September 26 - 29, 2011
We did the traditional Achray to Squirrel Rapids trip in Algonquin Park in the opposite direction last week. This was due to the fact that another school had booked Opalescent Lake on the dates that we wanted it. This meant that there was no easing into the trip, the toughest day would be right off the start and lucky for us this set the standard for the trip.
At 12:00 pm, we set off at Squirrel Rapids on our adventure through the Barron Canyon. The sky was blue, the sun was hot and everyone was excited to get going. This was obvious on our first portage, as everyone was working hard and it was done in no time at all. We followed this with a beautiful paddle through the Barron Canyon. It was at the end of the canyon that our most challenging day would really begin.
Three portages back (440 m) to back (100m) to back (740 m). The entire team worked hard through all of them and although on the long one people were hurting, we finished it in excellent time, putting us on Opalescent Lake by 5:00 pm. While half the group went to camp to set up, the other half went for firewood. The beautiful benches at the campsite provided for a well deserved break while we waited for a dinner of hamburgers (lots) and salad. This was capped off with an amazing display of stars and Northern Lights.
After a good night's sleep, we awoke to bacon and eggs. Which was a good thing as our day would start with a 660 m portage. Nice thing about that was that from here on in it only would get easier. We made quick work of all our portages and short paddles this day, even opting to go a little further to Stratton Lake, as someone was occupying the two nice campsites on St. Andrew Lake where we had planned to stay. This meant that we would spend two nights at the same campsite. We enjoyed our hot dog/left-over hamburger lunch, before we headed to High Falls for a slide down the Otter Slide and some impressive jumping from the jump rock.
The spaghetti dinner, with caesar salad and garlic bread, was truly enjoyed before the festivities of the evening. Some people headed off to bed early (these were the smart people), while others stayed up late to enjoy a solid game of 'Mafia'. You could tell by the tiny eyes the next morning (and we slept in, breakfast at 10:00 am) who was up late. Not having to pack up and move made for a real relaxing start, something we deserved as we really worked hard the previous two days. We talked about clouds, knots, hanging food and spent the morning solo canoeing. This was followed with a make-shift grilled cheese lunch (we forgot the margarine) and another afternoon playing at High Falls. That night the entire group joined in for 'Mafia' under the tarps, while the rain came down.
It rained pretty hard for most of the night, but as we finished cleaning up camp and were ready to get in to our canoes, the clouds opened up to provide us with a beautiful blue sky. A great way to end a fantastic trip.
I will let the students explain what happened 100 m from the end of our trip.
17 comments:
PAD30 CANOE TRIP REFLECTION
This trip brought me many things; memories, new friends, strong relationships with some people and a great knowledge of the outdoors. This canoe trip gave me the chance to experience four days of great fun! Whether it was the High Falls, or the great people or even the scenery, this trip couldn’t have gone any better.
I learnt a lot on this trip. I learnt how to solo paddle, how to build a great fire pit, how to cook luxury food items in the middle of a provincial park and even how to get back in a canoe that has been tipped. I have also come to the conclusion that portaging is not the most fun thing to do.
The food was delicious, which surprised more because of the lack of margarine. But the grilled cheese and pancakes turned out great! The rain was very nice to use and only rained twice, both at night. My tent group was great; we got a good spot at both camp sites. The first night was a good campsite for star watching and even just relaxing on the rock couch. The second and third nights were all-around great campsites perfect for big group games and lots of space.
Doing the actual canoeing part was great because with it being fall, the scenery was stunning and going through a canyon was just awesome. Until we got to the portages which were hard and sometimes long, but made for great team work.
All in all, it was a great trip, bull of priceless times. I wouldn’t have changed anything about my time at Algonquin. Great people, great memories, great time.
Thank you Mr. Brouwer.
Canoe Camping Reflection
I’ve been camping at Algonquin since I was younger than I can remember and it is among one of my favourite places. I had this same feeling during my four-day canoe trip with Outdoor Ed. Throughout the trip, I was able to embrace the park’s beauty I’ve always known, as well as learn a lot from not only my teachers but my peers, and finally, enjoy camping with an amazing group of people.
