Killarney 2015 Preparation

July 20, 2015September 20, 2023 John6 Comments

Firing up the trangia. Testing with 91% isopropyl alcohol.

The smell of expedition is in the air. Preparing for a canoe trip in the backcountry of Ontario is no easy feat. We decided to plan a trip to Killarney Provincial Park with our 7 day vacation period. What draws us there is the amazing geography, with white quartzite hills, sapphire blue waters and solitude. The La Cloche mountains run through Killarney and are thought to be some of the oldest mountains on earth. At one point in time, they were taller than the Rocky Mountains. The park owes it’s existence to one of Canada’s Group of 7 Artists, A.Y, Jackson. When he heard that the area was to be logged, he petitioned and lobbied and eventually won his way. The birthplace of the park is Trout Lake later to be named OSA Lake after the Ontario Society of Artists. The region was inspiration for countless paintings by Canadian artists.

To start planning for such a trip, one would need to map out the canoe routes and portages. Thankfully, a ridiculously dedicated outdoorsman by the name of Jeff (not sure what his last name is) has created a series of incredibly detailed maps of Temagami, Algonquin and Killarney Provincial Park called JeffsMaps. They include portage elevations, fishing areas, secret trails, historic sites, old trapper cabins etc. I can’t imagine how much time he has spent in each of these parks to create such elaborate maps. The guy actually even posts ALL of the maps online for free (http://jeffsmaps.com).

Dehydrating beef for sphaghetti. Dehydrator borrowed from my brother Brian, the dehydrated meals connoisseur.

Either way, I wanted to plan a relaxing route that was not too strenous. This is the first extended canoe trip I would go on with Sarah. No heroics this time. I planned a Hudson Bay start, basically no portages the first night, we will paddle out and sleep on George Lake on night one. The next two nights will be spent on Muriel Lake. OSA lake and Killarney lake were as expected, completely booked. Still much to prepare to get ready, but this time of year is like Christmas: Duluth canoe packs in the living room, maps sprawled out and camping gear to tune up. Killarney here we come.

DAY 1: Paddle out to George Lake. NIGHT 1: Camp on George Lake. DAY 2 (Biggest Day): Start the day with an 80m portage, paddle through Freeland L. Portage 455m. Paddle through Killarney Lake. Portage 130m. Paddle through OSA lake. Portage 595m. Paddle through Muriel Lake. NIGHT 2: Camp on Muriel Lake. DAY 3: Hanging out! NIGHT 3: Camp on Muriel Lake. DAY 4: Go back through 595m portage, paddle OSA lake, and make a 1000m portage to George Lake back home. — DAY 1: Paddle out to George Lake. NIGHT 1: Camp on George Lake. DAY 2 (Biggest Day): Start the day with an 80m portage, paddle through Freeland L. Portage 455m. Paddle through Killarney Lake. Portage 130m. Paddle through OSA lake. Portage 595m. Paddle through Muriel Lake. NIGHT 2: Camp on Muriel Lake. DAY 3: Hanging out! NIGHT 3: Camp on Muriel Lake. DAY 4: Go back through 595m portage, paddle OSA lake, and make a 1285m portage to George Lake, back home.

Old Town Discovery – FURY

June 25, 2015October 15, 2015 John3 Comments

Webbed seats in 2015 models

The disco

Old Town

the VA paddling guide

On June 23, 2015, we drove an hour and a half to Farmville, VA to check out some canoes at the Appomattox River Company, the largest canoe supplier in central Virginia. It was over 100 degrees F and I was in shirt and tie from work, dripping in sweat as we navigated through the warehouse. The guys there were super helpful and knowledgable. We originally came to check out Nova Craft canoes, but they really didn’t have the models we were after. We originally sought the light yet tough materials such as Royalex but ever since the company stopped producing this material, Royalex canoes have been hard to find. Since we are mostly paddling rivers, we needed something more durable. After much debate, we decided that the best canoe for us at this time was the Old Town Discovery 15,8 (2015). Built like a tank and almost as heavy as one too at 87lbs, this is the workhorse for most outfitters because of the durable three layer polyethylene construction. The best thing about the 2015 models are the new webbed seats, upgraded from the terrible, formed plastic seats. I figured if we can portage an 87lb canoe, kevlar will feel like paper. We are proud of our new addition to the family, her name? Fury. Time to find some paddles.

