Wow! Sounds like you had quite an experience. Good to hear you managed to keep your cool and get out safely. Keeping morale is the most important part of getting yourself out of touchy situations.
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This thing looks pretty versatile...where can we get it in North America?
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Thanks for the heads up, Joe.

I didn't know Granite Gear made canoe packs. I've been impressed with their backpacks in the past so I'll be looking in to their line of portage gear.

www.granitegearstore.com/Expedition-Portage-Packs-C16.aspx
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Where are you from Joe? Freight on these things can be quite expensive because you're basically shipping air.

Let us know where you're from and maybe someone will know of a local spot to pick one up for cheap.

Hey Joe,

Great to hear you're headed to Algonquin, it's certainly a spectacular spot for a canoe trip any time of year.

Traditionally, bugs aren't too bad in August. You'll have some mosquitos but they usually aren't too bad that late in the season. Water levels will be relatively low given the time of year. For now, levels are high but it will depend on how the weather progresses throughout the summer.

As far as people go, Opeongo is quite a hub so you are likely to see people along your way. I've done a loop off Opeongo through Big and Little Trout lakes and it's fairly well travelled but beautiful all the same.

I can't help you much with fishing info as I don't tend to do much on canoe trips.

One thing I will advise you is that Opeongo Lake crossings are best done in fair weather. Your chances of having a relatively comfortable crossing will be increased if you get an early start in the morning. It's a huge lake and there are so many bays and arms that an open water crossing is inevitable. In wind and grim weather, it can be a punishing crossing.

That's the extent of my personal experience...sorry I couldn't be more thorough.

Best of luck, and be sure to let us know how it went—post some photos and stories upon your return!

Alicia,

I've paddled Hartley Bay to Georgian Bay a couple times.

I'd recommend Kevin Callan's book "A Paddler's Guide to Killarney and the French River." It'd be good to bring along with you since you're not familiar with the river.

Good luck, let us know what route you wind up choosing.

Cool looking boat!

Where/when can we get one?

No worries Matthew. Let us know what you wind up going with and how it works out!

Anyone read Callan's Butt End from the most recent (May 2011) issue of Canoeroots? Love 'em or hate 'em, they're a reality many of us face on canoe trips.

I've been lucky and only had curious bears through the campsite, no attacks or dramatic encounters. I find the best tactic is to keep a clean camp kitchen, limiting the area in which I do food prep, and avoiding spills around the fire pit.

Attached is what the Ontario Provincial Government is teaching about bears.

Anyone have any Bear Scare stories of their own?

Matthew,

Big Agnes makes a line of "semi-rectangular" bags which are somewhere between a mummy bag and a rectangular bag. We used to sell piles of them in the shop I used to work at to folks like yourself who are looking for a compromise.

Personally, I'm big on down. My bag (albeit a more technical variety) is treated so its waterproof outer protects the down. I also throw it in a dry back or dry pack to ensure its not wet when I'm ready for it at the end of the day.

I don't have any experience with down quilts though I like the idea because of the versatility.

I stick with a barrel for food and a barrel or dry pack for personal gear. I usually sort my personal gear into a few mesh ditty sacks to keep the campsite from turning into a yard sale of stuff spread everywhere.

We just got one of thesethese, a 115L dry pack, in the Canoeroots editorial office to test. MEC has done a great job with the vinyl welding and the straps look sturdy and comfy. It looks fantastic...stay tuned for our review!

For traditionalists, Duluth Packs continues to make supurb canvas and similar style packs that, in my experience, get the job done every time.

Paul,

In the Early Summer issue of Canoeroots, set to come out in May I reviewed five beautiful bent shaft paddles.

Personally, I've used the Grey Owl Raven in the past and found its light weight and stiffness to be fantastic. The issue for using something so stiff over such a long distance may be joint pain because since the paddle won't flex, your wrists, elbows and shoulders absorb the force.

You may wish to go with something with a blend of wood and composite that's a little more forgiving.

In our first ever issue of Canoeroots, now long time contributor Jeff Jackson set the record straight. We'll have all our back issues available soon at www.canoerootsmag.com/digital-magazines.html.

In the mean time, here are some excerpts from the article that I thought were worth sharing:


Jeff quotes Morgan Hite: "...where there is a canoeist there must also be a canoeism... After all, communists are adherents of communism, capitalists are adherents of capitalism, and environmentalists are adherents of environmentalism."

Jeff goes on to suggest "The canoer is looked down upon a a less evolved step in the development of the canoe–pure action, without reflection...Canoers are legitimate users of what the canoeist elite are claiming for their own."


By Jeff's words, I'm definitely an "ist".


Stay tuned to our library for the entire article.

I kinda like the idea of agent... sounds kinda 007.

While I've largely moved away from canister stoves and lanterns because of disposal issues, I've had tremendous luck with Primus' EasyLight canister lantern (www.primuscamping.com/product.php?id=16) in the past.

I remember it being bright, quiet and reliable. I wound up trading it a few years back in a gear swap... if it's anything like my Primus Himalaya stove, I'm sure it's still working quite nicely, years after I purchased it.