trip 4, French River Delta Loop with Olga and Eugene, July 02-06, 2012

Day 1 – Monday, July 02, 2012 (day off in Canada)

7:30 – 11:00 – drove from Caledon to Hartley Bay Marina: Mount Wolfe Rd North to Hwy 9, then East to Hwy 400, North on Hwy 400 and 69 with short stay at Tim Horton’s in Parry Sound. North of the Bridge over French River turned left to Hartley Bay Road and after 14.5 km we were at the Hartley Bay Marina – family run business very busy this time of year. Paperwork was minimal, we unloaded the car and left the keys to rangers to park the car.

12:30 or so we were on the water: Olga and Eugene in the rented canoe and me in my kayak.

Until 6:00 PM we paddled along the Hartley Bay, turned left (South) to the Wanapitei Bay, then turned right (West) into French River Western Channel and went between left (Southern) bank and Pig Island. Stopped for the night at the campsite #702, where Western Channel turned to the South.

Loading a canoe (note on the rack only one left) 

Ready to go: my Advanced Frame Inflatable

South on a Wanapitei Bay: between left (East) shore
and chain of elongated islands

Unloading at the site #702

Day 2 – Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Followed Western Channel to the South. Had a short lunch on the small island where river divided for several branches – channels. We choose Old Voyageur Channel for our trip and follow it until we came to the dead end. Discouraged by this issue we decided that it is not an Old Voyageur Channel at all and came back to where the river splits. We tried the right Channel, which had to be Voyageur Channel or Black Bay, but there were no way through at all. Finally we headed into the only direction where the open water was seen – to the South-East – into Channels of Bad River. It was close to 6:00 PM when we stopped at the campsite #731.

Entering to the Old Voyageur Channel

Sometimes it became really narrow

There is dead end there...

Back to the entrance and into Bad River Channel

There on the left are the shutes of tomorrow
(view from the site #731)

Day 3 - Wednesday, July 04, 2012

After some hesitations we decided to go to the Liley Chutes and use the portage there – the way recommended by many people and by boaters we met just above the Chutes. Portage was about 100 m long and went along the open rocks. We took the pictures of the Liley Chutes from above – even with this low water it would be impossible to pass them neither in kayak nor in canoe. We were in the West Cross Channel now – just in place where we supposed to come through the Old Voyageur Channel. Detour was finished thus and we continued our route to the East through the Devil's Doors. Thise rapids are easily accessible in the low water. “Behind the Doors” one has a choice: to go South to the open waters of the Georgian Bay or to pass the treacherous labyrinth of the West Cross Channel. The wind was fresh enough to persuade us to the latter. If we’d know in advance that it will be 5(!) beaver dams to lift over instead of 2 mentioned in Kevin Callan’s description, we’d better go to the Georgian Bay.

It was still lunch time when we enter the East Cross Channel and stopped for snack at the campsite #729. Paddling to the East we had to lift over 5 beaver dams and the closer we were to the entrance into Georgian Bay the louder the wind swept among the trees.

Finally we enter the Georgian Bay and cannot resist to swim in its clear water. Two consecutive campsites (#719 and 715) were occupied and only third one (#714) was waiting for us. And it was beautiful!

Liley Chutes

Liley Chutes, portage on the right side

Exiting the Devil's Doors - safe and sound

Damn Dam ! I think it was third.
Two more to go, but we have no idea yet.

Over there the Georgian Bay is! 

One of the best campsites - #714 at the entrance to the Eastern Channel

Day 4 – Thursday, July 05, 2012

Wind changed direction last night and once again in the morning and became though not 100% fair but quite propitious for us to go along the Georgian bay shore to the Bay which ended with the longest and most comfortable portage in the area. It goes from Georgian Bay to the Bass Lake, is 240 m long and all covered by the plank. There is even a car to carry your kayak/canoe and gear. Of course true travelers never used the car. We used it for one trip and then abandoned and brought our canoe by ourselves.

When in the Bass Lake one has to hug the left shore not to miss the channel heading to the North and hided behind an island. We had a nice lunch and swimming session after  entering the main Channel of the French River and then paddled to the North toward the “Elbow Cross”.

Night at the Campsite #   with a beaver and a deer.

Between  Scylla and Charybdis  - among small islands
along Southern Shore of the Georgian Bay.

A "Civilized" portage at the bass Lake

Hi beaver, could you please take picture of us three?

Our last campsite (#  621   ) 

Day 5 – Friday, July 06, 2012

We’re heading home and there was a rare opportunity: the favorable wind – just in our back. After crossing the Main Channel we formally close the ring (circle) and entered into Wanapitei Bay again. Stopped for lunch on the opposite side of the island where campsite #601 was situated (it was occupied). Swam for the last time, boiled the water for tea on the gas stove (tried it for the first time) and were ready to cover the last portion of our route through the Hartley Bay to the Marina. It was Friday and more and more boats run toward us in the opposite direction. It was just time to go home. Again the wind was favorable and Olga even made a sale to speed canoe past my kayak.

Americans in canoe: paddling with the kayak paddle and using sail

At the Marina we met the team who began the trip same day as we did and who portaged at the Bass Lake together with us. Took pictures of one another and drove home.

