8 September 2017
After our flight from Manchester to Toronto and collecting our hire car, we headed north to Huntsville.
But getting out of the airport was not straight forward! On the flight we each had to complete a form that asked for details of what we were carrying and why. There were other questions but they were easy.
We had to declare, weapons and food, I had a fixed blade knife and an axe, oh and some muesli. ChrisB had the freeze dried food, chicken and minced beef for some of our main meals. The customs desk asked about my knife and axe, they were happy that I was not going to do harm to others with it.
ChrisB was taken away to another area and we expected a long wait. In fact it was about 30 minutes until ChrisB was let out minus the beef, the chicken was classed as ok and let through.
Off to the car hire company, complete more paperwork and finally drive away. Getting onto the correct highway was a challenge and avoiding the toll roads.
Locals
Huntsville was chosen for our final purchase of food. After the beef confiscation, the shopping now had to include several main meals protein. The shopping took a while and we had to avoid cans or glass (The park rangers can issue a substantial fine for transgression).
Rice, pasta and dried potatoes were our main stay for carbs. We each bought stuff for our own breakfasts, lunches and snacks.
Now time was getting on and hunger growing, we found a pizza place and sat in a cubicle. We were served by a lovely, lively girl called Brandy. Endless top up of soft drinks, the other three tried root beer, I had Pepsi, I know what root beer tastes like, yuk! I don’t think the root beer went down too well because the ‘tops ups' went for something else!
The pizza was a monster but we manfully devoured it. At 18” diameter and it was called a Meateor, very substantial. Brandy was jealous of our forthcoming adventure.
We found our way to the Wolf Den Hostel, for our nights accommodation. The hostel is a fabulous log cabin with typical youth hostel facilities, huge kitchen, dining area and lounges. We slept in a another log cabin, a four bed dormitory.
9 September
We were too laid back for ChrisB and he tried to chivvy us along. He failed but kept on trying.
The outfitters were nearby, they soon sorted all the gear we needed, two very light Swift, Keewaydin 17 canoes, roof rack, paddles, buoyancy aids, barrels for our food with portage harnesses and other odds and ends.
Off we go to Kearney to collect our permits for access to Algonquin Provincial Park. This Canada place is big! It takes us 1 hour from Kearney to Access point 3.
Our long distance portage trolley
Ready to unload
We left the car in the middle of nowhere but several others had done the same.
Another canoeist in his very smart gel coated Prospector Canoe with a huge Canadian flag on the hull bottom, warned us that getting to our intended camp was going to be difficult. He thought we would not be there before sunset.
Access point 3, Magnatewan Lake
With all the gear stowed and ready for off we set off across Magnetawan Lake to our first portage of 135m. Not too bad but the next one, the other side of Hambone Lake 294m. We cracked off that one quite smartly too.
First portage, 135m to Hambone Lake
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Hambone Lake
Then Ralph Bice Lake is 3.75miles long and a tea stop added to our travel time, we reached the next portage of 435m, they’re getting bigger!
Ralph Bice Lake
Wasp-mimic Flower Fly
Loons featured on this lake and their magical calls entranced us.
A Loon
Ralph Bice Lake
Ralph Bice Lake
Is this who the lake is named after? Ralph Bice from Kearney, S.E. of Burk's Falls (1900-1997). He was an extraordinary trapper, leader, writer, and personality.
Little Trout Lake was soon crossed to reach another portage of 175m. With this done we were in Queer Lake and started to look for camping sites. …. didn’t like the first one, the next one was occupied, no sharing sites here. The couple on that site said the next one along was good and it was. It was well before sunset and we’d found the thunder box by 6pm!
Thunder box,
We shared our first camp in Algonquin with a mouse. It was scavenging around the fire pit and quite unconcerned by our presence.
Mouse at Queer Lake camp
The food hang
After a meal of mashed potatoes and salami, we had some fun trying to hoist our food barrels. They were hung up but too low. No bears found our food that night.
Our first camp fire
10 Sept.
We awoke to fog lying over the lake and all spent some time photographing the mist as it melted away with the rising sun.
Queer Lake, misty morning.
Queer Lake, misty morning.
Camp by Queer Lake
Herb Paris
False Coral Fungus
Chris collecting water from Queer Lake
A very short paddle to the portage 1330m (that’s big, hilly and muddy) lead us to Tim River. I managed to fall over in the mud, with a 17ft hat on and wallow about a bit.
Queer Lake to Tim River portage
Queer Lake to Tim River portage
Queer Lake to Tim River portage
Queer Lake to Tim River portage
Tinder Polypore
White Baneberry or Doll's Eyes
Puff Ball
Tim River
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Narrow Leaf Meadowsweet
The river meandered quite seriously and it had a good flow. There were signs of beaver dams and lodges but much evidence that floods had swept some of them away. Canada’s summer had been very wet until now. Animals prints along the banks showed us that moose and bear were around. Some smaller prints remained unidentified.
Mike and Pete, Tim River
Tim River
The meanders continued through the day. We found a portage that gave us an easy stopping place for some tea and snacks.
Eventually we heard rapids ahead and knew that our final portage of the day was near. Approaching carefully, looking for the rapid, it came into view but where is the portage? There it is! Right (really it was left) at the top of the rapid but so close to the faster water we wondered, how some of the paddlers we had already seen poor paddling demo’s, would stop before being swept down the river?
Tim River
Fox and Cubs
This portage was 275m long and easy going under foot. Our camp (if unoccupied?) was just 200m along, before we got back to the river.
Old farm building by the Tim River
Lily of the Valley
Herb Paris with fruit
It was ours. We soon settled in and had a sumptuous meal of Chicken, I think? The camp fire was started and we settled down to chat, filter some water, drink tea, chat and finally a tot of whisky before hitting the hammocks.
Thunderbox
Planning by the camp fire
The hanging of food out of bears way, was still a problem and it taxed our minds and bodies. But they were hoisted, although, not high enough and probably too far from our camp.
To be continued