Julie & Keenan
Now Married For Two Years!
For our honeymoon in 2001 we went to Maine, which was the site of our first kayaking adventure together. For our first anniversary in 2002, we had a wonderful time on the north coast of PEI. For 2003 we definitely wanted to be on the water again, but we decided we could do without a long drive. But we did want to be able to enjoy a full week of paddling without having to leave our base of operations. And thus, we ended up on the Baptiste Lake system near Bancroft, Ontario. Click on the map for all the details.

Where is Bancroft? Well, roughly speaking, it is right in between Ottawa and Toronto, on the edge of the southern tip of Algonquin Park. It is about a 240km drive from either city. Julie found out about Baptiste Lake by looking on the web at cottages for rent, and just looking at the map of the area we both got excited, because we could see almost limitless opportunities for paddling. When we learned more about the area, including the wildlife and scenery we could expect to see, it was a done deal.

We were planning to have an early day on Friday so we could get off to an early start on Saturday, but as always seems to happen, it just wasn't possible. But thanks to the relatively short drive ahead of us, there was no need to panic. We took our time on Saturday morning, made sure we had all of our gear (and we really did - we didn't forget a thing) and after a quick pit stop for Lick's Homeburgers we were off.

The fastest possible route (theoretically) to Bancroft from Ottawa is by way of the 7 and then you head north on the 62. We decided against this, and instead drove on the 17 to Renfrew and then weaved our way southwest from there. It was a nice drive, with light traffic.

Bancroft is a bustling little town that bills itself as the "Mineral Capital of Canada." This may well be true, but it's not something that is readily apparent as you drive through. Of greater interest to us (aside from the wonderful waterways) was the sign pointing to the Kawartha Dairy. More on that later!

Click On The Links Below For More Pictures Blueberry Island View From The Island Amazing Boathouse High Falls Dam Where The Heron Was Perched Keenan In Algonquin Some Loony Friends Julie On The Water At Night A Scene From The Falls Riding The Waves Sunset

We easily located the gravel and dirt road leading to the cottage, and after about five minutes of twisting and turning, pulled into the parking spot that had been roughly carved out of an embankment. We looked with some concern at the steep set of winding steps down to the water, wondering about the challenge of manipulating 17-foot boats down them and into the lake. In the end it wasn't that difficult, and the great thing was, we didn't need to bring them back up again until Friday.

The cottage was relatively secluded given that this is a popular lake within a couple of hours of both Toronto and Ottawa. We could not see or hear any neighbours on our own side of the west bay where we were located, and we could barely make out the cottages on the other side in the distance through the trees. The best feature of the cottage was the huge set of windows facing the lake. The interior was modest but roomy, and well supplied.

Sunday morning we were up at a reasonable hour and getting ready for a long trip to the northeast corner of the system. The goal was to reach McGarry Creek, with the granite cliffs of Blueberry Island as one of the planned highlights along the way.

It was a bit breezy but only a bit cloudy as we set out from west bay and headed east. The water was calm, but that changed as we moved out into the wider section of the lake. There were large waves coming out of the bay from the southwest. There was a family of four out on the water in a canoe (note to the father: wear a lifejacket - would you rather find yourself rescuing your kids, or having your kids rescue you?) and we were certain that we would end up having to rescue them. Thankfully, they changed course and headed straight for shore.

As we moved into the narrow section before turning north into Lavallee Bay, we got a break from the wind. We made note of the location of Lydia's Bistro, a restaurant with European cuisine that we were hoping to visit at some point. Soon enough we could see what we correctly assumed to be Blueberry Island. There was a decent wind in the bay, but nothing like we would encounter on a future trip through the area.

As we continued north, Keenan confused a peninsula with an island and we went on a slightly different course than we had planned, but it was a minor difference and we were soon heading towards the creek. It was bit hard to find the channel in places, but it was an interesting area and we were a bit disappointed when a beaver dam under the culvert brought the journey to an end. Then again, we had travelled some 15 km and it was certainly time to be turning back.

We decided to find a spot on Blueberry Island for lunch. As we headed south into the bay, the weather was changing. The wind was picking up and the skies were turning gray. But we had a great lunch packed and there was no way we were not going to stop and eat it.

