trip # 1: Solo trip to Massassauga Provincial Park - season opening, Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The 2011 summer kayak season is open!!!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Long delayed spring 2011 prevent me went out earlier. But I really can't wait anymore and used first relatively hot and sunny day to open the season.
7:10 AM I drove out of underground garage on Front St W and headed to hwy 400.
9:40 AM I was at the Woods bay Marina. Since last year they finally finished repairing the Muskoka Rd 11 and it takes much less time to drive there from hwy 69.

My trip from Moon Marina (B) to the Sharpe Island (A) and back.

10:45 AM Paddling toward the North outlet of Captain Allan Strait and sent an sms to Ira and Tanya: "I'm putting to the sea"
12:00 PM I left behind the Pleasant Island (I rounded it from Northeast) and headed toward Shrack Island
12:30 PM I passed a narrow strait at Sharpe Island, left behind a few small islands and enter the system of small inner bays which I loved since discovering them last summer.

Approaching to The Sharpe Island from the South. In front of me campsite # 334
 we stayed on with Irina last summer

Site # 334 we were last summer

My small camp on one of the inner bays of the Sharpe Island. 

17:00 PM I set out back to marina. In the mean time I burned myself on the sun, but noticed this only later on.
19:30 I was back at marina. This time I passed the South channel of the Captain Allan Strait, but I think the way through North channel is little bit shorter.
20:10 PM I left the Woods Bay marina.
21:50 PM ESSO Gas station near Dunlop St.
23:58 PM Called Irina from the garage.
The 2011 summer kayak season is open!!!

Saturday, May 14, 2011 4:48:00 PM PDT

trip # 12: Crab Lake with Irina, Tuesday, September 21, 2010

For the first time we went to the Crab Lake from our new downtown residence. It took us more than 3 hours to get there via Port Perry and our designated Bite Shop (one dozen of warms for $3.00).
Stayed on our Big Bass Island, where campsite is closed now. It was very windy (South). They promised 22 C for this day and it was when on the sun and without strong wind. Water was cold, so we had no desire for swimming  There were rainy in the morning (we even met thunderstorm on our way there driving by Burleigh Falls). Then clouds were gone and sun shined in full. Closer to our departure at around 6-7 PM another thunderstorm approached and we even saw a few lightnings far away (it was enough though for us to paddle like crazy to reach launching point before dusk and rain). We were in time and put our gear into the the car successfully. The moon was full, but was closed by the clouds soon.
Two small basses was our catch. We were back at home at 10:30 PM (2.5 hours driving due to use of the hwy 115 and 401 instead of 407 and 7A on our way to the Lake in the morning. But we were tired at the end of this day.
P.S. No camera with us this time, alas.

trip # 11 The Massasauga Provincial Park, Wednesday, August 18, 2010

(Compare this map to maps from trips #5 and #6 of this year).

This time we left the house earlier and were on the water at 11:00. On our way to the Woods Bay (Moon Marina) we took Spadina< Lake Shore Blv, Parkside, Weston Rd, Black Creek, hwy 400 North, hwy 69 (exit 189 from 400), Muskoka Rd 11, Healey Lake Rd. We visited shortly Pete's Place Access Point to the Park to buy new map of the park with the camp sites and to learn that they still cannot provide parking for the day users (mentioned some kind of contract between Park and marinas).

From the Moon Marina ($8:00 for one day parking) we navigate to the Eastern entrance of the Captain Allan's Strait and along it to the Western shore of the Moon Island. Then NW along the shore and between small private islands to the seclude inlets with the sites 307 to 313. We checked 307 and camped on 309. 308 slightly to North was occupied.


Spent wonderful time swimming and fishing (me) and answering phone calls and sleeping (Irina). Plus prepared dinner (minestrone soup and tea).

At 6:00 PM we left for way back. Thought to try the sail, but wind died fully and sail was broken again (it's second time! and I decided to return it forever and forget about this sail). It bekame a tradition already to swim in the Captain Allan's strait (at site 403) on our way back.

10 past 8:00 we landed at the Moon Marina and at 8:40 left for home.
Were at home on Front St. at about 11:30 PM.

