DTB Update July 9

We sent 4 nights at the French Lake Campground duem first to having cut two nights off the expected paddling time and then a day off. As well, the next paddle was to be two nights camp out and we dicided to do the first 20 km, camp back at French lake then paddle a long day with no camp gear (Cumberland team with us) to Savanne.

Attikokan was only 50 km from camp ground so went in a couple of times for supplies and had a chance to cisit with Don and Joe Meany. Joe did not make the Ontario team in 1967 so gat a team together and paddled a kayak to Montreal in a shorter time than we did in the 1967 Centennial Canoe pageant. It was good to see them again and catch up.

We arrived at Savanne and were surprised, upon not being sure if we were paddling up the right creek, to see a surveyor tape arrow in the weeds. These markings were usually used by the advance crew to mark back roads to crew change places. here was one out in the middle of nowhere and just where we needed it. Cumberland left us and headed for some houses they saw on shore. They would catch up in a couple of hours. Many teams were in before us as they were 20 km ahead of us when we started but as we had no camp gear in the canoe, we nearly caught them. Another long day.

This morning, we got up at 4:20 as we were to leave camp at 5:30. We now were in a new time zone and were crossing the great devide and were now going to be going downstream for a change. Many of the creeks the Voyageurs had used 200 years earlier were no longer passable so we had to truck it to the end of Slab Lake and had a great paddle down a winding river to Dog Lake. The going was a bit of a challenge only in that there were many turns and twists in the river and many channels due to the high water. Not having seen a lot of wildlife on the trip, this was a bonus day. First we came upon a big bull moose that swam across the river just in front of us and then we caught a calf moose in the water and paddled right up beside it. Further on, we saw a cow moose off to the side head deep in grass and willows with just her head up watching us go past. In Dog Lake, we had our last big lake to cross and had a good side wind to battle. The Cumberland boys took great pride in beating us into the beach in a last little sprint.

Some teams chose to camp here but we went on to Kakabeka Falls ion the Kamanisiqua River. We were unable to paddle down this river due to the flooding conditions and the fact the canoes would have been smashed to bits on the rocks. Camped at a Provincial Camp ground at the Falls which are quite a site. Good showers and laundry facilities with just a few ticks!

Day off tomorrow.