There weren't many great places to land, but we found a tiny natural beach, and sat down among the blueberry bushes and chowed down on tuna sandwiches, tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese, and almonds. The skies continued to look threatening, but the weather changes quickly here, and although the wind was nasty in the bay and the main area of the lake, the worst that happened was a bit of a drizzle.

Here we are on Blueberry Island. This photo is actually a frame from a digital video.

We were in for a real as we reached the opening of west bay. A huge group of loons were swimming together close to shore. We coasted alongside to watch their antics, and try to figure out just what they were doing. We counted 13 loons in the area in all, and about 9 of them were in close proximity.

A very light rain was falling, but fortunately Keenan had purchased a special waterproof case for his digital camera. He put the camera in movie mode and started to film them, and the timing was amazing. Just then a powerboat started coming towards us along the same shore. Julie went to get in front of it to direct the boat out into the lake, and in the meantime the loons all started making a racket! They can make four basic vocalizations: the yodel, hoot, wail, and tremelo, and we are guessing it was mostly wails and tremelos. The audio from the digital film is not too good because the camera was inside a case, but you can hear it well enough to appreciate the scene.

We really don't know if they were upset or just partying, but we decided to leave them alone and moved on down the lake. After 30 km we found the climb back up to the cottage a bit of a test, but we felt great. Keenan barbecued some t-bones while Julie put together some tasty appetizers and side dishes.

After dinner we sipped some shiraz and watched the dragonflies as the sun went down. Then we were delighted as huge numbers of bats came out to dine. The small bit of light from the cottages across the lake made it easy to see their silhouettes as they danced and dodged just above the surface of the lake. A great start!

For Monday we were planning a most ambitious excursion all the way to the edge of Algonquin Park. Had we made it all the way (and back) it would have been upwards of 40 km. And we could have done it, but the headwinds in Hay Bay and Grassy Bay were unbelievable. Just getting to Trappers Island was a bit of an ordeal. We managed to escape the wind for a break behind the shelter of the island before continuing on. Although it was challenging, it was fun to be on a large body of water and experiencing those types of conditions.

The really nice thing about this trip is that there is very little land access to these areas of the lake, so there are very few cottages (and in many places none at all) and it is a very wild area. As you paddle north the lake narrows and turns behind a little peninsula in such a way that it looks like the lake has simply come to an end and you can go no further. This is actually the tip of the "trunk" of Elephant Lake.

As we paddled up the narrow southern section of Benoir Lake, it was quite overgrown with vegetation and we lost the channel on a couple of occasions. However, this gave us a chance to talk things over, and after the huge workout from the headwinds on the way north, we were thinking better of continuing any further. The clouds had all disappeared and the sun was now beating down, which meant it would be a lot hotter, and probably a lot weaker of a tailwind than we had been expecting on the return trip. So, we found a nice shady spot to eat, and then headed south.

The return trip was a hot one, without too much excitement until we got close to Trappers Island, where the wind was once again blasting. The waves were big enough to experience the sensation of surfing as they pushed us south from behind. This makes it hard to steer, so you still have to work hard even though it was mainly a tailwind. By the time we reached the dock we were pretty well exhausted, but it had been a great paddle to be sure.

Over a dinner of barbecued hamburgers and various "fixins" we talked about tomorrow's trip. After more than 60 km in two days, something slightly less challenging was in order, and we came up with the idea of exploring Dog Bay and the piece of West Bay that lies beyond the cottage.

Here we are on our anniversary, just returning from a hard day's paddle. This photo is also a frame from a digital video.

With the plan in hand, we relaxed and using the tiny television and old VCR at the cottage watched one of the three movies Julie had rented for the week before leaving Ottawa. One Hour Photo was the movie, and although Julie fell asleep early on, Keenan stuck it out. From all the previews you would think that the film would come to a gruesome end with lots of dead bodies, but it was more of a psychological thriller than anything. He gave it 7/10.

Tuesday morning it was off to Dog Bay. Another lovely day, and another interesting trip. There are two creeks in each end of the northern ends of the bay. Although there were pretty much dried up this time of year, the little bays that receive them were isolated and beautiful, with birds of prey soaring overhead, and the little more than the sound of silence in our ears.

After leaving Dog Bay (which, suitably, is fed mainly by Hound Creek) it was fun to head west past the cottage to see what was there. The creek at the end was still flowing, trickling over the remains of what appeared to be an old stone masonry dam. Keenan got out to take a closer look, and also got a nice photo of Julie drifting back out into the lake.

