Canoe Trip, 2018

Joel and I have been going on canoe trips almost annually since 1979. In those 39 years, this was our 36th trip. And we are getting older, so we have adapted the trip to our aging bodies. This trip was August 6-11, 2018.

This year, we decided to go to Kioshkokwi, the northernmost lake in Algonquin Park. We would stay at one campsite, or at least only on the one lake. We would do day-trips perhaps, but not portage the whole of our camping equipment to another lake. We would accept that we have trouble with carrying a lot of “stuff”. But staying on one lake allowed for some other things: we could use our own, heavier but nicer canoe; we could carry along a chair for the campsite.

So we set off from Toronto (where I had driven my smart car in the previous night), and headed for Huntsville for the night. After doing food shopping, getting our rental equipment from Algonquin Outiftters, and having a pretty good lunch at the “Mill on Main”, we settled into our hotel for the evning. However, supper was needed, and we went to the “Artisan House” restaurant for a delightful meal–so good that we booked for the following week after we left the Park.

Our goal on the next day was to get onto the lake, and get our campsite. We drove to Kiosk entry point, and then we looked at the weather forecast. It called for serious rain, and severe thunderstorms at about the time we would normally be cooking supper. So we felt that a night in North Bay would not hurt. A check on TripAdvisor, and we had a room at the Homewood Suites in North Bay. Since it was a suite, there were cooking facilities, and we cooked our first meal in the room. It was just fine. And indeed, there was a serious rain and wind storm (although not much lightning).

Next day we got onto the lake, paddled for about three hours on the west end of the lake, and settled on a site actually pretty near the put-in spot. The site I had wanted to return to was occupied by a family with children. We set up and settled down.

The next days were variable in weather, with stretches of cloudy skies looking like rain (but not producing any), interspersed with sunny periods. Most nights were clear. Bugs were good, except for the flies which bit and didn’t take kindly to being shooed away. We had a resident chipmunk. As well as a squirrel, and one rabbit which hopped nonchalantly through the site.

One of the nights, we had a spectacular sunset, perhaps enhanced by the close-by forest fires.

And on the 10th, the day was one of those rare summer days when everything goes well. We went swimming that day.

The next day, it rained in the morning, and we decided to go in a day early and stay in Huntsville. We did this, had a great day in town, ate again at the Artisan House, as well as the Tall Trees, and shared a fine bottle of bubbly. 

And, sadly, we then headed home into the traffic and the heat of Southern Ontario once more. But the trip went fine, and proved a good respite from the urban life.