Scott's Diary Algonquin 2000

Algonquin 2000

August 5-12, 2000

(Journal Recorded by Scott)

Sunday, August 5th, 5:25 p.m., Manitou Lake
Second day, nice island campsite with a view (obstructed by two tarps for rain that never happen). We went a long way on North Tea Lake yesterday before we found an open campsite. It is a three-day Canadian (or Ontario) holiday weekend and we were late coming down the lake.

The weather has been beautiful with a breeze at our backs, and unheard of phenomenon.

We have a large crew (12) which makes for "lively" discussions. Ray, Terry, Jean, Rich, Nathan, Dan (Nathan's friend), Jimbo, Joanne, Rosey, Sheila, Pat Sims, and I are the crew. We have a great opinionated, experienced group. Five women make for an interesting time. We (even Jimbo) have become a bit, no a lot, obsessed. Innuendo and raunchy comments pepper all conversation. It must be Rosey's fault. Last night Terry and Joanne were eating cake crumbs out of each other's laps!

Time to cook supper.

Monday, August 6, 7:50 p.m. Kioshkokwi Lake on the point.
We have done mucho portaging today (one at 1200 m.), paddle, and are pleasantly pooped. We made camp about 5:30 or 6:00, set up, bathed, washed out T-shirts, pumped water, and are waiting for supper (almost done) - scalloped potatoes and ham preceded by soup (Rice and beef and chicken noodles and brocoflower). The troops are ravenous this year eating every scrap I cook. I hope I have enough.

Today gave us some beautiful vistas despite a 30 second shower and some overcast this a.m. Especially beautiful were the canoes silhouetted against the sun late this afternoon with the water all sparkling "diamonds".

The repartee continues but sometimes in a more serious vein. We are learning (again?) to put up with each other's foibles.

Tuesday, August 7th, 4:30 p.m., Mink Lake.
We have been here for over an hour after a couple of decent portages today (730 m. and 450 m.). The weather is overcast but nice, the campsite was welcome, the water inviting (everyone frolicking in it), and we're in a double campsite. We also figured out a way to short-circuit the long "black portages" of the last day (poorly maintained trails we learned awaited us).

I'm off to bathe!

Thursday, August 9, 5:30 p.m., Cedar Lake.
We have been in camp for well over an hour. By mutual agreement today was a "leisure day" when we all took our time getting ready. Yesterday we picked up early scattered showers that turned into a tremendous down pour after lunch. It stopped and brightened while we set up camp on a gorgeous island in Laurel Lake. Just as we were ready to do soup a fast-moving thunderstorms struck. Supper was interrupted a second time as we all marveled at a complete, beginning to end rainbow in the lake.

Obviously part of today's routine was to dry everything out in the sunshine.

As I write, Nathan and Dan have paddled across the Lake to the store (Brent); Jimbo, Rosey, Joanne, and Rich are in hammocks; Sheila is reading; and Ray is hanging bear bag ropes. The sky is blue with high puffy white clouds, there's only the mildest of breezes on the lake, and the waves are lapping at the shore. Does it get any better than this?

Rosie portaged a canoe this morning just to prove to herself she could do it. On Saturday Sheila is going to do the same.

Laurie's loon design on our shirts is perfect. We have seen and heard them everywhere. This morning four crossed Laurel Lake in formation. This afternoon we watched a pair of adults that appeared to be teaching a baby to dive. Their calls in the evening are haunting.

We also had a humorous incident with our shirts the first evening we camped at Champlain Provincial Park. As I registered at the office the others all stood in the road outside the camp office. A driver (already registered) became angry wanting to know why the hell he had to pay again as he viewed Rosey as a ranger.

Saturday, August 11, 4: 00 p.m., Brent Station, (#27) on Cedar Lake.
We have been here for over an hour, cleaning up, going to the store, and relaxing as we wait for Ray, Terry, and Rosie who did the "black portages" with the one canoe to recover Jimbo's car on Brain Lake, the other two cars at #1, and return here to Brent. They could arrive anytime?? Meanwhile we wait and relax. Sheila is next to me studying a new copy of the official Algonquin map. Earlier she and Jean played magnetic checkers (Sheila's prize).

Yesterday we paddled back up Cedar Lake to Aura Lee Lake and took two campsites (neither had enough tent sites). Jean and Pat stayed at the far site and saw a bear this morning when they first got up. That was exciting. Rosie was hoping to see a moose on the streams they had to paddle. Sheila just noticed that the map warned of low water levels in the last two miles of stream. Unfortunately that warning was not on the older versions of the map that Ray and I had.

Yesterday was a beautiful day until we made camp and we experienced what Jim called "popcorn showers". They just popped up in a beautiful blue sky with puffy white clouds. After an hour or so we had a good thunderstorms and then it all cleared up. Amazing!

Sheila and Jean are responding to my challenge to map out a potential route. They are finding it frustrating. They just found a 5305 m. portage! This is a good exercise for them so they appreciate my planning efforts.

This has been a good trip despite the portages (part of Algonquin), outhouses with collapsing floors (e.g. last night), personal disagreements (expected with so many people), and physical limitations of our aging, part female crew.