As we near the Summer Solstice (June 21), I find myself thinking of summer….warm and sunny….lazy days on the water….and especially canoe trips. I’m even thinking of the song In The Good Old Summertime….such as:
Nat King Cole (a classic version)
It is not too late to plan for a canoe trip….never too late to check out canoe routes….and to pour over maps. I’m checking out various routes in Temagami….a great online resource is Ottertooth/Temagami…..then there are great guides like Hap Wilson’s Temagami Canoe Routes….it’s still Canada’s best selling canoe guide after 30 years…..the latest edition sold out.
And there are so many excellent maps….the Friends of Temgami have been working on one that will be released to the public shortly…..great maps online at Ottertooth too….below is a general map of the Temagami area (although it doesn’t include one of my favourite areas, the Chiniguchi):
Image Source Page: http://www.icanoe.ca/html/parks_trails/park_trails.html.
So one of the places I plan on spending time in this summer is Temagami….I found these video clips on YouTube of a trip there in 2008:
Temagami ’08 Diamond and Lady Evelyn
Temagami ’08 Red Squirrel and Ferguson Bay
Temagami ’08 Sucker Gut and Lady Evelyn North
Then there was these:
Temagami 8 Day Canoe Trip – Part 1 of 2 (2009)
Temagami 8 Day Canoe Trip – Part 2 of 2 (2009)
As the videos state:
This is the footage taken from an eight day canoe trip I did with a friend of mine in the Temagami region in Ontario, Canada. It was my first trek in Temagami and it proved to be a tough go but worth every effort. The route involved about 41 lakes and rivers and I have a full one hour trip log in the wings that I will likely be posting on a future date to help anyone who would like to do this same trip or sections of it. To outline the loop we did, some of the bodies of water involved – starting with: Red Squirrel Lake, Eagle Lake, Sir Devon Lake, Lady Evelyn Lake, Sucker Gut Lake, Lady Evelyn River – South Channel, Diamond Lake, Sharp Rock Inlet and back to Red Squirrel Lake.
Of course, if possible, a trip to Temagami should include a visit to the old growth forest. Here’s an example:
Canoeing Old Growth
A visit to the Blueberry Lake old growth forest Temagami Ontario.
Sometimes one may be looking for a dose of humour too….and nobody comes to mind better than Kevin Callan….here are some of videos featuring Mr. Canoehead:
Speedo Man Visits Algonquin
Kevin Callan and his oddball neighbour, Ashley McBride (a.k.a. Speedo Man) go on a spring fishing trip in Algonquin park’s Dickson/Lavielle Lake – and share a few misadventures.
Canoeing Kawartha Highlands
Kevin and Ashley head into their secret fishing lake in central Ontario’s Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park..and recount (in a very humours way)the pleasures to be found there.
David Thompson’s Madawaska River
Second video of the Kevin Callan/Kip Spidell River Rat series. The paddlers retrace David Thompson’s last survey job – central Ontario’s the Madawaska River.
Algoma’s Ranger Lake Loop
The third River Rat film by Kip Spidell and Kevin Callan. This one the canoeist heads UP RIVER to witness Algoma’s old-growth pine on Megisan Lake.
Learning to Laugh at Yourself in Algoma
Songwriter David Hadfield sings about the misfortunes of author and canoeist Kevin Callan while paddling up the West Aubinadong River in Algoma, Ontario.
There are other videos of Kevin Callan on YouTube….not to mention many many more videos on canoeing and canoe trips to a number of different locations….check them out….while you’re waiting for the good ole summertime.
Paddles up until later then.
And remember that we’ll soon be in those Lazy Hazy Days of Summer:
A Paddling Version Of Lazy Hazy Days Of Summer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of being out in the canoe, getting out there
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon, sing a song of the Voyageur
Fill up your pack, tie down the canoe, get your paddle and tent
Then lock the house up, now you’re all set
Heading out on the road, following trails where others went
Oh you can hardly wait to get the canoe wet
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Going wherever the canoe takes you, wherever you steer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You’ll wish that summer could always be here
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of being out in the canoe, getting out there
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon, sing a song of the Voyageur
Don’t hafta tell a girl and fella about paddling at night
Their canoe gliding quiet and still, out under a romantic full moon
Out under a clear sky, with stars twinkling so bright
A little cuddling, even a kiss, just enough to make any heart swoon
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Going wherever the canoe takes you, wherever you steer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You’ll wish that summer could always be here
You’ll wish that summer could always be here
You’ll wish that summer could always be here – Mike Ormsby