I love canoeing and whether it was chatting with my paddling buddy or singing with the other campers; I was always happy to be on the water. With fall having just begun, the leaves were colourful and the view in the Barron Canyon was beautiful. Looking up at the stars on the first night was unlike any night sky at home. The first evening, laying on the rock by the water and telling one another ghost stories our group was lucky enough to view the Northern Lights. Returning from the falls one day our canoe came so close to a blue heron, its wingspan I never imagined so great. While paddling to our final destination, the sun hitting the water made a beautiful last scene of the trip. Camping always makes me appreciate nature because I’m in the middle of it and all around are views I’m unable to admire in the suburbs.
I learned a lot throughout the trip. On day three, we stayed at camp and Mr. Brouwer taught our lesson like a true camper; with the dirt as our chalkboard. In the afternoon while half of the group was coached solo paddling, the other half practiced knots. By lunch, I was able to explain how a Dutch oven is used and enjoyed part of a huge muffin I helped bake. More than gaining knowledge of the outdoors, my teachers and peers taught me the importance of teamwork. Teamwork when building fires, making meals, and doing dishes (even if it wasn’t their job), the influence a little motivation can give to someone who’s falling behind on a portage, and the difference just talking to others makes while carrying a heavy load (a special thanks to Mrs. Trumpower for making the toughest hikes pass quickly). Although difficult, portages went smoothly and efficiently because of support, encouragement, and helping hands.
I absolutely love camping and my experience at Algonquin this year was amazing. My favourite memories combine the High Falls slides, stargazing on Opalescent Lake, playing mafia with the group around our campfire, and watching two friends tip their canoe close to shore.
Having gone on the hiking trip last year, the thing I liked best about this trip was the togetherness the group had. Camping with this group has given me memories I’ll never forget, the chance to learn about people I never knew, and the ability to grow on friendships I already treasured. If I were to do this trip over again, I can’t think of anything I’d change. I’ve been camping at Algonquin Park since I was little and canoe camping with my Outdoor Ed class is now among one of my favourite experiences there.
Not only was this trip educational, but also challenging and a lot of fun. I learned a lot about teamwork as well as the outdoors, and I pushed myself through the long portages, then enjoyed the beauty of the Algonquin Park with the rest of the group.
The first day was the toughest, with an agonizing 750 meter portage, but we were rewarded with a beautiful campsite to watch shooting stars and the northern lights. As the trip went on, the portages and paddles grew shorter, and we were lucky enough to stay at one campsite for two nights, therefore not having to pack up (plus had an extra day at the waterslide!). Also, with the great weather, we were able to enjoy the trip even further.
The food we had on the trip was some of the best I've ever had while camping, even though we were missing some ingredients. I also learned how to use a Dutch oven to make a delicious cake. Everyone was very helpful when others needed help to cook, prepare food or to wash dishes, even when it wasn't their cooking group.
The group itself was definitely amazing. There was always positive reinforcement when someone was struggling, and everyone was more than happy to help carry packs and canoes when needed. We all worked together and didn't exclude anyone, especially around the fire while playing "Mafia".
After this trip, I have only good memories: from the beautiful scenery, to the food, to the weather, to the amazing people. I couldn't have asked for more!
Still smiling!
The first thing I should probably say is that I'm not the best canoer that you will ever meet. Before the amazing four day trip, I had only canoed three times in my life. That is, with the Outdoor Ed class.
I learned a lot during this trip, including the fact that canoeing does get tiring if you don't switch sides at all during the trip. Bagels are amazing. Bagels roasted on a campfire are a delight. Bagels roasted on a campfire with Nutella on them? What more can you possibly want!
Sleeping in tents that (Thank God) were waterproof was a fun experience. I had gone camping a lot before, but never had I gone on a canoeing trip before.
The best thing of it all, I have to say, is the panorama. The amazingly stunning beauty of the Algonquin is mainly what made my trip so beautiful and fun.
Of course, the one person I must thank for this wonderful experience is Mr. Brouwer, to whom without I still wouldn't know how to paddle properly.
Etienne Rheaume, Oct. 6
Algonquin Canoe Trip Reflection
From Monday, September 26th to Thursday, September 29th we had our Outdoor Ed canoe trip. It was an incredible experience and I am sure that I won’t soon forget it. The trip brought us through Baron Canyon to Opalescent Lake, to Stratton Lake and to the beautiful natural waterslide in that area.
