Up the River. No Paddle. No Canoe.

that deep groove is what remains of one of the
ancient portage routes.

Here's what I want to say about this mild weather in December -- the hiking could not get any better. You can see forever through the leafless woods, it is easy walking, no flies... and uncrowded.

I got a very special treat on Friday. 

I had the chance to go up a river without a paddle. Without even a canoe... but with a phenomenal guide, Craig MacDonald, who is a wealth of knowledge about this area.  In particular, we had gone hunting out the old First Nations' portage routes around parts of the Oxtongue River upstream from Marsh's Falls.  Out where the pavement ends, where there are no trails to get you in...

We found evidence of thousands of years of feet travelling along these section of the river. It amazes me what remains. We found the old moss covered foundations of a

one rock wall, part of a shack foundation

shack as well -- not a small one. Perhaps it was for the River Drivers on the log run?  It's not the sort of spot you'd want to set up farming -- rock everywhere, the river fast and forbidding and the trees must at some point have seemed endless.  But there it is, mute proof that someone spent time there.

I was also educated on how the log drive changed that beautiful river as well.  I've been up and down here forever, with my Dad as a kid, but it's quite surprising how stupid a kid can be...  and how they just don't know enough to ask the right questions that might make them less stupid.

There is this rock. Let me tell you about this rock. 

here you can see the slab that once homed this rock,
all angling up to the right, and the sheer wall on the far side

I've seen it before, standing like an echo of one of those famous standing stone sites in England -- Avebury perhaps.  Just there, sticking up out of the river flow, a single sentinel.    I just assumed that it was, well, that it was just 'there.'

Not so fast.  The log drivers moved that rock. Set it there. Teams of horses on the bank, pulleys on the opposite bank, ropes running every which way I expect.  Pried that slab up off the rest of the rocks, that all (if you actually stopped to look at it) slope the other way...   And shifted it into the river flow so that the logs coming roaring down the river would be deflected to the right side of the slab of stone,and would not get tangled up in the small backwater behind it

it always astounds me that the trees can find places
to hang on to the unyielding Canadian Shield Rock.

 The river is narrow here. It is called the Hogs' Trough, because of the sheer rock sides sloping in to channel the water resemble a feed trough.

The water is not high. Not right now.  You should see this place in spring, when the melt is coming down.  

It must have been a sight to see back when the million logs came sluicing down out of Algonquin Park in the late 1800s. Water was held back by dams at Radiant and Tea Lakes, and when the

drivers had the log drive ready to go, they dropped the stop logs and let that water run.

Elbow Falls -- on the far side you can see where the rocks
pile up, and the current has to turn. Couldn't take a better
angled shot without being in mid-stream, so this is what you
get.

The loggers called the work done "improving the river", and given the risk involved in moving those logs, anything that helped prevent jams or damage to the timber would have been a good thing in their minds.

Upstream from the Hogs' Trough is another falls, helping to tumble the water down from Algonquin Park to the Lake of Bays.  It is called Elbow Falls -- for the simple reason that it resembles a bent elbow.  You can't run it with a canoe. Just can't.  It needed some help for the log drive as well -- a log angled across the rocks to create what was called a "glance" -- something that would simply steer the logs away from just smashing into the shore rock.

another tree, growing out of the rotted remains of a fallen
tree, and snaggling its roots in and around that Shield Rock.
This is the land that the early settlers were told would be
'easy to plough, just scratch the surface and seed it'

There are other places where the river was 'improved' with walls, glance beams, even a chute (that helped get the logs over the biggest of the falls, Ragged Falls.  Arriving at the mill with a boom of kindling didn't earn any money.

This was an amazing day.  I learned so much from Craig.

Including the fact that to the First Nations, the Anishinabe who summered here, this river was of course not called the Oxtongue, but Giiwedin-o-zibi (North River)  (please excuse my Ojibwe spelling ...)

Taffy and Craig discussing the finer points of one of the old portage trails
and the chance of finding an amik-ga-buddle (spelling???) which is a place
where the beaver cross overland -- a beaver portage, if you will

Life is Better when you bring a Friend Along

The research done in Algonquin, at the Wildlife Research Station, has a long history of excellence.  We are happy to support them in their work!

42-years of Turtle research in Algonquin Provincial...

The Algonquin Wildlife Research Station (AWRS; www.algonquinwrs.com) has been home to a 42-year study on the ecology of the Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) and a 36-year study on the ecology of the Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta). Over the course of this long-term study we have been able to ask questions about chelonian longevity, reproduction, diet, habitat use, movement and migration, road mortality, (the extensive list goes on!), and address pressing issues of conservation. This study has resulted in many dozen peer-reviewed publications, the thesis research of nearly 100 graduate students, and the training of hundreds of undergraduate students and volunteers. There are turtles that were first marked in the early 1970's that are still alive and nesting today!

