After paddling and portaging into a large crown land area south east of Bancroft Ontario I left my canoe behind, grabbed my backpack, and compass and headed into the bush. About four kilometers later I came upon a crystal clear lake. I found a nice campsite on the lake and began settling in for the night. After dark while eating dinner I heard a noise in the bush and both of my dogs started barking frantically. At first I thought nothing of it but when they made another charge into the dark woods I became nervous. Thinking a black bear may be responsible for the disturbance I banged my mess kit together and yelled to make some noise. Figuring my barking dogs and the noise I made had scared the animal away. I got ready for a much deserved sleep, when again my dogs rushed into the woods behind my camp. Feeling a surge of adrenalin I headed into the woods brandishing my axe. As I stood beside my dogs I heard another noise and I let out a blood curdling battle cry. I held my axe in position ready to deliver my strongest blow, I meant business. The woods settled again and amazingly I had a decent sleep despite the disturbances along with the bugs. I woke in the morning to one of my dogs barking again. I lifted my head and rubbed my eyes to see this eastern wolf standing a short distance away on the opposite shore of the lake. It was just staring at my barking dog. I was stunned for a few seconds before I left my pine bow mattress and crawled over to my camera to take a couple shots, which I did before the animal figured out what I was and trotted away. An hour later I saw a moose.
Having left my canoe behind I packed in this inflatable dingy along with a foot pump and folding paddle. There was no way I could have brought my canoe with me on the long bushwhack into the lake by map and compass. I used this dingy to find my campsite and circumnavigate the lake.
Right - dusk at my campsite
Below -my tarp rig accompanied by a pine bow mattress. You have to go to greater lengths to cut down weight and bulk when your packing a dingy. I also slept with a thin blanket instead of bringing a sleeping bag.
The loons on the lake were very distressed. I am not sure if it was due to my presence (the loons aren't used to seeing people here) or the wolves, or both.
High cliffs line the shores of this lake in several places. Some look like they would be good jumping cliffs, others death traps. All of them look spectacular. I took this shot from a tree growing on top of a cliff, I was way up there.
Left -another beautiful view
Looking away from the lake to the distant horizon from another treetop. I get a feeling of freedom when I look out over large spans of land, seemingly untouched by the activities of modern man.
The area is one of the largest crown land areas in Ontario south of the French River. Because of this it's one of the last places larger scale logging can take place on southern Ontario's crown land. Luckily I didn't run into any cuts while on my bearing, they are a real pain to walk through and are not pleasant to look at either. I did see trail tape on trees, indicating where a cut will be made within the next couple years.
My dingy proved to be my most valuable piece of equipment; it fit me and my pack quite nicely. I found it was easier to get around when I broke my paddle down and used two single blades as oars. I trolled the lake but didn't get a bite. While I made my way around the lake my dogs followed by running on shore or swimming beside me. A couple times I was able to hold their tails while they swam and got a tow. The lake was much easier to explore with my infallible inflatable.
When I finished circumnavigating the lake (which is about three and a half kilometers in length) I came upon this great northern water snake, sunning its self on a fallen tree. The snake was about three feet long. After having a good look at the snake I got off the water, deflated my dingy and headed back through the bush to my canoe. The bushwhack was hard work but I enjoyed it.
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