Throughout the trip I found myself faced with many obstacles. It was a great way to challenge myself and push my limitations. Portaging is an excellent example of where I pushed myself. On every portage on our first day, I was the one who took our canoe. During our first portage I went so far as to take the canoe and a food barrel.
When it came time to prepare meals I believe I took on a leadership role. I coordinated everyone to help our meal preparation go more smoothly. Seeing as our three meals were all in a row it was a challenge not getting a break in between them. It was especially difficult to prepare our dinner which was pasta. That was a very messy clean up.
On the final night of our trip we received a large amount of rain. It rained well into the night and the tent that we were using, which was mine from home, didn’t last through the night. We woke up the next morning to find our tent soaked completely through. Everything in the tent was wet. Despite this setback the trip was a great success and I really enjoyed it.
PAD30 Canoe Trip Reflection
The four day canoe trip was so much of fun. I learned a lot, and actually had a good time while doing it.
The food was delicious, I was amazed that food that good could be cooked in the woods. The meals that stood out for me was the grilled cheese and the pancakes. I thought it would be torture cooking meals for a group of about twenty, but having a group that worked as a team really helped the food prep speed up. But cleaning up spaghetti in the rain is a whole different story.
The canoeing was great; the scenery of Algonquin Park made it even better. Even though the portages were brutal, the canoeing in between was great to get ready for the next one. I need bigger shoulders to keep the canoe on though.
The trip was very educational; I learned how to do some tricky knots and how to keep food away from animals. I also learned quite a bit about canoes, like how to carry them, and how to solo paddle, which was very tricky, but got easier as I learned how to do it.
The trip was very fun. We did lots of things, like going to the slides and going down, or trying to get back up against the current, Or jumping off the cliff into the pool, getting out and doing it over again. Playing Mafia around the campfire was also great fun. The trip was great all in all, I am glad I was a part of it.
Matt’s the Mafia.
By Cory Slawecki
The canoe trip started off with a three hour drive to Algonquin Park. We then encountered the joy of portaging. Each portage (we had three that day) was 450-750 meters long; the first portage was 750 meters long. Think about this for one moment: I personally weigh in at 110 lbs. I guess that the weight of one of our metal canoes is approximately half my weight (55 lbs., for those who aren't very good at math). Let’s just say that after that day I was already tiered. Back to the main story, during our canoe we encountered high cliffs, shallow swamps, narrow rivers, and everything in-between on our first day. After what seemed like endless canoeing and painful portages, we finally found a place to cook diner and sleep for the night, the campsite that Brower considers to be the best on our route. The water’s edge seemed to be the object of amusement for my peers, making poor attempts at catching frogs and fish. me being me, I dove at the first slithering tail I saw and reeled in a water snake for the world to see, many were concerned that it may be poisonous, Neil however, just wanted me to grab out my while I tried to hold on to the snakes tail, preventing it from escaping for a few seconds longer while it barrel rolled in my fingers. We got a chance to witness the spectacle of the northern lights when it got dark, when the northern lights dissipated everyone laid down near the water’s edge and looked to the sky to spot constellations and shooting stars.
on the second day I decided to pair with Neil for canoeing (I was power and he was steering) we worked well as a team and didn't conflict on our best paddling side (which was obviously opposite) but when my arm was getting tiered and I wanted to switch sides, Neil simply did something that was unexpected: he rage quit on me!!! Which Lead to us arguing and falling behind while the rest of the group snickered and stared at us as they passed by, like an accident on the highway, people slowed down and wondered what was conspiring. Once we sorted out our differences, and I went back to my own side we kept on going. Despite our differences, we were always at the front of the group.
FLASHBACK: unlike last year with my previous canoeing partner who felt that if she was steering she didn't have to help me in any other way i.e. paddling. Because of this we were always behind... She also tried many times to figure out where we were going by yelling at Brower from across the lake, which worked to no avail and only managed to annoy me further. END FLASHBACK.
