Thursday, October 18, 2007
from algonquintrips.blogspot.com
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
The first instalment of the Portage Dictionary...
The Perdita Felicien: wherein the portager lurches over a seemingly innocuous fallen tree at great speed expecting to clear it with ease only to catch a lace, a pant cuff or similar on a branch. A Jesus or Earth Mother Dive may follow.
The Tonya Harding: where in order to maintain balance or momentum the portager propels lower leg forward into rock, log or both, at about shin level.
The Armadillo: wherein the clear line through the bush becomes suddenly a Car Wash, the portager curls head toward chest, tucks arms in, leans forward and stomps aggressively through obstructing branches. A move heralded by judges for its audacity in placing skin preservation ahead of the need to see where you're going.
The Birth Canal: when carrying a canoe, the portager attempts to pass between two trees separated by a distance less than the boat's beam at the midthwart. Athletes are scored based on the speed at which they perform the maneuver and the creativity applied in the process of wiggling through.
Dinglethwacking: ropes or nylon webbing connected to the canoe's front and back that allow the portager to control the canoe are called dingle straps. Holding them taught while going through a Car Wash would seem to be an excellent way of fending off bent branches, but in fact, it merely extends the branches' arc, making the results of their release that much more spectacular.
Car Wash: undergrowth along a river, either where nature is reclaiming a trail or engulfing a river tends to be strong, right to the ground. Branches grow horizontally seeking sunlight, creating a gate effect between trees similar to what you find in a drive-through carwash, but they don't so much buff as flagellate.
Jesus Dive: where losing balance or footing, the portager falls in some direction (extra points for backwards) and reaches out a limb to break the fall only for said limb to contact the pointy end of a stick. Twenty points for palm of hand. Extra points for broken skin.
Mother Earth Dive: similar to the Jesus Dive, but, hands restrained by portaging straps, the portager kisses the earth - with gusto. Ten points for each five seconds of prostration.
The Boomerang: when attempting the Car Wash or Armadillo, the portager is propelled backwards by the strength of the branches.
The Twistoff: when carrying the canoe, the portager attempts to execute a turn only to find the bow of the canoe has gone past a tree. Extra points if your head makes a sound when the canoe hits it.
From AlgonquinAventures.com
October get togetherSeptember 14 2007 at 10:12 AM | Stainless from IP address 74.12.73.105 | |
Hello everyone, This is a follow up to Tomek's plan to have a get together some weekend in October in the interior with anyone who can make it. Tomek will be kayaking solo, and some others will be canoeing solo (maybe some tandem also) The weekend will be Oct. 19-21. The lake will be Owl Lake (access at Source Lake, off of HWY 60). I have never been on this route, but it looks like the waters are somewhat protected from strong winds. The two campsites on the north shore of Owl Lake look good from the trip-log submitted by Barry Bridgeford. Of course, a campsite can accomodate up to nine people, and if we go over that the other site is very close. A daytrip into Linda Lake looks good. I hope the three portages are not too onerous. Anyways, I hope this is O.K. for most of those interested in a late season interior trip. Who wants to meet up? Stainless | ||
Friday, October 05, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
Friday, July 06, 2007
Algonquin Park Map
They DID change some of the roads. (eg. Shall Lake access)
http://lphys.chem.utoronto.ca/~cmilne/alg2.pdf
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Algonquin Park selected Canada's 2nd Most Priceless National Park
With summer giving us a chance to sleep in the great outdoors, the Most Priceless National Park contest (which surveyed over 2006 Canadians identified Alberta's Banff first (19%), followed closely by Ontario's Algonquin Park second (15%) and Alberta's Jasper third (7%). Interestingly, Algonquin Park is a provincial park - though its beauty and popularity are regularly recognized at the national level.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Saturday, June 16, 2007
New Blog
http://yates1970.blogspot.com/
Friday, June 15, 2007
Canoeing duo rewarded with medals of bravery
Author: Mary Riley
Hans McKee had “a really bad feeling” as he and his friends watched two canoeists head out onto Algonquin Park’s largest lake on May 17, 2004.
“I’ve never canoed Lake Opeongo because it’s so big and dangerous when the weather is bad,” the paramedic said on Thursday from his Omemee home.
“I take the water taxi.”