The Return to Lake Moomaw

June 21, 2015September 24, 2016 John9 Comments

On June 13, 2015, the temperature in Richmond was 92 degrees F. We needed a place to escape the heat. This was our chance to make the return to Lake Moomaw out in the mountains of Virginia, where it was 15 degrees cooler with lows in the 60s at night. Brian worked the night previously so we left late that Saturday afternoon. For this trip, I rented an Old Town Discovery canoe 15’8″ from Riverside Outfitters in Richmond. We typically get our canoes from the VCU Outdoor Adventure center however all of theirs were taken. This trip pretty much convinced us that we need our own canoe to avoid the hassle of rental and returns.

Riverside Outfitters

After a quick lunch at the Galley, we hit the road. The drive into the mountains was peaceful. We were hit with intermittent mountain rain showers as the clouds came and left. We could already feel the cooler air as we approached the boundaries of the national forest. We passed through gorgeous passes with streams that looked perfect for Tenkara.

There’s always an upside to rainfall, for we were treated to an awesome display of misty mountains as we paddled to the campsite. The sun was making it’s way through the clouds and the sky was clearing before sunset. We spotted deer as they approached the lakeside to drink the cool water. I had forgotten how beautiful the lake was.

God’s country

Paddle forth

Misty Mountains

Deer drinking water

Lake Moomaw

One of the advantages to paddling in Virginia is the lack of mosquitoes. NO horseflies/deerflies either! Sitting comfortably out in the open without a bug shelter in June is something we did not take for granted. We parked the canoe and enjoyed some Woodford whiskey by the lake.

solo paddling

Campsite

Chillin

Clear water

our view

The water was especially clear that day. We saw numerous motor boats, but no other canoeists. It seems like Lake Moomaw is used mostly as a fishing and motorboating spot for the locals. All of the canoes that were available for rent were still on the racks at the marina. None of the back country campsites were occupied so we had our pick. Pretty amazing for just a $5 parking fee. We camped at a new site this time which was very clean and secluded.

The Trangia alcohol stove, produced in Sweden it was designed primarily for backpackers. I found it works well with the Emberlit stove.

The following night was a perfect opportunity for me to try out my new Trangia alcohol stove. I must say this little stove is perfect for canoe trips. There certainly is beauty in simplicity. It is built like a tank and has no moving parts to break. All you have to do is fill it with fuel (alcohol of any type) and set a spark to it. I find it makes the perfect companion to the Emberlit stove, a stick stove that I’ve used for a couple of years now. The alcohol stove burns cleanly with no soot to clean from your pots and pans. Win. With the simmer plate, we were able to grill spicy sausages to perfection.

I also had a chance to play with camera settings on the DSLR to try and capture the thousands of stars. I think it turned out pretty well for the first attempt. It was difficult without a tripod but this trip opened my eyes to the world of night landscape photography.

We took the canoe out for a midnight paddle on the lake under the blanket of countless stars. It reminded me of paddling Big Trout Lake in Algonquin park at 3:00am in September 2014. With the assistance of a small amount of hand sanitizer (awesome trick) to catch a flame to the soaking wood, we were able to get a rip roaring camp fire going.

clear skies

Some clouds remain after a day of showers

We woke the next morning and prepared some breakfast once again with the Trangia. A simple meal of scrambled eggs, brie cheese, salami, toasted bread and yogurt with blueberries and raspberries. One of the perks of lakeside camping is packing a cooler. With no portages to haul heavy gear, we could bring what we wanted. The cooler is a definitely a luxury item on canoe trips.

Overall, the return to Lake Moomaw was a very relaxing trip. No heavy portages, no rushing and no real destination. Despite the spectular views, I do not suspect that we will be back any time soon. There are numerous waterways in Virginia that I have yet to paddle and I have compiled a list of rivers and lakes that I want to explore including the Cowpasture River (claimed to be one of the most pristine rivers in Virginia). I also picked up a copy of “Virginia Whitewater” by H. Roger Corbett off of ebay. Apparently it is a must for canoeists in Virginia.

