JOURNEY #31 - May 31, 2003

Lac La Peche: "Good Times Up The Creek"

PICTURES

A View Up The Creek
Julie Crossing The Second Bridge
A View Of The Final Chute
Wide Beaver Dam That Ended The Journey

TRIP REPORT

It was the last day of May, and our 7th outing of the spring season. We are definitely off to a good start!

We were looking for an afternoon outing at least a little bit off the beaten path, so we headed out to Lac La Peche. The drive was exactly one hour from central Ottawa, and traffic on the 5, 105, and 366 was light. We came across no more than two or three cars on the gravel road to and from the lake.

The park starts collecting fees from users in a couple of weeks, but for now the gates are up and you can drive right in and take advantage of all Lac La Peche has to offer. It's got an excellent sandy launch site. You can bring your vehicle right down to the water to unload.

There were a half dozen cars in the lot, and a young man pulled up and put in a canoe while we were there, just as a young couple in a canoe were returning, followed shortly by a different young man with a canoe and an electric trolling motor. There are no motors larger than 10hp permitted on the lake, which is a great policy for wildlife and paddlers alike. As the name suggests, there appears to be good fishing, as each of the paddlers were saw had rods with them. Then again, we didn't notice any fish.

There was a spitting rain and a strong headwind to greet us, but we welcomed this challenge, as thus far all of our outings have featured boringly beautiful weather. This was in fact the first time this season that we bothered with skirts. It was also an opportunity to use the paddling gloves that up until now have been in their original store packaging. Simple thin waterproof jackets wenbt under our PFDs, and after donning a couple of Tilley hats we were off.

Julie enjoyed using the gloves and kept them on most of the afternoon, while Keenan removed them whenever it was not raining, complaining that they prevented him from pivoting normally.

The only boats we had seen were coming and going from the southern portion, so we headed north. About half way along the peninsula near the beach a chubby muskrat skittered down a rock face and plowed somewhat ungracefully into the water. After crossing the lake in high winds and checking out one of the higher points of elevation in the area, we turned back south to look for the mouth of a creek that was shown on the map. It was of immediate interest to us, due to the presence of a bit of a current, and attractive natural banks. We paddled west and just when we were getting comfortable with our surroundings were confronted with a low-lying single-lane wooden bridge.

We each took a stab at sneaking under it by slinking down in our yaks, but thanks to a steel girder running through the middle - combined with high waters - it wasn't going to happen. However, there was a nice sandy spot to beach and carry over to the other side. We slipped back into the creek from a narrow piece of grass right next to the bridge by pulling on the bridge frame and sliding into the water.

We paddled on and scared off a blue heron before briefly resting in a tiny bay for a quick snack and a gulp of water. There were huge numbers of red-winged blackbirds serenading us at this juncture.

The current grew a bit stronger as we turned north, and a high level of beaver activity became obvious, with a number of Jock-like swifts created by their work. We soon came upon a second road, and this time the sides of the bridge were partially submerged. The lift-over and re-entry were somewhat awkard due to the current, but we were both getting increasingly interested in seeing just how far we could continue on.

Shortly thereafter the water grew faster and the creek narrowed through a tiny valley with a plunging chute at the top. Keenan bashed his way up and through and took a rest by wedging his kayak in some reeds. Julie stalled right in the middle of the chute, but after relaxing and focusing on the nose of her boat she made it through and joined Keenan for a rest.

We found ourselves in a small lagoon created by a massive beaver dam. The water was rushing through a tiny gap next to some rocks on the east bank. Given the power of the water and the angle of the flow, it was the end of the line. It might be possible to portage along the eastern shore, but we had a dinner engagement so it was time to take a few photos and then head back. We figured out later that we were about 1/2 way to Lac a la Loutre, which is about 3/4 of the way to Lac des Loups. We have no idea what other barriers might be waiting, but the section we were able to travel was lots of fun.

With the current behind us we flew back to the lake, and managed the lift-overs a bit more efficiently, having practiced on the way up. We were surprised by the nasty weather on the lake, as we had been quite sheltered in the creek. We headed southwest and around a small island before heading back across the lake towards the beach. At this time a strong wind was blowing almost due south, so we were getting slapped broadside with some decent velocity. It was a good feeling having to make some small adjustments to the waves, as we've had calm waters the majority of the time so far this year. A solo loon popped up and bid us adieu about 100 metres from shore.

This was a short trip, just 9km in total. We travelled with an average moving speed of 5km/h, which is pretty quick considering there was quite a bit of coasting and puttering. The maximum speed was 10.6, which was probably achieved taking the chute downstream through the little valley. We were out for about 2.5 hours, of which we were moving for about 2.

Lac La Peche is big enough for a true full day paddle, and you'd have to be up pretty early and moving pretty quick to cover the entire shoreline in that time period. It's probably about three times the size of Meech Lake. There's also a dozen campsites available for those who would like to take their time. We'll be back for sure, but only in the off-season, whether it is this fall or next spring.