Rivers of Algonquin Canoe Trip Journal - 2001

The Crew

Nathan
Julian
Stewart
Mark
Lance
Scott
John
Kat
Dave
Pat

DAY 1 August 5, 2001

We arrived at Basecamp, had lunch and met the group until 1500hrs when we loaded the trailer and were on our way to Lake Traverse. We put in at 1900hrs and paddled to our first beach campsite. The first day of the trip ended with the group savoring the paddlefoot delicacy, an internationally coveted secret recipe, Lazy Perogies! Made easy with the fire ban… good times, good times! Since the very laid back group could only take so much sitting in the dark, we were in bed by 2230hrs.

DAY 2 August 6, 2001

Wake up at 0715hrs, and ate French toast to help Julian feel right at home. We noticed that the water level of the Petawawa River was extremely low. Instruction before the rapids went smoothly, and the built-up excitement for the rapids had to be saved for when there would be water. Big Thompson = VERY rocky, Little Thompson = VERY rocky. Everyone swam around in the pool at the bottom of the rapids while Lance, John, and Stewart volunteered to paddle in the bow of the canoes.
After lunch we all enjoyed a long paddle to a swift, Grillade Rapid and then to the second take out at Crooked Chutes. Kat, Dave and Pat take the boats to the last take out.
Dinner was late due to the fire ban but the trippers enjoyed a swim with Pat to build their appetites for the Paddle Spaghetti in a tomato cheese sauce.
We hear word that there is a wrapped canoe down stream so we'll look out for it. Kat, Scott, Julian, Nathan and Lance went for a night swim, while the others opted for more sleep

DAY 3 August 7, 2001

The group slept in until 0830hrs feeling tired from the previous day, and luckily had a lighter day ahead of them. Crepes were a delicious success, although Julian wasn't sure where we got the idea that we could make crepes with Biscuick. We spent a ridiculous amount of time at the chutes getting the boats down one at a time. The bottom of the chutes is rocky, the weather is HOT so we park the boats and refresh ourselves with a dip in the river. Mark calls everyone over to see what he thought was a water snake wrapped around his foot. False alarm, no water snake, just a piece of rope caught under a rock with one end floating in the current J. We ate some Nutrigrain bars, taped up toe chafage, and paddled down to Rollaway, portage, and a late lunch. Next up was the Natch which we scouted and ran with no problems. The trippers were super excited, 'because they did a big rapid'!! . We were noticing already that everyone we ran into on the river all said the exact same thing to us, "Water's low eh? Lowest I've ever seen it!" and then we'd reply with a simple, "yup", or we'd jump in and say, "lowest I've ever seen it", before they had the chance.

Late dinner, Paddle Mac and cheese. The group was mixing noticeably better J. Kat talks with the guys about scars and dogs, everyone is enthusiastic and has a story. We decide to stay at that site and paddle slightly upstream for a Duff day playing at the Natch!

DAY 4 August 8, 2001

LATE wake up 0915hrs! Then we enjoyed scrambled muffins, very popular. We had to make a small fire due to fuel levels and faulty stove (over an hour to 'boil' 4L of water last night). We cleaned up and went up to paddle the top o' Natch. We waited while a group of old guys unwrapped their boats, explaining to the group what happened to put them in that situation. We did more swimming in the current, and ferries. Scott and Lance dump, and then try again and almost wrap the boat.
PB & J on Pita was our lunch on the beach. The majority of the group wanted to explore the cliffs, while Stew and Dave opt out and go back to the site. The guys had the time of their lives throwing rocks over the cliff into the river. Kat didn't understand what was so fun about that activity, but being outnumbered as the only female on the trip, let it slide. We paddled back to the site where Stew confessed that he, "sunk the pot".
Everyone was hungry for Paddle Rice wraps for dinner, and then some of the slab o'chocolate for dessert. Kat, Dave and Pat try to pretend being bears to scare the guys, but they caught on L.

DAY 5 August 9, 2001

0730hrs Wake up! Followed by a pancake breakfast and a long paddling day. Schooner, 5 mile, and then the lakes. Sailing broke up the paddling through the lakes. We arrived at a point beach @ 2000hrs, went for a swim and had Pasta Alfredo for dinner. One of the tents blew away during dinner, but we caught it before it landed in the lake. Brownies were busted out as a treat for the last night. Some of the guys played clam baseball, and then we got together for the Rose and Thorn activity. Some examples of people's roses for the trip were: the rapids, cool people, and throwing rocks off the cliff. Some thorn examples were: the stove, cleaning up after ourselves, and paddling through the lakes.

DAY 6 August 10, 2001

We woke up at 0815hrs, ate Harvest Crunch and brownie leftovers for breakfast. We paddled and sailed our way to the take out at 1000hrs. There was some time to relax, and talk, and play rock baseball, and compare martial arts. The trippers were anxious, but we got picked up and left the Petawawa River feeling refreshed with good memories of the week.

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