of artifacts. Should logging ruins be removed? They hurt no one and they’re not easily found. They are the modern day equivalent of of pictographs. They tell stories that won’t be found on the Internet.

That said, there’s wisdom in recognizing the threats and keeping the information off the internet. I will gladly share location information with those I know. I’ve whiled away a few hours reading the notes of those who preceded me to a given lake. Very enjoyable.

Old salt. I too will share what I know with those I trust. The only reason I don’t openly share is the fear of theft and vandalism. Not selfish pride.
Tom

I'm glad the message jar thread has been deleted. Too many good things have been ruined by a small number of idiots, whether that be fragile fisheries, special places unknown to the teaming masses, or message jar locations.

I had no idea anyone had a problem with message jars. Really unbelievable to me. If they are really worried about "leaving no trace" they would not be going on trips as they are leaving infinitely more "trace" just by being there than a damn message jar. Some people are literally beyond stupid. What despicable behavior to remove them.

Mgraber,

+1. You could not have said it any better.

I am not a fan of most message jars. I have seen a number of them over the years. I have taken the time to read some of them and actually left a note in one. But I really don't feel they have a place in Quetico. Almost all of them have been placed sometime after I started paddling in Quetico. I hope that does not qualify me as an artifact. I don't think it does, and I don't think a jar is either.
With that said, with three exceptions, the jars I have seen have been well away from the campsite and very hard to find even if you knew they were there. One of those that was in the campsite is gone, which I was happy about. I spent 30 minutes at one site searching for a jar that I knew was there before I found it.
So if I really have to search for one I don't really care, at least too much, if they are there or not.