Algonquin Park

Algonquin Park
Originally uploaded by Chasing Light Studio ~ Pie's Photography

Log Book:
Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009.
With the 660 m portage & Big Rock Lake behind me, I was now paddling on Byers Lake towards the first of 2 available campsites. I was planning to set up base camp for the duration of my stay at the first site on the southern shore as I had been told it had a very nice beach water front with a great view of the rest of the lake. It was lightly mist raining on me as I started out on Byers & as I approached this first site the heavens opened up on me & I got more than a little wet. When I was nearly beached I noticed some quick movement up within the tree line. Right then I saw a dark forest green canoe overturned further up shore & an elderly couple came from around the tarp shelter they had set up & greeted me with a big smile & a “HALLOO!”
“Hey” I replied completely caught off guard, as I was told by the permit office lady that I was going to be the only poor sap out this week. “Oh well” I thought, applying a heavy draw on the paddle to avoid beaching & I continued on towards the next site hoping not to find it occupied as well.
When I arrived at the site I made my usual walk around to assess & determine camp layout for the next couple of days. The site wasn’t bad – just not great – the tent set up area seemed to be in a bit of a hollow, there wasn’t much in the way of cover from the prevailing weather & I couldn’t find a suitable bear hang for the food barrel. And on top of that there was no dry fire wood to start a fire…
So, I made due. I had camp set up by 7:10 that evening with a bomb proof tarp shelter set up over top of my tent with fly on, dinner was cooking over the stove – pretty simple affair – pasta with dehydrated tomato sauce, about half a dozen cloves of garlic & lake water to wash it all down. I was way too exhausted for anything more elaborate that night – hopefully the frozen meat I had packed away in a cooler bag with ice packs would keep for another day.

Check out the link for an amazing Algonquin Park map -
www.algonquinmap.com/