We as a group decided to go to the third campsite and avoid any portages for the next day. Getting there only cost us a 25 meter portage (probably less). When camp was set up we headed to the otter slides. Despite its name not many of us went head first like and otter would.
On the third day our focus was on learning. Brower set up his usual dirt board and began to draw depictions of clouds (in order to (as you might expect) to teach us about clouds. We were then put into two groups, one with Trumpower (knots) and one with Brower (solo canoeing). in the knot group we tried to get a barrel over a rope that was placed between two trees, I tried a pulley system, but I stopped when the rope crossed. In the solo paddling group the only thing I was good at while paddling backwards, while Haden was good at everything except paddling backwards. on our second trip to the Otter slides I attempted a backflip over the cliff opposite the slides. I ended up over flipping and landed with my back facing the water, Neil was very surprised I attempted it.
By Cory continued
The focus of the fourth day was cleaning up and getting back to civilization, when we were but 100 meters away from our destination, Ryder ended up flipping his canoe in a haste to get to shore. That was certainly the highlight of the trip, in my mind and many others.
This trip was even better than the last. Seeing the northern lights was a true spectacle. Strangely our route this year was opposite to the one we took last year, might I suggest that we take a different route entirely in the years to come?? As usual on Brower's trips, we ate like kings. Unfortunately it rained on the last night, because of that I came down with a cold the day I got back.
"Anyone who thinks portaging is fun is ether lying of insane."
Brower Power
Brower doesn't teach his kids to avoid bears, bears teach their kids to avoid Brower.
Fire
Dancing in the wind,
engulfing, raging, flames
flickering before me.
Water
a perfect mirror,
shattered by wind,
rippled by rocks, leaves,
the stillness, the calm.
serenity.
This year we went on a 4 day portage trip. It was tough but something I will remember the rest of my life (and not just because of the back breaking, lifting we had to do!). We had great weather during the days, though a bit of rain through the night. All in all, a beautiful four days in the beautiful Algonquin Park, with CW’s grade 11 outdoor ed. class.
Our first day was really exciting, and you could tell that everyone one was ready to go. We arrived at the start of our trip at around noon, to a beautiful sunny day on the water, ready to start off our trip. After a quick paddle we arrived at our first portage, which is where we saw that everyone was really excited to go, because it took no time at all. We then continued to paddle through an amazing canyon to what I think was the hardest part of our trip. We had three portages one right after the other, and you could tell that almost everyone was hurting afterwards, though we still made it back in time to set up our tents before it got dark, arriving at our campsite a little after 5:00. After the tents were put up and the fire was started, my food team quickly pulled out the hamburgers and cooked up as many as we could (probably too many), and ended the night by looking up at the stars and the northern lights.
After a great night’s sleep we woke up to a wonderful breakfast of bacon and eggs, to get ready for a long day. We started the day with a 660m portage, which if truth be told was nice, because everything after this was quick and easy in comparison, and even decided to go farther than planned because our planned campsites were already taken. So we pushed to the next lake, which meant that we had no paddle for the next day and wouldn’t have to pack up. After a quick lunch of hot dogs, and left over hamburgers, we went to the natural waterslide for a nice rest of the afternoon. We then went back to camp for a super of spaghetti and garlic bread. After some people went to bed early, probably to get a good sleep, which afterwards seemed like it was the better plan. But the rest of us stayed up late playing games most of the night.
The next morning was very painful, after staying up late the night before getting up and ready for the day was tough. We got a nice sleep in, which was well deserved and had a nice breakfast at around 10am. We had a pretty slow day not having to do any portages, so Mr. Brower and Mrs. Trumpower gave us some lessons. First we used the dirt as a black board to learn about clouds, and then split into two groups one to learn about knots and how to tie your food, the other to learn about solo canoeing. My cooking group then followed up by making grilled cheese sandwiches, this was a little difficult because we had forgotten the margarine. We then finished the afternoon with another visit to the waterslide. During the night it rained pretty hard though the whole group stayed up to play some Mafia before turning in for the night.
After a rainy night we woke up and cleared up quickly, having a quick breakfast of bagels and leftovers. After the heavy rain the night before the clear sky in the morning was a very welcoming start to the last day and paddle of the trip. Thanks Mr. Brower for making it all happen!
