Trip Journal - River Trek 3 - 2000

Day 1: Our group of eight arrives at base camp and after a quick lunch we head for the river. After several adventures along the bumpy road we arrive at Lac Dix-Milles with just enough day light to set up camp and make dinner. We sit on the beach munching down grilled cheese sandwiches as we continue to get to know each other. The sun sets into the lake and we all take pleasure in the fact that our journey has finally begun.

Day 2: We load the four canoes and begin to paddle down the lake. The crossing takes most of the day with the wind at our backs. At the beach where we eat lunch it is hot and everyone swims and rests before paddling the final stretch to our campsite at the head of the Riviere (creek) du Nord. We split up into groups with some of us collecting firewood and others putting up our massive Baker tent. Before long we are eating pasta that has been made by Liat and talking about our day and those that will follow. Before retiring to bed we enjoy a cup of hot chocolate along with a weird conversation about marble cheese and Chris' mountain survival tales.

Day 3: We break camp early and begin our descent of the Riviere Du Nord, proceeding at a steady pace but stopping when necessary for some whitewater safety instruction and of course, a good amount of portaging. The small river is surrounded with wildlife and a Great Blue Heron stays just ahead of us for the whole morning, taking flight each time we approach within a few meters. By midday we arrive at Lac Brulart, marking our official arrival on the headwaters of the Dumoine River. We make it to Alligator Point around the same time as our helmets do. Everybody tries a new job as we set up camp on a peninsula that is fairly open yet well protected by massive Pine trees. As we will get used to doing, we make our campsite comfortable by putting up a clothes line, a massive tarp above the kitchen area, and our tent. It has been a long and tough day and our group is glad to relax by the fire in our dry clothes. Some are more hyper than others are but we all go to sleep early to our comfortable piney mattresses (or therm-a-rests.)

Day 4: We paddle across two lakes with different people learning to stern the canoes. After setting up on a gorgeous peninsula on Lake Manitou and having lunch we head to the first big set of rapids just below the lake. We go over safety, river features, whitewater strokes, and swimming. Though swimming down the massive waves is addictive and fun we must now try to canoe down them. After some careful scouting every boat negotiates the rapid successfully. Yeeehaw!

Then for some first class entertainment, a couple on a honeymoon canoe trip who had been watching us decide that they too will canoe down the rapid. We all watch as they eagerly paddle towards the largest waves. The expressions on their faces turn from excited to horrified as they grab the gunwale of their canoe and flip over. We giggle from the river bank. They are in good spirits afterwards but concede that they will be taking some lessons before trying that again. This begins a pattern for us: though we see very few humans over the course of our backcountry expedition, those that we do run into tend to be in the whitewater floatation position. After some more swimming and paddling around we head back to the site for chilli and fresh baked bread buns.

Day 5: A full day on the rapidly descending river. Here it is getting larger though still belittled by the surrounding lush hills. The banks are formed of large rocks in the shade of overhanging trees. We see several families of ducks floating down in lines and we do the same on our approach to Triple Play. Lunch is cheese sandwiches and swimming below a waterfall. Danny surfs a very steep wave and smiles from ear to ear. Everyone agrees that this makes him look like the grinch. Jess and Brianna have a great surf as well, ending with a beautiful flip.

We paddle past a wrapped canoe in the long rock garden class II before reaching our site on Lac Benoit. Caleb misjudges his ability to jump from the canoe to shore. After all it is about three hundred meters. Before long everyone is in the water again. Over stir fry and dessert of popcorn and cedar-pine tea we have about six conversations at once. Ber and Liat talk about the survivor series. Lester though still very interested in marble cheese, also recalls once dressing like a girl, and Chris speaks of float planes, dirt bikes, and eating mice. We are now very comfortable with each other and are obviously enjoying being goofy. The night sky is blanketed with stars. Bed time

Day 6: We navigate the continuous sets of rapids carefully and with no problems. Lester and Chris hoot and holler along in the tripper-only canoe. We do a combination of liftovers, lining, and paddling down one of the most challenging and scenic sections of river in Eastern Canada. We are rewarded by arriving at the sweet campsite at Little Steel with enough time for a swim in the swift current. We pick names for our secret friend gift exchange and open up the arts and crafts drybag for some tools and ideas.

Day 7: Today is a rest day. We sleep in and spend the morning enjoying the area and making our gifts. In the afternoon some of us attempt shallow water crossings and a hole-swim. After some time a storm rolls in and forces us back to the site. The sky clears but we are all content to nap, cook, and relax at the site. At night, in trying to tell the story of Jumping Mouse, Danny puts us all to sleep.