Time to find a canoe

Entrance to Lake Moomaw

We learned a great deal on this trip and left Lake Moomaw that evening with one revelation…..we must now buy a canoe. Leading choices at this point: Nova craft prospector 16 foot in royalex or the Old Town Camper 16 foot in royalex. Both beauties.

“Path of the Paddle” 1977 – Bill Mason

June 2, 2015August 20, 2019 John2 Comments

“This short film from canoeist Bill Mason illustrates the joy and poetry of paddling solo. All the basic strokes used to control the canoe are rendered with perfect clarity through animated lines.” from the National Film Board of Canada.

This is a great video demonstrating several basic paddling techniques by the best. Bill Mason was a Canadian conservationalist, filmmaker, artist and author. He is well known in Canada for his popular canoeing books and films. He accomplished a great deal for conservation and spread his love for nature to others through films such as this one. Enjoy.

Watch the film here

The Voyageur – Knife Making

May 16, 2015May 16, 2015 John5 Comments

For the longest time, I’ve wanted to create the most important tool in bushcraft. The knife. There are an endless style of knives out there, however I found myself drawn to scandinavian steel and grind. Norway, Sweden and Finland are a few of the countries that have a long standing tradition in superb bladesmith with companies like Helle, Mora and Enzo. Up until this point, I have used my Morakniv as an all purpose knife, however I wished to own one with a figured handle. Instead of purchasing a knife, I decided to make one.

Carbon steel blade, forged in Karesuando, Sweden.

Choosing the steel. In the simplest sense, steel is combination of iron and carbon. There are numerous different types of steel with different properties. Different alloys can be added to provide these properties. When it comes to forging a blade, the key distinction is whether you want a simple carbon steel blade or a stainless steel blade. The stainless properties come from the addition of chromium to the iron and carbon. The chromium provides rust resistance and flexibility but at the sacrifice of the hardness of the blade. To qualify as stainless, the overall composition must be at least 10.5% chromium. Stainless steel is the choice for several folding knife makers such as Victorinox, because of the low maintenance required with this material. Carbon steel on the other hand, is more prone to rust and corrosion, however many prefer this steel in bushcraft because it is harder and can hold an edge for a much longer time if properly maintained. It is also an easier steel to sharpen in the field. I could go on and on about the different steels that are available for knife making but to keep it short, I decided to go with carbon steel, particularly from Sweden.

Karesuando, Sweden: The most northern town in the country is known for producing superb Scandinavian blades. Photo courtesy of Stephen Hudson. http://stephenhudson.net

Karesuando is the most northern town in Sweden, it is known for producing superb blades. I purchased mine from Thompson’s Scandinavian Knife Supply . An excellent supplier of anything knife related including stabilized wood, pins, and bolsters. They have a variety of blades to choose from.

Choosing the wood. This was an easy choice for me. Curly birch. A wood that in my mind exemplifies the culture of canoeing in Ontario. When purchasing the wood, it is key to choose “stabilized” wood. This means that it has been dried thoroughly and is no longer prone to movement. The cost of the wood would also vary depending on how much figure is present.

Chiseling the outline of the tang, was a simple process and completed by hand and chisel. I like the Karesuando blades due to their thicker tangs in comparison to the Moras and Helle blades. This particular blade had a drilled hole designed for pin placement however in my case, I was going to be using a hidden wooden peg instead of the usual polished brass pin. This peg would work to secure the steel to the handle and prevent slipping of the blade.

Two separate types of glue were used to mate the two halves. The most common method of fixing steel to wood is by using epoxy resin. For the wood-wood contact however, it was gorilla wood glue all the way. I clamped the pieces and let it sit for 24 hours.

Next came the difficult task of actually shaping the handle. I decided that I was going to do this by hand. It was a laborious process of carving, filing and sanding. My influence for the handle came mostly from existing Helle models such as the Temagami and the Eggen. While many Scandinavian knives lacked any sort of finger groove, I knew that I wanted a fingerguard.

Carving and filing

The voyageur begins to take shape

When I was finally satisfied with the end result, it was time to sand it and put a finish on the handle. Ideally, you’d want the handle as smooth as possible before putting on any coats of oil or finish. The sandpaper should have a grit of at least 400. In this case, I wanted a simple finish that would bring out the grain and figure of the wood. I stuck with tried tested and true boiled linseed oil. After several coats, I then proceeded to apply layers of beeswax for further protection and to seal it.