Canoe Trip Reflection
This was a very interesting trip. During the summer I did almost the exact same trip, just we started from achray and then travelled to squirle rapids. Doing this trip "backwards" let me see a lot of the things that I had missed while doing it during the summer.
This trip was a great learning experience for me, I got to learn a lot of new things, such as knot tying, weather patterns and how to canoe solo, which was something I had never tried before, which I fell helped me understand how to steer the canoe a lot better. There was a lot of hard work during the trips, such as all of the portaging we had to do, namely the 740m portages and others, and putting up our tent, ours seemed to be unusually hard to put up.
Before the trip the one thing I was dreading a bit was the food, but to my surprise all of it was delicious, koodos to all the groups. After all of the hard work we had plenty of fun at High Falls, watching the northern lights, and playing Mafia for 4 hours.
Doing this trip again with a lot of friends made it much more enjoyable than just 3 or 4 people, there's more people that can pitch in and help out which makes the set up/ take down, and the clean up faster, easier, and more enjoyable.
This trip was an amazing experience and I would do it again in a heart beat. Everything on this trip has made me stronger for the next time I go camping, all of the canoeing we did, and all of the portaging.
Canoe trip
September 26- 29
I have bin on this trip twice before, once many years ago and the last time I went it was 4 months ago in scouts, those trips were fun. But this camp with the outdoor ed class was even better than scouts. I found that the canoe trip this year was amazing. For me experiencing scouts and out door ed is fantastic because in scout I camp with people that have camped before but in out door ed its a totally a different experience all together.
For this camp I was partnering with josh B but at the last moment he could not go because he couldn't take the time off work. But it worked out for me because Tyler partner was Kjell but Kjell wasn't going either so I partnered with Tyler for this trip.
For me camping with outdoor ed was amazing. Camping with a lot of new campers that have never camped before and it helped then experience the outdoors and gives me an optionality to help those in need. I liked the way how the cooking groups were set up and all the food was good. I found it easier on all of us one group has to cook then another group has to cook.
After all, the camp was amazing. It was the best camp I have ever bin on and camping with friends its great to experience.
Canoe/Camping Trip Reflection
As my first official Outdoor Ed trip at CW, I have to say it was amazing. Spending 3 days canoeing and camping with friends, in a great park and with ALMOST perfect weather (minus the one night it poured down on us), I couldn't have possibly asked for a better trip.
There's a lot of cool new things I learnt along this trip. Probably the biggest thing that was focused on that I learnt was the canoeing aspect. I learnt how to navigate and steer better while on this trip and I also learnt how to solo paddle. Along with this I learnt how to tie knots and secure a food barrel on a line to protect against animals.
Another really cool thing I learnt and experienced on this trip was the cooking and the food. I learnt how many different kinds of food you can cook on a fire pit, even with no margarine or oil. From bacon and eggs to grilled cheese, I thought all of the meals were amazing, especially for high school students in a provincial park.
The actual canoeing part of our canoeing trip was great because it was exactly what I was hoping it would be. It was sunny and not very cloudy outside most of the days which made the atmosphere very happy. What made it even better was the fact that it was fall, and the trees looked amazing, and we went through canyons and on big lakes or by cliff sides. It almost made most of the portaging bearable!
The camping was great because when we were at the water slides swimming or canoeing/portaging we were hanging around camp with friends. Our tent group always seemed to pick out great spots because the sleeping was actually pretty comfortable, other than the one night where it rained.
I loved playing fun camp games with friends, talking while eating a great fire-cooked meal and going to the water slides. But for some reason I'd have to say my favorite part would definitely be the first night when we saw all the stars, the northern lights and we told "scary" (okay, not so scary) stories by the little lake.
So far those few days have been the best part of this school year. I loved every minute of it and I'd do it again any day. What a great trip!
Thank you Mr. Brouwer
-Nathan :)
PAD30 CANOE TRIP REFLECTION
Cairine Wilson Secondary school has the most unreal programs with outdoor education. Their are not that many schools that would have the unique opportunity to leave classes to go canoeing in Algonquin park for 3 nights. This trip did not just teach me about camping, making a fire, how to solo canoe and how if you work hard the end out come will be fantastic, but it also taught me leader ship roles, how to work as a team and how easily something can work if everyone puts a little bit of effort into something. I would say that Algonquin park must have been the most educational and hands on class rooms there can be.
