After trips to various great spots in Ontario, Jason and I discussed a week long canoe trip to Killarney Provincial Park (another good source of information - The Friends of Killarney). After hearing nothing but good things about the place, we figured we’d be remiss if we didn’t go check it out for ourselves. The park was started in no small part by the efforts of the artists behind the Group of Seven, who captured the parks spectacular scenery in many of their paintings.
To me half the fun of these trips is the lead up to them. Figuring out where to go, copying sections of maps and laminating them, buying ingredients, preparing meals and dehydrating them (I came home from work to unload trays in the dehydrator and saw that the element had melted a huge area in the bottom. It was a crappy Ronco model with no fan and no timer. After getting over the shock of realizing I’d narrowly avoided an electrical fire, my plans to get a better model of dehydrator when I got back were now pushed into overdrive. With only two weeks to go, every hour of drying time was vital. I ended up getting a L’Equip Filter Pro model. It took about a week to get in, but it was so efficient compared to the old one that it made up for the lost time), making various pieces of gear, buying gear, the emails back and forth with questions, suggestions, concerns, ideas.
And then after the enjoyment of the trip, there are weeks of enjoyment from editing and processing all the pictures. I took 1200.
The itinerary for this trip would be one night on Killarney Lake, one night on O.S.A. Lake, three nights on Norway Lake, and then one night on Killarney Lake.
Off we go!
Granite and quartz on George Lake. This is about the last spot where you will see granite, as it gives way to a wide swath of whitish grey quartz.
George Lake panorama.
Looking back at George Lake.
Paddlers on George Lake.
Freeland Lake. Much shallower and marshier than any of the other lakes we were on, and there is also not much a view of the hills here.
The Killarney Lake put in, after portaging around the Chikanishing River.
Entering Killarney Lake panorama.
Heading north on Killarney towards our first destination, site #24.
Pure unadulterated awesomeness. This picture says a lot about life and all that is good about it.
Chilly dip. (photo by Jason Irwin)
I brought a wet suit because I figured the water would be cold on the cusp of September/October, but it was actually quite tenable. (photo by Jason Irwin)
Jay leaping in.
Looking east towards Silver Peak.
Jason watching the beaver swim past.
About to fire up the Bush Buddy for its inaugural burn. I’d been so busy in the weeks leading up to the trip, I hadn’t had the chance to try this beauty out yet. It didn’t disappoint. (photo by Jason Irwin)
The view out my hammock the next morning.
Ready to set off for another glorious day.
Looking northwest across Killarney Lake.
Paddle at rest.
Rock. Water. Trees. My holy triumvirate.
(photo by Jason Irwin)
O.S.A. Lake panorama.
Twin sensors at work. (photos by Jason Irwin)
Topsy-turvy.
Wondering what to photograph next.
Shroomock.
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sheesh... that guy wearing the wool sock sure is purdy
ReplyDeleteSo pretty.
ReplyDelete-a hoodlum :P