In the end, I must say that I was overall happy with the result. The voyageur’s handle fits comfortably and the blade is fastened securely. The use of machines would definitely make the process faster and easier however I wanted my first one to be completed by hand.

“NINE RIVERS” – a 1000km canoe expedition

March 11, 2015August 20, 2019 John2 Comments

This is my favorite canoe expedition documentary. Check out their website to learn more about the members: http://ninerivers.ca. “Nine Rivers follows four men on a month-long, thousand kilometre canoe journey through the Canadian shield. Share the hardships and splendor of the North on this journey to Hudson Bay.”

A film by Dave Hartman, Matt Perpick & Adam Biehler.

“We belong to it” – a film by Goh Iromoto

February 20, 2015August 20, 2019 JohnLeave a comment

After watching this amazing video today by Goh Iromoto, I knew I had to share. It features the legendary Ray Mears as he paddles his way through Northern Ontario in Wabakimi Provincial Park. I have always respected and admired Ray Mears and have learned a great deal from his books and videos. Definitely got me excited for the upcoming paddling season. Enjoy.

Algonquin Park – Ontario, Canada

September 6, 2014October 29, 2015 John9 Comments

Watch the documentary of our trip to Algonquin Park (above)

My brother and I last paddled the lakes of Algonquin Park over 20 years ago. One day, we decided it was time to return. While designated a provincial park, Algonquin definitely feels more like a national park. Every year, people from all over the world come to Algonquin to canoe, camp and fish in these pristine waters. The size of the park is immense, at almost 3000 square miles, it is larger than Canada’s smallest province, Prince Edward Island. For an American reference, it is larger than the states of Delaware and Rhode Island combined.

On the southeast coast, in Richmond, VA, we spent weeks planning our trip, looking at camping gear, watching Kevin Callan YouTube videos, and reading books on Algonquin Park. I don’t think we’ve ever been this excited for any other trip in our lives. The thrill of adventure was invigorating and kept us energized during long days at work. On September 6, 2014, after a 14 hour work day, we made our way north to Ontario. I took the first leg through the night, in the old Honda CRV powered on red bulls and AMP.

We arrived at the Portage Store in Algonquin Park with only half an hour left before the store closed. Thirteen hours of travel and it came down to the last half hour before they stopped renting out canoes – typical Le Brother style. We rented out a Souris River Canoe Prospector 16, a kevlar canoe.

Loading our gear at the Portage Store access point

The sun was already setting as we paddled across Canoe Lake, and Little Joe Lake. The cries of the loon welcomed us home as we paddled across glass-like waters. Not a cloud in the sky, nor a breath of a wind. The small, red flickers of distant fires marked the Canadian shield around us. It appeared that most of the campsites on Little Joe were already occupied. We were worried that we would have to travel much further to the next lake of campsites. As we passed around a bend of forest, we found the last campsite hidden on Little Joe Lake. Both of us were far too tired to get a fire going. We heated up some stew in the Eureka bug shelter and turned in for the night.

Little Joe Lake

The following morning, we woke up fully energized. After a nice breakfast of bacon, eggs and bread, we set forth for our first full day in Algonquin Park. We traversed beautiful portages, streams, beaver dams, and massive lakes to reach Little Otterslide Lake as the sun was beginning to set. We spotted a couple of old men camping who practiced some Canadian hospitality and asked us if we wanted to join and eat dinner with them at their campsite. I’m sure they would’ve had cool stories to share but we politely declined and paddled on to our own rock paradise campsite overlooking the beautiful lake. This was probably my favorite campsite of the trip. We baked some pizza for the night, which looked much better than it tasted. As we cleaned dishes by the lake, frogs and turtles approached us because of our headlamps. A pretty magical night on Little Otterslide.

Gorp, the fuel of champions

Pizza into the reflector oven

Looks a lot better than it tasted

Little Otterslide morning

Leaving Little Otterslide

The sun was out in full force the next morning. We utilized this to our full advantage and swam in the cold but refreshing waters. We washed off the grodiness of a 13 hour road trip, and 2 days worth of paddling and portaging. We picked up and headed off for Big Trout Lake at about 3:00pm. It was a late start to say the least and we knew we were in for a long night. We made our way through amazing marshlands. We traveled deep into the night and used headlamps and navigate our way through the swamps. We had some tough portages during this leg but the arrival to Big Trout Lake was epic.

