Frosty start to the day
This was a two week solo trip to Algonquin Park’s largest lake - Lake Opeongo. I had planned to spend my time base camping in the South arm then moving up to the East arm and eventually paddling back out to access#11. This is really more of a vacation log than a “trip-log”.
I hit the highway at around 5:45am, late by my standards as I’m usually on the highway around 4:00am. It was fall though and it was a Sunday, traffic would be at a minimum. As predicted there was no traffic and just over an hour into my journey I caught up to a rainbow and thought this was a good sign. As I drove along highway#60 in The Park I encountered heavy morning mist, which eventually the sun burned through and the sight that morning was fantastic and still there was no traffic.
I paddled onwards, eventually reaching the infamous Bates Island and skirted it's southern shore using it as a wind-block. I planned to paddle along the East shore heading up to the South shore of Jones Bay. It was 10:45am as I left Bates Island behind and paddled up the more exposed areas of the South arm. The wind and waves continued to be favourable as I settled back and enjoyed my solo paddle. I had been apprehensive about paddling such a big lake solo. I had done it before, a month earlier but with Lake Opeongo one never knows, your luck can change in an instant.
My luck held. The water was perfect and as I passed by both Englehart Islands, I saw empty campsite after empty campsite. This is exactly what I wanted to see...nobody. I paddled into Jones Bay and the feeling of total solitude fell upon me, there was no one around, no canoes, no motorboats. A loon called and my solitude was complete, I couldn’t believe my luck!
At 11:30am I passed by a campsite I had camped at in 2003. A smoky smell reached my nostrils as I passed by the campsite, but saw no signs of inhabitants. My destination was the next campsite, the last one on this part of the lake. I would be left all alone and by 12 noon I arrived. I then began the process of setting up camp, this would be my home for the next five nights.
Once my camp had been established, I spent the afternoon improving my tarp set-up, gathering and chopping firewood and eating hot dogs for lunch. I managed to catch an afternoon nap in my tent and also spent time watching the water move. Around 6:30pm, I made dinner which was chicken cooked over the fire served with rice. The winds never picked up this day and by 7:00pm the water was near calm. It had been a really nice day to be in a canoe on Lake Opeongo. The temperature that day never went above 14°C.
I was totally alone on the largest lake in Algonquin Park. You would think that it isn’t possible to find such solitude on Lake Opeongo, but you can. The timing has to be perfect; Weeks after everyone has gone back to school and work, selecting a campsite out of the way, away from the boating traffic and shuttles and of course good weather. I finished my meal and sat by the water’s edge, enjoying the sunset. I retired to my tent by 10:00pm