Our team. Hartley Bay Marina.
The Loop is closed!

At 6:00 PM we were in Caledon. The Big French River Delta Loop was closed successfully! My old dream came true! 

trip 3, Crab Lake overnight with Ivan, June 21-22, 2012

Traditionally we spend the Bass Fishing Opening (4th Saturday of June) on the Crab Lake. The same was this year too.

Bass season was open successfully

Caught and eaten

Sunset on the Crab Lake

trip #2: Bottle Lake with Ivan, June 8, 2012

To avoid a week-end crowd we used my Friday off to revisit the Bottle Lake. We were here for the first time on icy water of April 2010 (trip #1) and didn't reach the Lake. Later that April I reached the Bottle Lake and Sucker Lake on the trip #2 of 2010. Now we fulfill our original intention and reached it together.

View from the Northern Shore of the Bottle Lake to the South East (campsite109)

Ivan Chef

Tea and fish

Bon appetit!

trip #1: Season opening at Massasauga Provincial Park, Georgian Bay, Tuesday, May 20-21, 2012

This year I opened the season later than usually because of our trip to Malaysia in April-May. Believe it or not even there in tropical conditions and fantastic snorkeling I dreamed of my kayak, Ontario lakes and basses over there. In some respect this trip was a "remake" of my 2010 trip #6 to the Wreck Island.

trip # 5: Massasauga Provincial Park, Georgian Bay, Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Finally found a day to escape from the downtown Toronto and kayaking on the Georgian Bay. Exit 189 from hwy 400 to hwy 69, High St (Muskoka 11) through the town of MacTier then left onto Healey Lake Road to Woods Bay Marina. This portion of the route was reconstructed last year and now you have no troubles to drive to the Marina. Parked the car at the Marina parking lot and launched kayak at the public launch spot close to marina. It was really windy this day and despite our hope that wind is dying it's not. We crossed near 1 km of the open water from Marina to the entrance to the Captain Allan Channel and went along the Channel. Wind still was very fresh and always in opposit direction.
Reaching the Channel opening on its West side we tried to paddle further to the Northwest, but wind was even much stronger on this open water and vawes were one foot or more preventing us to move well. So we decided to turn back and camp somewhere in the Channel.

Thus we stayed at the site 408 in the Eastern part of the Channel.

Unfortunately no fish at all in the Channel though I put a worm for hundred of times in different places around the site.

Around 6 PM it felt like wind began to calm down and we went out toward the Marina. At the exit of the Channel we made a stop and swam in the calm water. Then back into kayak, crossed 800 m to the Marina, deflated kayak and at 8:00 PM start out home.

trip # 4: Beausoleil Island, Georgian Bay, Friday, July 22, 2011

It was short improvised one day trip "for fun and pleasure". And we received both!
It was also an attempt to escape incredible heat of the downtown Toronto. This attempt proved to be 100% successful.
We drove North on hwy 400, took exit 156 West to Honey Harbour (about 5 km) and parked there "at Jack" for $10 a day. The launch site is situated near the small plaza with the Church, store, library etc.
2.5 hrs after leaving downtown we were in our kayak on the water of Georgian Bay!

Short trip between the islands through the Big Dog Channel and in front of us appeared Beausoleil Island.

Despite it was Friday there were a lot of boats and every campsite was occupied but one named Sandpiper. When we approached the site everything became clear - we saw the big sign (see picture below).

Thus we were forced to move further to the North, where we stopped for a lunch  on a small cape in front of the private island.

It wasn't hot at all, the sky was cloudy but the water was warm and we swam a lot.
On our way back we have a look at a small bay to the North of our site and came back through the Big Dog Channel again.
At 8:00 PM we left Honey Harbour and at 10:30 PM were at home (we were 30 min late due to a jam on the hwy 400).

And still everything was fine in this trip!

trip # 3: Crab Lake with Ivan, overnight Monday July 11 - Tuesday July 12, 2011

Being last time on the Long Lake which belongs to the Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park too we discovered that since this year one have to book campsite in advance and pay for staying there. So we did this for the Crab Lake and paid $33.00 ($11.75 per person per night plus processing/registration fee $9.50). Besides this substantial amount of money I encountered a number of  inconveniences: i) to book a site one have to make a long-distance call (there is no free number); ii) there is no campsite map anywhere on the Internet and it is difficult to choose the site you want (I try to correct this putting below a picture taken at the launch site on the Wolf Lake);  iii) campsite labels are old and small - site numbers cannot be read from the water; iv) at the launch site they provide you with the garbage bag, but there is no garbage can there and you have to drive with your garbage to the next rest area to throw it away. I'd like to see better service for my money. And from unknown reason they eliminated one of the best campsites on the small island at the south part of Crab Lake (just in front of site 313)...
Despite this negative remarks which I never would mention if it was free out trip was excellent as it always was on Crab Lake.

Site Map of the Crab Lake

Ready to go. At the launch site on the Wolf Lake

The famous Crab Lake bass 

The turtle's feeding at the camp site

Great Blue Heron lives here

And we're the guests