This day began in the 30's but was clear. I did what was now my usual morning clothing ritual. I slept in lightweight long underwear in my down bag and was quite comfortable. When I got up, I put insulated ski pants over this long underwear. This kept me warm while I ate my oatmeal and drank my coffee. Then I packed up some things and finally changed out of my long underwear and into my nylon pants. In this way I started the day reasonably warm.I threaded my way between the many islands of Little Sag, moving west and then southwest. I took the longer portage into Elton Lake since I had paddled a good way. I had travelled from Elton to Polly a few years before when I did a loop out of Kawishiwi Lake to Kekekabic and back; but it looked very different with no leaves. I only recognized some of the portages. I met 4 guys who were doing a long easterly route from near Ely to the Gunflint Trail. We chatted about routes and canoes. They were intrigued by mine, especially its weight. They were paddling 16' or 17' aluminum canoes. One guy joked that I knew what to wear on my feet (rubber boots) like him!There were several blow-downs on the 5 trails between Makwa and Kivaniva Lake. Enough people had blazed trails around them and had broken off key branches so that I could pass without stopping. Soon I was on Malberg Lake. I caught up with another soloist who, in his words, was "cheating;" he had brought his dog. I was faster because he was doing the "sit and switch" while I had my double bladed paddle. He was sitting in the stern of a tandem Kevlar canoe and had his dog and gear well forward for trim. But his bow was still high and I wondered how he could make any headway in a wind. We chatted and I headed for Koma Lake. He was ready to stop and I said that I had stayed at the campsite in the bay to the northwest. When I looked back later, he was still circling in the middle of the lake looking at all the campsites.I had advised the first group I met just out of Baker Lake on my first day not to camp on Lake Polly due to bear problems. As I looked at the map, I saw that it was going to be difficult to follow my own advice. I wasn't quite ready to stop on Koma and the next campsite beyond Polly was way up the Phoebe River on Hazel Lake. So I decided to be very careful with my food and stop somewhere on Lake Polly.I had noticed on Malberg that the barometer was starting to drop and knew that this presaged a change in wind direction and weather in general. Even though it was still clear with a light wind, I suspected that the next day would be cloudy and windy. I decided to stop at the campsite nearest the mouth of the Phoebe River. During the last half hour of paddling, the wind shifted to the south and began to build. This section took me about 7 hours.My campsite had a great bear tree and was sheltered from the wind. A huge pine had blown down near the fire grate and will provide years of firewood. I did my usual thing: quick supper, very quick satellite phone call (still warm at home) and retreated to the warmth of my sleeping bag to read.