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Day 2: Saturday, September 4
The early morning fog drifts across the lake.
Doesn't everyone use a canoe as a table? Today was the day for the novices to learn how to steer a canoe. We made a good start and were on the water by 09.00, with Andy trailing a TP tail as he emerged from the bush. As we zigzagged down the lake, we saw two large Vees of geese flying south. It was an easy 7 km paddle to the portage. It would have only been 5 km if any of the canoes had travelled in anything resembling a straight line! This is a 2050 m portage in ‘fair’condition. CRCO Ric had cautioned us to turn right at he top of the hill, to avoid deep muskeg on a winter road. With the extra hints, we charged off, confident that we were on the correct path. But a 2 km portage is always a killer, no matter how perky everyone was. Then there was the added delight of meters of sloppy muskeg. But we made it, and in good spirits. Rick thought it would be interesting to portage a canoe the whole way, so Warren gave him his. Warren then picked up a few packs and took off after Rick. Eventually, Rick was found at about 1.5 km, stuck behind a big bunch of deadfall, 5 and 6 feet off the ground. Warren happened to have the pack with an axe, so he cut through 2 of the more awkward trees. This left 4 trees to go, but they were only 3 feet off the ground. We started the portage at 10.15 and finished about 12.30.
Elaine, Joan and Rick on the 2km portage It was a relief to be back paddling. Thorton Lake was only 2 km long though, so it wasn't much of a rest. Then we took Portage #3. It was only 535 m! A joy. Then Bassett Lake for another km, followed by Portage #4 which was a very short 95 m around a unnavigable part of the creek.
Andy shows how NOT to cross deadfall. And yes, we expect people on a portage to be carrying 2 or 3 packs (the 3rd one goes sideways across the top of the one on your back).
The 400 meter long lake... Put back into the water for 400 m to another yet another portage around another short section of the creek. This one ended in a waterfall. Rumours abounded at the end of the portage. Was Joan really bathing naked in the waterfall? Everybody rushed back up the trail, unlimbering cameras to see this wondrous sight, which turned out to be Joan in flesh-coloured underwear, but she was indeed in the waterfall. She was joined by Warren, who did a full length immersion, and claimed to have washed off the sweat of the 2 km portage still carried by the rest of the team.
Joan in the falls. Warren is lying down underwater. If you look closely at her left knee, you can see his hand and arm on the rock beside her.
Warren was more obvious when he sat up We carried on paddling on Beaudry Lake and after 1 km stopped on a rocky point where everyone bathed in the lake washing various bits, Andy in sexy see-through white underpants. We continued on thru Beaudry Lake, and then searched for the portage to Kavasnagh Lake. This had not been found by Warren and Brent on their previous trip, and they had plunged through a half kilometer of underbrush. However, they thought that they had spotted the end of the portage when paddling north along Kavanagh Lake. The team spread out along the shore, prospecting for potential landing sites along the shoreline. Joan and Peter finally found the concealed inlet and whistled the rest of the team in. The portage was 350 m and in good condition, and the coordinates were in fact correct.
The hidden entrance to the portage. It was 17.00 by the time we put in and we searched for a campsite and found a nice one on the end of the peninsula on the westen shore of Kavanagh. This was shaded in the evening but as Rick pointed out would have a fine view of the sunrise. The water on Kavanagh was clear and green.
Camped in clearing in dense trees. Joan made a very fancy, gourmet pasta dish (recipe courtesy of Gilbert!)
Rick and Elaine relaxing after dinner. |
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Please send all comments to warren.long@shaw.ca Go to: Warren's CanoeingPages Go to: Warren and Sandy's Home Page |
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