The trips hands on Canoeing went very well I thought. The view was absolutely beautiful. I cannot get the picture of the canyon out of my head as we paddled slowly through it. With paddling I learned that when tandem canoeing when your in sync with one another your speed can increase so much and also as the bow paddler it is also your duty to inform the stern paddler what kind of object lie in front because as you go through shallow waters it may be easy to paddle but it is also just as easy to get stuck. With canoeing though comes portaging, and with portaging comes pain and suffering, but when you push through that it makes the trip so much better because of the great camp sites your able to reach.
When preparing a menu for a class trip, their may be some conflicts, who likes what, who cant eat certain foods, and what materials needed. When cooking the food I learned that when it is early in the morning and not everyone has had a great sleep and they are all counting on you for food, not everyone wants it cooked in a professional manor. A quote I remember hearing from Mr. Brouwer was, " Slap it on, and cook it fast, were all hungry." Another thing I learned about cooking was that you may not bring every single ingredient so you may have to learn to improvise, such as bacon grease for the pans for the sandwiches the next day. In a nut shell with the cooking on the trip I was very surprised on the variety you are able to come up with and how delicious the food could be.
I really enjoyed how much we came as almost a big family, playing silly games around the camp fire, telling story's and just being so comfortable with each other, I found that as a class we worked very well when we actually all got around to doing the task but it took us awhile to get started on that. Other wise I felt we worked as a well oiled machine or a team.
These are the types of trips that you will always remember. Even the little things on it will always play back in your mind because of how much fun you had and the relationships made with each other.
Thank you Mr. Brouwer for this unbelievable experience.
-Ben Gledhill
The Canoe trip was a great experience, over 4 days I canoed and portaged in and around Algonquin park. I found the canoeing too be tiring, but then again I wanted to be first. Throughout the trip I was pushing myself to be the fastest because I wanted to win even though there was no winner. I found out a lot about canoeing, while in class talking about technique I didn’t really understand but once I got on the water I figured things out by myself and I understood better. I was always in the back of the canoe having to steer and only on the third day did I find out that I didn’t have to draw to go right.
On the first day my partner was Cory and it was also our longest day in terms of canoeing and portaging. The hardest part of the first day was the .8k portage. I went with a food barrel and then with a canoe, so I did 2.4k on that trail alone. I didn’t let it get me down though and soon after I was gathering wood for our fire. I found that getting the wood was a tedious job and boring. After we gathered the wood we got to the campgrounds and that’s when I really got to see who was going to be doing any work this camping trip. There were allot of people sitting around as we were unloading the wood from the canoes, and when we were organizing it into piles. Our first meal was burgers, and we realized that we had too many. Later that night the northern lights started to dance in the sky and we all took a moment to watch. I went to bed shortly after.
The second morning I realized that I had made a terrible mistake and that I only brought 1 pair of shorts, and they were white. We had bacon and eggs for breakfast and promptly after that we set of for our next campsite. I was with Mady this time because Cory thought I was terrible. I decided we were going to leave them in the dust and so we did. As we got to our longest portage we went by another school. We decided to camp at our third day’s campsite instead of our second. We had to paddle a bit more and an extra portage trip, but I think it was worth it. We didn’t have to do anything on the third day. We got to go to the natural water slide that day, and as a joke- partially poking fun at neil I started yelling parkour every time I jumped. This was my word I used for the rest of the trip, and I made sure to overuse it. That night we played mafia under the tarp during the rain storm.
The third day was lazy and almost felt like vacation- except for the fact that I was wearing grey shorts, shorts that were dirtied by ashe and dirt. We got to work on hanging food and solo paddling, which taught me some important things about paddling. We got to go to the natural water slide again and I got to paddle with Etienne.. who was somewhat difficult to get along with at times, although we managed. We celebrated me and Haydens birthday with some chocolate cake, that I learned was made with sprite.