If we are to continue our research we will need your support! Please consider sharing our campaign (and updates) to Save the AWRS with friends, family and wildlife lovers everywhere!

http://igg.me/at/SaveAWRS
 

Plan Ahead

This is wild sage. It grows in our back fields (along with wild strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, apple trees, blackberries...)  

We mention this sage, because Thanksgiving is fast approaching.  And what would a thanksgiving turkey be  without some sage in the savoury stuffing?

We still have some cottages open for the long weekend.  The weather is still splendid, and there will still be plenty of autumn colour in the trees, so don't waffle about, call and book your Thanksgiving -- getting away into the wilderness is something we can all be thankful for!

Paddle Your Own, um, Board...

 It is a core workout, standing on the paddle boards.  Good fun, though!  Ours were taken out for a 'test paddle' the day after the thunderstorms.  Once around the Bay...


I'm working up to this, since I have some serious concerns about how Taffy is going to augment the experience... She has mastered the kayak, the canoe, and the ski tube, but this just plain looks slippery for a poodle...

Although David makes it look oh so simple!

Showing off our Summertime Blue

 Brian was flying this week -- one trip took him to Parry Sound, and he said the air was so smooth that he barely had to touch the stick at all.  Those kind of days are precious, for pilots and for those of us on the ground looking up.


Here's a shot of Bondi -- coming in from the North East. That's the Fox Point Road leading its way past the Hidden Lake -- you can just pick out the indoor riding arena's green roof on the right side... and then it is blue lake, and more blue lake.  Fire Island dominates the photo, with Dwight Bay in the background. This is a BIG lake!

 As he came around, he got this different angle on the resort property.  For those people who mutter that "resorts are too crowded" all we can say is, you've never stayed with us!  All that land, and only 14 cottages spread around, each one separate and private, but with access to our 1200' of shallow sandy shoreline.

 Now you can start to pick out some of the docks - although most of the cottages are still invisible, because they are so well landscaped into the trees. The organic vegetable garden still looks 'earthy' from this height, but down close, the corn is shooting up out of the ground, growing daily!

We invite you to come visit -- you'll love our summertime Blues!

Rivers Run

 Brian reports that the Lake rose 1.5" between 7 am and 6 pm yesterday so it is now at 1'9.5" below its normal summer level.  He's keeping an eye on his calibrated stick at the main dock.

It has been raining fairly steadily since yesterday afternoon. That was the chapter in which we learned that Taffy's raincoat is much more efficient than mine.  When warm wet air meets the cold ice on the lake, we get fog. Lots and lots of fog.  That is Beaver's dock in the distance. You can see it if you squint a little.

Looking the other way, there is the boathouse at Springside -- somewhere.  You can see how low the lake level has been drawn down at the Baysville dam to allow for this spring melt. So far so good... but the levels will rise rapidly today with a lot of warm rain falling quite heavily off and on.  We had our first thunderstorm of the year last night too.

 It's not bad news for everyone, this spring melting thing.  At the mouth of the Boyne River in Dwight, a whole flock of mergansers were gathered. In their gorgeous mating plumage of brilliant white and dark green, they were enjoying the current of the river pouring into the bay, bringing lots of food for fishing ducks.

In the back left corner of the photo, beyond the ducks resting on the ice floe, you can see the thin gray line of the Oxtongue River working its way out into the middle of Dwight Bay. The Boyne and Oxtongue should meet up any day now!

The Boyne River is well over its banks. This photo is just by the entrance to Dwight.




Marsh's Falls is running fast and high. But keep in mind that at the height of the flood last April, the water was almost at the very top of the embankment, so there is still quite a bit of room before we reach anything like that level!




Here's another look, downstream from the Falls.







On the Seabreeze Road, last year's big flood took out the road at the Creek.  This was taken today, and while the water is very high, the new culverts are handling it.




Farther along Seabreeze Road, the beaver is doing his part to hold back the rapidly rising water.  For the sake of the road, we hope his dam building certification is up to code!!

Bondi Beach is Best

 What a day it was along our 1200' of sandy beachfront!   There were people just chillin' - like Bindu with Anjali, Ashok and Ronan.

Sand sculptures being carved, water being played with.  Kids were just having a wonderful time in shallow water.




Others were lounging on the Muskoka chairs, soaking up the sun.  Or actually swimming -- distances even, not just out to the water toys like the trampoline, iceberg or water slide.

 Carol and Brian spent almost the whole day in the water, or on it.  They weren't just relaxing, however. They were involved in the very important job of teaching our Bondi Kids how to waterski.