It was "only" a 15km trip so we got back in mid-afternoon, leaving plenty of time to go into town for some groceries, our first visit to the dairy, and some fudge.

The dairy is about 3km west of town, and it is a very popular spot indeed. You can buy takeout at the window, or pick up cartons from the small store inside. It is high quality stuff with great prices. Although we are more or less following the Atkins nutritional plan (lots of protein, a lot less carboyhdrates) most well made vanilla ice cream is actually pretty low in carbs, so that's what we got.

On the way through town we stopped at a little store advertising homemade fudge, with the hope that they would have some fudge products for diabetics, which usually works well for Atkins followers. And they did! $11 for a pound, with an extra 1/4 pound thrown in for free. Sugarless maple fudge...quite tasty, but with a consistency that is a bit softer than the crunchier texture of traditional fudge.

After a quick trip to the IGA, we had a bit of an earlier dinner and had time to sit down on the dock while there was still some light to read and write by. We watched the bats for a while, and then watched the second movie of our trilogy, which was Adaptations starring Nicholas Cage. Julie once again opted for sleep before the movie was half over. According to Keenan, the first half is all build-up for a rather wild finish. Another 7/10.

Wednesday it was time for one last big excursion. The plan was to head east and then south down the York River until we reached the dam. Although we had learned to expect wind and waves, we knew we might really be in for it today because even the waters right in front of the cottage had small waves, thanks to a wind blowing almost directly out of the west.

This made for a fast trip down to Lavallee Bay, but once we turned north, we were slapped by a vicious side wind that made us work very hard until we reached the east side of Blueberry Island. From there, the wind just blew us down the York River until we found ourselves close the dam. We had hoped to land and take a look at the falls on the other side, but we couldn't figure out if there was a place to get out, and with the wind blowing so hard and having no idea what sort of current was around the dam, we didn't risk getting too close.

Trying to head back west against the wind was very difficult. There was nothing to do but try to slink down in the cockpit, lean forward, and paddle quickly in a compact fashion. Wisely, we ducked through a shallow channel behind Milne Island. Not only was it a place to get out of the wind and rest, but it was a lovely uninhabited area with nice scenery. We stayed out of the wind as long as possible, and then decided to fight our way across to the tip of Blueberry Island and stop on the southwest point for lunch. Keenan took a little video there that shows just how windy it really was. Even the small plants near the ground can be seen bending.

While eating lunch, Keenan threw a plum pit in the water and thought that it had somehow disappeared, and then reappeared again. It turned out that there was a small school of bass in the area, and they were willing to try and eat just about anything.

After getting back underway we stopped to admire a rather spectacular boathose on the point across from the island. It was built as a pirate ship, complete with cannons and the whole deal. Just amazing!

Back in Lavallee Bay, the wind and waves were still there waiting for us. The waves were so high that staying on course was actually made easier, because you could use them to turn. When a big wave comes under your boat, it is easier to turn because less of the boat is sitting under the water. Of course, winds and waves can also cause you to make a mistake and tip over, so that's what makes it interesting.

Here we are in front of the wedding tree, a beautiful willow that is looking better with each passing year. We feel like that's how things are going for us too! On the outside we lost a few pounds are we are getting more sleep and exercise, and on the inside we are doing our best to continue developing - as individuals, as a couple, and as members of this crazy community known as planet earth. There's lots of room for improvement in all aspects, and if there wasn't, we wouldn't be human. Although there were many horrors and tragedies throughout the world and even in our local community, 2002-2003 was filled with much personal happiness and very little personal sadness, and for that we are grateful. We thank all the special people in our lives who made that possible.

As we started west again, that meant another headwind to deal with. Needless to say, by the time we reached the dock, it felt like more than 25 km, but it had been a great workout, and made it easy to decide not to do anything too strenuous on Thursday.

After dinner we went for the usual routine down on the dock, but we were in for quite a surprise. It was getting quite dark and we were just preparing to leave, when out of the darkness and silence came a WHUMP...WHUMP...WHUMP and the silhouette of some sort of massive creature coming right at us! Just as it seemd it was about to crash right into us, out came a set of scrawny legs and it grabbed onto a small trunk of birch tree extending out over the water right in front of us.

