By the second day of the mishoon project, the fire was burning hot, and the hollow of the canoe was beginning to take shape. To burn the log in the middle and not the sides, it is essential to continuously balance an even burning of hot coals in the middle and splashes of water on the sides.

The mishoon process requires 24/7 burning and monitoring. For this reason, those working on the mishoon camped out in the nearby woods of the Innkeeper's Loop trail by Carding Mill Pond and worked in shifts. The mishoon fire provided heat and light after dark and fuel each day for cooking traditional foods like quail and bluefish and modern meals like hot dogs and roasted marshmallows.