Portaging

Big Trout Lake after midnight

Paddling

We paddled out onto the biggest water we have seen yet. We traveled by moonlight which was shining incredibly bright across the still lake. Not a single ripple for kilometers ahead of us. Such moments are religious. Remarkably, we were able to find an island campsite in the dark and unpacked our gear. As I took off my water shoes, I went to brush off some bark on my feet. It did not come off so easily. This confirmed my fear….it was a leech. We grabbed some matches and burned off the sucker.

Heaven

The next morning we were able to enjoy a full day of rest. No traveling today. It was time to refuel and take in our surroundings. We were able to make a large dent in our food. We fried potato pancakes, baked pies, chopped fire wood and we tried to fish unsuccessfully. Before I knew it, our time at Big Trout Lake had come to an end. At this point, we were half way into our trip and were now on the return loop. It always impresses me how much one can accomplish in a day of camping. I feel like so much happens in one day and no day is like the one previously. No schedules to follow, no traffic and no people. Your lifestyle pace is suddenly changed. You are no longer in control of the day, but you build your day around nature. The weather, the animals you encounter and the elements. It is a soothing experience.

Brewing tea on the emberlit stove after a long day

Mapping

Rain

The sky was overcast and rain fell upon us as soon as we started paddling. As night came, the storm descended upon us. We were forced to pull off the lakes because the water was far too choppy and we risked capsizing. We set up camp in the middle of a storm, our headlights were dimming and the wind ferocious. As we staked our tarp poles into the dirt, the gusts of wind would blow them clean off. We lashed them to spruce roots instead. As we continued the fight to tie the tarp, the wind picked up and the storm intensified. We breathed a sigh of relief when the tarp was finally up. Next, we set up the tent right underneath. By this point we were both cold and shivering. We slipped into the tent and took off all of our wet clothing. To be dry again was one of the most satisfying moments I have felt in a long time. Amazing how one can feel after being dry. We felt ready to put on some dry clothes, and face the next obstacle ahead of us. We fired up the snowpeak stoves, and made some delicious sphagetti; such a simple but satisfying meal.

Chicken tikka masala

Campsite

Reading

The next morning we woke to explore our surroundings in the daylight. The campsite was a beautiful one under spruce trees and a clean flooring of pine needles. We set out to make a fire to dry our clothing. We ate some chicken tikka masala and rested for the day. We originally planned to paddle that day, but the weather was still overcast and the waters still choppy. We opted to stay an additional day.

The next morning we started the final leg of our trip. It was a big day of paddling culminating in a 2500 m portage. We were rewarded for our efforts. At the beginning and end of this tough haul, we saw a moose eating in some reeds. The perfect goodbye to our time in Algonquin Park.

Poutine

Portage Store

Our campsites marked in purple triangles. Map from Jeffsmap.com

Upon arrival to the portage store, we felt a sudden sadness as we pulled the canoe out of the water and onto the deck. The park gave us so much in the 7 days we traveled and unforgettable memories. We packed up our gear and found a hotel in Huntsville, Ontario to spend the night. As much as we missed the park, a hot shower and a warm bed was incredible. We spent the next day exploring the town of Huntsville, eating sausages from the hot dog vendors and chatting with the locals. We found an old laundromat to do some laundry in order to have some clean clothes to wear. We then ventured back into the park to pick up some gifts for friends and family from the souvenir shop. We lingered at the portage store to enjoy burgers and poutine before officially departing.

It is easy to see why people from all over the world come to Algonquin year after year. There is a certain magic to it that you can already feel when you’re at the park boundaries. The sheer size of the park and the endless possibilities of adventure that lay ahead is more than enough to create an atmosphere of excitement. The cry of loons that echo in the background, and the gorgeous sunsets particularly stand out in my mind. The place is unlike any other, the sight of canoes on every car, and groups of campers pouring over maps and prepping their gear, each party with a unique adventure in store for them, waiting to be fulfilled.