It was a great blue heron. Apparently, he could not see us. We froze when he came toward us, so we just stayed frozen and watched. With his long stick legs and big webbed feet he took a few steps in each direction, and settled about two feet from the end of the barren tree. Then he sharpened his beak for a minute in the crook of a dead branch, and then much to our amusement, was beset by a series of what seemed to us to be rather human-like sneezes!

The show went on for a while, and we were able to whisper between us and he still seemed unaware of our presence. Eventually he stopped moving, put one leg up, and we presume started to go to sleep, right there on that piece of tree sticking out over the lake. Well, we couldn't stay down there forever, so we tried to sneak away, but we disturbed the heron who pushed off in a great huff yelling "WHONK WHONK WHONK" as he flew across the lake in search of more suitable lodgings. It was an experience we won't soon forget...particularly the noise of the huge beating wings in the darkness.

To finish out the night we ate ice cream and fudge and watched Punch- Drunk Love with Adam Sandler. This was a highly weird movie, but it was never boring (Julie stayed awake right to the end!) and we both gave it thumbs up.

For Thursday we decided on a hike in Algonquin Park. It was about a half hour's drive up to the Kingscote Lake gate, where we boat a day pass from the dingy general store at the campground off Elephant Lake Road. Most of the trail is an old dirt road of some kind, so it is pretty comfortable. When you get closer to the river it is a bit rougher, but there is not far to go. This time of year the water is low enough that you don't need the trail at all, you can just walk along the rocks and sheets of rock right next to the rushing water, which is a lot of fun. There are lots of places where you can cross right over to the other side.

The falls are really a series of drops over something like half a kilometre, and if you follow them all the way to the top, you arrive at a very active marsh where you can see lots of wildlife, including red-shouldered hawks, of which we saw one flying nearby.

It wasn't a very long hike, so we decided to finish what we started the day before, and check out the falls (strangely enough, also called the "High Fall") on the other side of the York River dam. It was a short drive on a road suitably known as "High Falls Trail Road" and we found ourselves just a couple of hundred feet from where we had kayaked the day before. The falls here are pretty impressive, and the area below is particularly beautiful, with rocks, logs, and moving water mixed with pools of calm.

After a good look around, we headed back through town and ended up at the dairy with another tub of ice cream (yup, two litres gone already!). We changed our clothes and headed out to Lydia's Bistro for a six o'clock reservation. We had called that morning and got the last table available. It's a popular spot, and we found out why. A fun atmosphere, nice view, and great food.

We ate early because we wanted a final night down on the dock. There were no surprise visitors, but the fish were just jumping out of the lake. It was such a calm night we decided to go for a sunset paddle, just up to the main lake and back. It was a gorgeous sunset, which we enjoyed with a small group of loons who were out on the bay as well.

We put headlamps on and stayed out on the water for a few minutes past dark. We sat about ten feet out from shore, and the bats were whizzing by in all direction, and sometimes right across our laps! We had grown to appreciate their precision and thus were not worried that they would crash into us or mistake us for a juicy moth.

We were a bit sad to be leaving Friday, but we certainly hadn't wasted a minute, and we were excited to get back to Ottawa for the Renegades game that night. It started to rain pretty hard during the drive home, but all the traffic was going in the opposite direction. The biggest challenge was not to explode from the milkshakes and hot dogs we picked up from the dairy before we left.

We got home just in time to unload everything and eat a snack with dad Kingstone before heading off to the game. It was an important game against the best team in the league, the Montreal Allouettes. If Ottawa could somehow beat them, we'd be in a tie for second in the East Division.

There were almost 25,000 people at the game, so our row that is usually pretty empty was quite full, which meant getting up and down all the time to let people by. But other than that, everything went right. The team managed a thrilling 43-38 victory, and we even got some free chicken thanks to the nice lady who sits in front of us who got a free bucket as part of a KFC promotion.

Saturday night we headed out to the Kingstone residence in order to continue a tradition, which is to take a photograph with the "wedding tree" that Julie's parents planted just a few feet from the spot where we got married.

After a great dinner we were all watching the US Open and talking, and forgot all about the photgraph until it was almost midnight. We hustled out in the cold darkness, and David snapped a quick shot that we all thought turned out pretty good!

Well, that's it for "anniversary week" for 2003. The rest of the labour day weekedn was spent cleaning the house and watching football and tennis on the tube.

We'll try to keep up with the weekly journal in the coming year, so drop by and see us!

Julie & Keenan