Day 8: This is one of the most challenging days of the trip with several portages as well as some rapids that truly push our limits. For Little Steel Falls and Big Steel we portage our gear around and set up lots of safety to make paddling them virtually consequence free. But both sets sure do give us a run for our money, and Lester's canoe swamps at the very end of Little Steel Falls. They take it in good spirits and we continue with our day. We paddle across a few more lakes before everyone is completely out of fuel and lunch is gladly embraced and devoured by all. We digest while floating about five kilometres in the swift current without having to take a single stroke. The river is like a bunny run at a ski hill, the sky is blue, and all of the answers in the game twenty questions seem to be "Rosanne". When we arrive at more lakes to cross everyone puts in a last effort, except for the lucky person in the front of Brianna's canoe who is by now certain that Brianna is just another word for Hercules. All in all the total for the day is around 35 kilometers. Everyone is happy to finally be at camp. That is, until Liat and Ber get the scare of their lives from Chris who hides in the woods until they are nearby and yells "BOO." They practically spill their dinners all over themselves but eventually admit that he did a pretty good job. Nobody has trouble falling asleep tonight.

Day 9: The paddle to Grand Chutes is quick and we complete the longest portage of our trip (1 600 meters) in good time. We see a Muskrat on a rock above the falls and wonder whether it is able to swim to safety. Lunch is had at the site above the giant canyon. Before long and with no trouble in the first part of the very technical Red Pine Rapids, we reach our site early enough to play in the set. By the water is the biggest tree that any of us had seen on the trip. It is a relic from the days long before any white human had ever seen this river. One that survived the logging drives of the early 1900's and continues to give anyone who passes here a sense of awe when gazing up at its far-reaching branches or massive trunk. The site is large and has many trails leading into the forest in every direction: a perfect spot for a well-deserved rest day.

Day 10: It is a beautiful day. After a long sleep we take turns making pancakes. People scatter off to find materials and finish their gifts. A bashed up canoe floats down the rapids following some of its pieces. The father and son to whom it belongs are thankful for our help in stopping the canoe and their packs from disappearing around the bend. They continue on their way as we do with our morning. Another driverless canoe, this one with the packs strapped in, is negotiating its way towards the Ottawa River. The group who lost it gives us a bag of marshmallows as a reward for the rescue. After they leave we discuss that this would be a good place to bring some scuba gear if you were in the market for camping equipment. During the afternoon everyone participates in a day-sit. It is semi-successful and quite relaxing at any rate. The day concludes with pizza-pockets and sitting bloated by the fire.

Day 11: A liftover around a fall, some near misses at Examination Rapids, and paddling below the sky scraping Eagle's Cliff are highlights of our last full day on the water. The site is set up rather quickly as it appears that some bad weather might be on its way, but it doesn't materialize and the large rock outcrop by the river proves to be a pleasant place to complete gifts and chill out. Caleb and Chris spend what remains of the day front-surfing the two waves just out from the rock. Caleb simply can't get enough and if possible would have eaten his dinner while surfing. But dinner proves to be even more interesting than that.

While explaining that he made too much pasta Danny tells of another guide who once said that he would wear a bikini if the group managed to finish the pot of food.
"Well, what will you wear if we finish the pasta?" Ber asks.
"Come on, there's just no way you'll finish it." Danny replies.
"Sure we will, but what'll you wear?"
"Well there's just no way you'll do it. I'll wear that rope bag if you do" Danny confidently mutters as he points towards the brown rope bag on the ground. The challenge is set and the group demands a verbal contract stating that if the pasta is finished, Danny will have to spend the entire next day clad in nothing but the rope bag.

Before long everyone is stuffing his or her face. Liat and Ber have thirds. Lester cannot contain his excitement. Chris and Caleb eventually begin to eat directly from the pots. Danny looks over at Caleb whose hair is still soaked from his surfing session in the river. He has grease all over his face and a large fire-stained pot on his lap.
"Just stop it man, you'll make yourself sick" Fear is in Danny's voice.
"I'm hungry." Caleb boldly replies. He finishes the last forkfuls of pasta.

After dinner the gift exchange produced some very creative items: macramé bracelets, poems, birch-bark canoes, pictures, and of course, a ball and string toy. We spend some time reflecting on our trip. The rock by the water is a great place to stargaze and savour our last night on the Dumoine.

Day 12: Everyone wakes up to a colourful rendition of the "good morning song," beautifully recited by the bag-wearing fool. The last few kilometres are paddled easily and the final portage is a breeze with the packs and barrels lighter than ever before. We float and look back at the Dumoine as we flow into the Ottawa River. We cross the giant expanse that is, luckily for us, relatively calm. We are early for our pickup and so is Sue, who arrives as we unload our canoes one last time. Subjected to speeds we could never hope nor want to attain in a canoe, the drive home is a strange kind of culture shocking experience. It is time to say goodbye, see you next year, and our favourite line: Just remember, whatever you do, wherever you go, you'll always be a PaddleFooter.

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