He recalled the weather was bad on the lake that day, with two-metre high waves, high winds and whitecaps.
“We saw them come out of a portage area and start out on the lake.”
Mr. McKee, who works with Peterborough County EMS, said he and a group of friends have gone to Alqonquin Park on an annual camping/fishing trip for years.
The 2004 group included his friend, Northumberland County EMS paramedic Robert Miller, who lives in Fraserville.
The two men will receive the Governor General’s Award for bravery in Ottawa on Friday for their actions that day.
“It was the end of our trip that year; most of the guys had already left to go home,” he said.
“There were about four of us left.
“The couple was university students; they came out of the portage area, and as they started (on the lake) they weren’t wearing life jackets. We yelled at them to put them on and they did.”
Mr. McKee said the couple’s gear was stowed properly in their canoe, and he later learned they were experienced canoeists.
Still, he said he couldn’t believe they were attempting to cross Opeongo in the prevailing winds and high waves.
“We saw them canoe around the point. We could see them bobbing in the waves. And then, they disappeared. The next thing we knew, one of our guys was yelling, ‘They’re in, they’re in.’ The canoe was completely submerged and the man was hanging onto one end and the girl on the other.”
Mr. McKee said he and Mr. Miller knew the water was dangerously cold and that without help, the couple’s chances of surviving were slim to none.
“We weren’t sure if we could attempt a rescue in those conditions. But, we had four guys in camp. Two of us were experienced and two were not. So, we went. But, I was pretty nervous.”
The two men launched their own canoe and headed into the waves to rescue the couple.
“We were all right heading toward them,” Mr. McKee said.
“But, I was really worried about how we were going to turn around to bring them back. I said a few prayers, for sure.”
He said when he and Mr. Miller reached the pair, the young man asked, “Should we apologize now or later?”
The two paramedics told them to save their breath and strength; there would be time for apologies “when we get back to shore.”
Throwing a rope to the man, Mr. McKee tied it around his own waist. After waiting for a break in the waves, the two men managed to turn their canoe and begin towing the capsized vessel with the two victims clinging to it.
“It took us an hour to paddle back to shore,” he said.
After the couple, who were feeling the effects of the cold water, were given dry clothing and something hot to drink, Mr. McKee said he asked why they tried to cross the huge lake in such weather.
“They said it was the last day of their trip and they had to go home,” he said. “But, they had about a 12-mile paddle ahead.”
Mr. McKee said he didn’t feel his actions merited an award.
“The RCMP investigate these things and they nominate for the awards,” he said.
“They called and asked me about it before. I put it off for about a year because I didn’t think it was all that special. Other people have done much [braver] things.”
But, the RCMP persisted, and Mr. McKee agreed to accept the award.
He said about a year ago, he called the couple, who live in the Kingston area, to say hello.
“There’s a nice sidebar to the story,” he said.
“While they were in the water that day, they proposed to each other. They said they would get married if they survived. And they did.”
This Week was unable to reach Mr. Miller for his comments.
http://www.mykawartha.com/article/10583Thursday, June 14, 2007
Algonquin Adventures Photo Contest Winner!
1st Place Winner - "The Other Side" ... by Diana McElroy ... taken on Nov. 10, 2006, beside the abandoned railway trackbed near the end of the Booth's Rock Trail, looking away from Rock Lake. The contrast between the gold of the grass and the blue of the sky and water caught my eye. The reflection enhanced the depth and colour of the sky. It was taken with a Canon Powershot SD450.Algonquin Adventures
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Saturday, June 09, 2007
The canoe is selected by CBC as one of the seven wonders of Canada!
The Canoe, Ontario
Photo Courtesy Mike Grandmaison
My paddle clean and bright,
Flashing with silver.
Follow the wild goose flight,
Dip, dip and swing.
