CanoeTrip2-Day1
2019-06-22 10:03阅读：
Canoe trip at Algonquin Park,
again
Victoria Day long weekend, we went to Algonquin Park
to do another canoe trip.
The window between ice out and the coming back of
black flies is very narrow, only 2 to 3 weeks really. So if you are
prone to insects, this period of time is one of the best to enjoy
the park. We actually booked a backpacking trip at Highland
Backpacking trail in Algonquin Park for the weekend of May 3, but
the park delayed its opening of back country camping for one week
due to weather and ice condition. So this Victoria Day long weekend
was literally the first weekend for spring back country camping
this year.
Since first Canoe trip last year, peanut butter sandwiches, with
either bagels or bread became our typical and regular lunch
whenever we go hiking. They are easy and filling and tasty.
We woke up at 5:30 and were in our car at 6:30 to
catch up the 11:00 water taxi which would shuttle us across Opeongo
Lake to our portage point. We stopped at a park store on the way to
have a washroom break, and then I bought a set of pink disposable
rain suit, funny brand name of Frogg Toggs. It’s not in good
quality, but it’s kind of funny, and I liked it.
my Frogg Toggs. Quality was pretty bad, but cute, right?
Water taxi took us and our canoe across Opeongo Lake in 15
minutes which would take us 5-6 hours if we paddled. Feng put canoe
on his back and I backpack. It’s a 2.1km trail. This was the
longest portage trail we had ever encountered. After 3 or 4 rests,
1 hour and 20 minutes, we were facing Happy Isle Lake. We had our
quick lunch here, whole wheat bread with hazelnut spread and some
smoked beef, and on the water again. After about 30 minutes
paddling on HI lake, we did the second portage, an easy 340m trail,
and then we were at our destination Merchant Lake.
After the first canoe trip last year, can we say that we are
experienced canoeists?
Next thing was the most important thing of the day.
It was to find us a good campsite. There were total seven of them
on Merchant. We started from the left side, and then paddled along
the lake shore clockwise. The first two sites were nothing special
to mention except that there were plenty of flying bugs around us
so we thought it was probably buggy at the sites too. We didn’t
look at them twice and paddled away. The third one was nice, but
taken. So was the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, and the last one.
What? That’s both upsetting and unbelievable. We were pretty early
that day, and we thought we had the whole area to choose from. They
must have been there the day before or even earlier. And everybody
seemed to have the same sense not to take the first two
sites.
And we were back to square one and took the first
site, after toured the lake for a whole round. There were three
little islands in the centre of Merchant Lake. Husband named them
bird islands, because there were lots of birds on them. There were
gulls of course. There were at least a dozen of big black birds on
a single pine tree on one of the islands. They scattered on the
branches and the whole scene looked sacred. There were loons in the
lake and they were loud and noisy day and night.
one of the three bird islands. it was cloudy, and the reflection
was beautiful and peaceful. When you were surrounded by trees and
their reflection, it felt unreal and dizzy. I couldn't see my phone
screen clearly because of the brightness, so the pics were like cut
half.
This is the sacred tree and scene. I tried hard to check what birds
they might be, and got nothing. It was such a holly feeling and
moment with these birds on this small pine tree on a tiny
island.
We set up tent and cooked instant noodles for
dinner. The bedroom and kitchen area were quite apart, with tent on
an open low cliff, right beside lake, not a perfect spot, and fire
pit deep in the woods. We had Costco chicken and roasted beef and
instant noodles, a big dinner.
Cloudy, so no sunset. It was pretty chili, so we
went to sleep right after dinner and to get prepared for the big
day tomorrow.
