On the third major boating leg of our summer journey we drove 3 hours north of Ottawa to Le Verendrye Provincial Park. This vast watery wilderness is home to moose, beaver, mink, bear, white tailed deer (none of which we saw) and also a high population of loons - many of which we did see and hear. The park is a designated canoe camping destination by the Canadian government, and there are marked campsites carved out of the forest at reasonable intervals. Although one can camp anywhere, the established campsites have a reasonably flat tent site and a primitive privy - usually, 1/2 of a plastic barrel, sitting atop a shallow cat hole with a cover offering a rectangular hole. The woods are dense and dark so no enclosure is really required for the privy. We saw very few other multi-day paddle travelers during our entire stay, but we did encounter a handful of small powered fishing boats out for the day. The power boats are not permitted to use the canoe campsites.
The regular loon sightings were a particular joy to us, as the birds had an entertaining display of behaviors, and their eirie call and response singing was very pleasant indeed and set to tone for this magical natural place.
On our second night out, we shared a campsite with some time traveling voyaguers - adventurous souls out for a three week journey in pure 1850's voyaguer style - -no modern camping equipment, hand made birch bark canoes, fire starting with flint, simple meals of peas, pork fat, and rice, along with campfire bread - bannock - made with local berries if they could be found. These folks relished in the authenticity of their undertaking, wearing hand sewn clothing of natural fibers and hand tanned animal skins. It was indeed entertaining to spend an evening with them, and as they paddled away at first light the next day, we really wondered if they were time travelers or just a dream. Glad I took a few photos. (Here is their leader - Bob Abrahms web site in case any of you are interested in joining him for an expedition...
The world's foremost Voyaguer
Here are some photos...
Bob makes a minor repair to the birch bark canoe after it hit a rock today...
Here are his fire starting tools...
Now, back to modern times....
And now, a few short videos...
Here is how the kayak looks sailing as seen by me in the stern cockpit. This was filmed on the French river just northeast of Lake Huron:
Loon calling:
Another Loon:
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