Very nice day!

trip # 10 Beausoleil Island again, Tuesday, August 09, 2010

After a long delay due to our moving to the new place in downtown Toronto we finally escape to the Georgian Bay again. Longer trip time from downtown forced us to choose closer destination and we drove to the Beausoleil Island (Exit 156 from hwy 400 and then 32 km on the hwy 5 to the Honey Harbor).
The same pier in downtown Honey Harbor near the Church and Library, the same parking at Joe's backyard for $10 per day. Bought a snake at the local store and leave the marina at 2:10 PM. "Better later than never."

Went through Big Dog Channel and then turn right (North) along the shore of the Beausoleil Island.  Made two stops: first one very short - to swim, and the second one - in a small bay with the fire and snorkeling.

Кипяток для мису-супа и другая кастрюлька - для чая.

Опытный загребной Ирина Фурсенко. Техника гребка очень напоминает движения известной загребной Галины Н из Сиэттла.

More pictures in Picasa Album

trip # 9 Crab Lake again, Friday, July 16, 2010

Again did we decide to visit Crab Lake dreaming of it's big basses and cozy island. One day trip with Vanya was exciting. He caught a few medium basses, fed a turtle at the campsite, while me sleeping after the lunch. Crowdy was the lake this Friday morning and much more Friday evening.

# 8: Massasauga Provincial Park, Sharpe Island, Wednesday, July 7

This time I brought Irina to see the beauty of the Georgian Bay. Initially I thought to go to the Crab Lake with Tanya. Then Tanya got more attractive offer and decided not to go with me.  Irina on the contrary all of a sudden decided to join me though strongly rejected Crab Lake idea as "annoying". Already in the car we changed our route from Bloomington East to King Rd West and 400. And we never regretted our decision. Two obstacles slightly slowed down our launch into Georgian: road construction between 69 and West Bay Marina and Marina itself. Previous times we parked at Peter's Place Access Point and had two launch pads and no troubles . At Marina we ended launching at the public launch and parking at Marina's (?) lot for $8.00. I still think that we could park free there. Otherwise the trip was beautiful.

# 7: Beausoleil Island, Monday, June 21

Three weeks without kayaking it's too much for me. This time I was going to go with my granddaughter Tanya a nice girl 20 years old coming to us for summer vacation from Siberia. I was thinking about something easy and not far from home to minimize driving time. It would be better on Georgian Bay because almost no mosquitoes there. I even began to consider Massasauga Provincial Park though i was there two last times. And all of a sudden friend of mine sent me report of his family trip near Beausoleil Island. The pictures were wonderful and circular trip drawing made by his 5 year old son attract me immediately. The weather forecast was very good for this Monday. Hwy 400 moved well, when we enter it from King Rd (exit 43) at 8:00 AM. At the Exit 156 we adopt a hwy 5 North toward the Honey Harbor and after 13 km stopped near the Church, Library and Public launch site. It was 9:15 AM. Of course everything equipped here for the motor-boats, not for the small inflatable kayaks. So we needed  some time to find proper place to inflate and launch our kayak and to park the car for a day (ended at nearby Joe's private parking lot for $10 per day).
At 10:30 AM we pushed off. The Park brochure we took free in the public box on the street contained the map of the Beausoleil Island. It was exactly the same map where little Tosha  drew his route.
Below is Google aerial view of  the Beausoleil Island and Honey Harbor with our South loop (white) and Tosha's North loop (yellow).
Leaving the harbor and having no idea where the Big Dog Channel is we decided to go South and reach the southernmost point of the Beausoleil Island, where the large group campsite has to be as was written in the books I read.
First we rounded small Picnic Island on our left (with the big gas station and store situated on the large wooden platform) then crossed the strait and went South along the East shore of the Roberts Island.

What we seen then was a huge open water space with the various colors of green on the horizon. Again we had no idea where the Beausoleil Island is. But having no choice and taking into account very good weather conditions (sunshine and light wind) I decided to paddle toward the light green cape in 3-4 km to South-West. And I was absolutely right! Less than in one hour we find out the pavilion among the trees and stepped down on the huge group camp site I read about. Long ago in 1819 Mister or Messier Beausoleil settled here as a first white man in this area. There we had a meal, took a picture of the turtles sunned themselves on the stones and Tanya as a "Girl with the paddle".

Our way back was to the North along the East coast of the Beausoleil Island.
More pictures at:My Picasa Albums