With Carol in the water beside the skier for support and advice, every one of them was up, up and away in just a few attempts.  We are really keen on kids learning this sport. It gives them so much more of a sense of accomplishment than just hanging onto a tube -- although that too is great fun.  The expressions on their faces, though, when they actually master the art of getting up on skiis -- that is priceless! 



Lauren was up on her first try -- although not for long.  By her third attempt, she was off around the bay and had mastered a new skill for life.











Taffy found some mermaids on the dock. She spent some quality snuggle time with Rebecca, who was watching her daughter's friend learn to ski.




 Anne and Megan were on a distance swim 'mission', but they paused at the dock to chat up Taffy as well.

 
 Melanie was up on her first ever try skiing, and looked like a pro. While the 'usual' trip is Twice Around the Bay for our beginners (and one of our guests, Rob Horne, wrote a memoir of his summers at Bondi titled just that "Twice Around the Bay") Mel just kept sailing on for double that distance.


you can check Mel out in this video clip!  What great style for a first-attempt!!

 Over at the water slide, there were water-canons, and sliding kids, and kayaks. All action, as Arlene's grandchildren took to the beach.  Tim, Nate and Mardy never slow down, and now that Elisa is a year older, she's a true water baby as well.  Arlene swims to the Point and Back every day that she is here. It looks like the water gene has definitely run in her family!

 Over at the iceberg, there was some serious climbing and jumping taking place.  Graeme, Gavin, Ethan, Lauren and Lindsey were all successful in conquering the iceberg. And in departing from it.

 While the trampoline was busy most of the day, there were some quiet moments, when Bindu and Anjali could enjoy some sun-time just hanging out.







As the day wound down towards suppertime, Brian and Carol took the opportunity to swim to the Point.  Nancy hopped in a kayak to be their boat support -- it is 500 metres each way, in deep water, so it's good to have a boat along for safety.  Taffy, who fell out of the kayak twice on her first attempt to master the craft, pretty much had it down to a science this time round.


She is, of course, wearing a PFD. A Poodle Flotation Device.  If you have ever had to pull a wet dog back into a boat, you will appreciate the convenient handle on the back that is custom made for just such an occurence. 

Cheers to you

This has to be one of my all time favourite 'captures' of a moose!  Look at this splendid bull, his rack still ragged with velvet, doing his impersonation of a waterfall!

I'd love to give the photo credit, but sadly it showed up on my Facebook page,  from a site called Save our Green with no attribution for the photographer. Who's gosh darned excellent, we'd like to add.

You Know I Can't Hear You When the River is Running

Look who I found today!

Swimming in the rapids of the Oxtongue River, this pair of beavers entertained Jacquie and I for quite some time.  Taffy had to go on leash so she wasn't tempted to jump in and join them -- very dangerous, that, with the river running fast and cold.

The pair were busy putting the finishing touches on their winter lodge and food supply.  It is carefully located in the middle of the river, where it is well protected.  It amazed me that they had been able to fix their food supply securely near this lodge, in the midst of the river flow, but they had...

A trail of snipped off trees along the shoreline, all neatly sharpened to pencil points, tattle-tales their presence.

This was one big beaver -- we know, because he swam very close to us along the shore, hanging in the current for his 'close-up'

He had a careful eye on us all the time, however, and frequently punctuated the river with a big tail slap.   I was able to capture one of these on this video-- it is a little shaky in spots, where I was trying to keep Beav in the viewfinder while not finding myself in the river next to him! Enjoy!

Fine Dining

We often have groups here -- sometimes in the big Lodge that can sleep up to 18 people, sometimes in multiple cottages.  This week, the Brodey family is enjoying their reunion.  Now, while it's wonderful to be in a housekeeping cottage, able to 'graze' one's way through breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks, not to worry about what is on the dining room menu that the kids' won't eat, or what time you have been scheduled for a meal, it's also lovely to be able to discard all responsibility for the preparation of that ever so important evening meal and be able to focus instead on the family around you, what everyone did that day, plans for tomorrow...

Problem solved for the Brodeys' with the entrance of Don Potter.  Don arrives every afternoon, his van loaded down with dinner, and prepares a gourmet feast in the Lodge's spacious kitchen.  Don IS Muskoka Catering.  Be warned -- reading the sample menus on his website may produce dangerous drooling on the keyboard.

There is no shortage of great caterers up here in North Muskoka, and it's a wonderful way to go. You have control over the menu, the time of the meals, you never have to leave the beach to get dinner ready...  For a group, it's a marvellous way to have a world-class meal served up right in your cottage, without any chopping, cutting, or baking on your part.

Don has been getting absolute rave reviews from our group, too.  I'm just sad I didn't get any samples... (she said, smiling)