The fourth day we got up, had breakfast and took off. Me and Etienne were somewhat racing against tyler and jon, or maybe it was only me. We made it to the portage route after getting stuck on some rocks and being annoyed about that, we got our stuff to the other side so we could help everyone who was coming in. We made it to the beach as ryder and ben fell into the water. There we waited for the bus to come, and I was anxious for a shower and another pair of shorts.
the canoe trip was a lot of fun. way better than the hiking trip last year. we always had lots of food to eat and everyone was working together. the best part for me was when we went to the water slide and I was doing some crazy flips off the cliff into the water. we spent 2 days there and both were awesome. the canoeing really long but is the most peaceful thing you could possibly think of. it got really annoying when my partner was trying to steer for me while he was in the front of the canoe so every now and then I would have to rage quit and make him do all of the work so he would stop. some people barely did any work but most the other people were nice enough to help cary most of the canoes bags and paddle. overall this was one of the best trips of my life and am hoping for more next semester.
By Neil Marleau
Canoe trip Reflection
This camp was my favorite probably because of the amazing weather that made it a lot easier to deal with getting splashed by paddlers when it’s in the 20s to 30 degrees with bright sun so it can at least dry fast and not get me cold. Canoe trips are my favorite because they are always in a hot time of year and you’re never cold since you are always moving. I like this trip the most because its was more portaging than canoeing and that’s the hard part of the trip but also a good challenge.
Things I liked about this camp, definitely the bum slides was the best part of the trip getting to slid down the natural water slide was fun be better if the water level was higher so it wouldn’t hurt to go down on your belly. Best part trying to climb up impossible not really but hard really really hard. I liked when Matt and Josh couldn’t get out of the water at opalescent lake, took then 5 min until they decided to go around. Every thing was great at opalescent best place to stay.
Thing that weren’t as fun probably bringing wood by canoe while its digging in your back and having to paddle. Walking bare foot hurts.
Knots were kind of boring. Sleeping on a rock all night hurt.
That’s about it.
Canoeing trip
Thursday, October, 13
September 26-29
I have done this camp before years ago with scouts and it was so much worse than it was with the outdoor ed trip. This year it was sunny every day with very little rain or cold.
The first day was the most work but I liked it the day started when we got of the bus and it was a nice hot 26 degrees with no chance of rain. My partner had been unable to come so I was with Jon because his partner had work.
We did a count of all the stuff we had and headed into the water went about 1 km and then did are first portage 440m and I tried to take two packs and 2 paddles but only got about half way so I put one down and ran the rest of the way and came back for the rest and more.
Second portage was 100m and I took a pack and went back but nothing was left.
Third portage was 700m and I started with a canoe but it was getting sweaty and falling off so I switched with Jon and took a pack and switched when the sweat dried.
Paddled in the lead 5 km and got to Opalescence campsite and I made clean water and we ate dinner which was burgers.
Matt and josh went swimming and couldn't get out of the water because all the slippery rocks for like 5min lol.
Had to go on the rockiest part of the tent to sleep hurt a lot.
Canoe trip Reflection
This camp was my favorite probably because of the amazing weather that made it a lot easier to deal with getting splashed by paddlers when it’s in the 20s to 30 degrees with bright sun so it can at least dry fast and not get me cold. Canoe trips are my favorite because they are always in a hot time of year and you’re never cold since you are always moving. I like this trip the most because its was more portaging than canoeing and that’s the hard part of the trip but also a good challenge.
Things I liked about this camp, definitely the bum slides was the best part of the trip getting to slid down the natural water slide was fun be better if the water level was higher so it wouldn’t hurt to go down on your belly. Best part trying to climb up impossible not really but hard really really hard. I liked when Matt and Josh couldn’t get out of the water at opalescent lake, took then 5 min until they decided to go around. Every thing was great at opalescent best place to stay.
Thing that weren’t as fun probably bringing wood by canoe while its digging in your back and having to paddle. Walking bare foot hurts.
Knots were kind of boring. Sleeping on a rock all night hurt.
That’s about it.
Things I would do next time. This time I new I was going to be on my knees for the paddling so I brought my parents gardening knee pads an that made it a lot easier on my knees and it normal hurts
also I brought lots of gorp but it didn't last long so bring more I guess.
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