This is the familiar refrain of an old canoeing song, and what better than the canoe to stand for everything Canadian? The canoe has slipped quietly into the stream of the nation’s common parlance. Whether you’re practicing your J-Stroke out on the lake, rooting for your favourite professional soccer team in the national Voyageurs Cup, or simply standing at the corner of Portage and Main in Winnipeg, you are reflecting a bit of Canadian canoeing history. Canoes take many forms: from the slick lines of a racing canoe, to the ruggedness of a seagoing cedar canoe, from cleverly assembled birch bark, to the shiny fiberglass, or the comfy inflatable. Early explorers and voyageurs took their cue from the Aboriginal peoples of Canada, utilizing the canoe as the most versatile and reliable mode of transportation. We received many nominations making this important historical link between the establishment of European culture and industry in Canada, and the canoe. Furthermore, if it weren’t for the humble canoe, half the wonders on this list would be inaccessible!
http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/Friday, June 08, 2007
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Vermont Trip
Mist in the morning, pours from the lake.
Sunshine sparkles ..There's breakfast to make
smelling coffee
and morning
Choosing journeys to take.
Tarps rolled, tents dried,
floating on glass.
Tiny paddle whirlpools,
moving slowly past.
And around the next bend,
the perfect site at last.
The packs are full
Canoes and sighs.
The path wears on,
The paddles are dry.
Exhaustion and mosquitoes
A natural high!
Evening falls
The stars flicker bright.
The crackling fire
Is our warmth and our light.
In my cosy cocoon
I smile, through the night.
Tom Yates
June 23, 2001
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Canoes
They are delivering the canoes to the put-in and picking them up on return.
Algonquin Lakes and Rivers we have visited!
1. Barron River – Campsite on river, no good swimming, some good fishing. Close to exit at squirrel rapids
2. Big Porcupine Lake (3 different years – same site) Best site we have ever been on. The westernmost site on big pork
3. Booth Lake - Got hit by lightning here
4. Daisy Lake – on the way to White Trout Lake, quick stop
5. Dividing Lake – Nice site, tough portage to get there
6. Farm Lake – on the way to Booth Lake
7. Grand Lake – First stop out of Achray on the way to Opalescent, moderate site
8. Kingscote Lake – very bad site, on the way to Scorch. See trip log algonquinadventures.com
9. Little Trout Lake – nice site – nice lake
10. Misty Lake – on the way to White Trout Lake
11. Opalescent Lake – good site, big snapping turtle kept us from swimming. Site is right on the portage.
12. Oxtounge River (2 sites) – High falls site is very good, room for a dozen tents and a fabulous waterfall
13. Park Lake – worst site possible, in view of traffic on hwy 60, exposed, confined, do not go here!
14. Pen Lake – nice lake, lots of good sites and one great one that we haven’t been able to get on
15. Rockaway Lake – best fishing ever! Not in the park, on the way to Dividing
16. Scorch Lake – take the trail UP to the best view in the park
17. St Andrews Lake – on the way to Opalescent
18. Sunbeam Lake – Very good island site (easternmost), very nice Lake
19. Timberwolf Lake – on the way out from White Trout, quick stop in bad weather
20. Tom Thomson Lake (2 sites) – great Lake, site on island has great cliff jumping
21. Welcome Lake – very pretty Lake with huge SAND beaches, well worth the trip.
22. White Trout Lake – nice site, next to the farm on the map
23. York River – at high falls, no thunder box, lots of people with pop and chips, but still nice
Traversed
1. Aster Pond
2. Bartlett Lake
3. Bear Lake
4. Big Rock Lake
5. Brigham Lake
6. Byers Lake
7. Canoe Lake
8. Cradle Lake
9. Crotch Lake
10. Dagger Lake
11. Fawn Lake
12. Galipo River
13. Godda Lake
14. Grand Lake
15. Grassy Bay
16. Hambone Lake
17. High Falls Lake
18. High Falls Pond
19. Joe Lake
20. Kimball Lake
21. Kitty Lake
22. Littledoe Lake
23. Livingstone Lake
24. Magnetawan Lake
25. McCarthy Creek
26. McIntosh Creek
27. McIntosh Lake
28. Minkey Lake
29. Mole Lake
30. Ooze Lake
31. Petawawa River
32. Queer Lake
33. Ragged Lake
34. Ralph Bice Lake (Butt Lake)
35. Rock Lake
36. Rumley Lake
37. Ryegrass Lake
38. Smoke Lake
39. Stratton Lake
40. Tattler Lake
41. Tepee Lake
42. Willow Lake
Visited
1. Bonnechere Lake
2. Branch Lake
3. Cork Lake
4. Harry Lake
5. Hollow River
6. Opeongo River
7. Snow Lake
8. Tim River