Monday 21 May 2018

South Frontenac Paddle

South Frontenac Paddle

Desert Lake - Birch Lake - Kingsford Lake


Probably the warmest day so far this spring and we are off to explore some as yet to be paddled (by me)  territory in South Frontenac.  An area lightly populated and home to Frontenac Provincial Park, good Canadian Shield land. Being mostly wilderness the area is not particularly well served by highways so expect to be doing some driving on winding gravel roads but well worth the effort.  Our put-in will be at the southern extremity of Desert Lake and we will be bordering Frontenac Prov. Park although not actually within its boundaries; the exception being if we land at the NE end of Kingsford Lake for lunch.

Desert Lake put-in

Arriving at 10 a.m. there is already several cars with trailers but room enough for both cars.    Today we head NE towards Snug Harbour resort, not to be confused with that other Snug Harbour on Georgian Bay, here is found access to Mitchell Creek connecting with Birch Lake.   So only about 1/3 way up Desert Lake, the rest I leave for another day.  A couple of fishermen about but otherwise deserted (no pun intended😏).  As we pass to starboard of the island in the NE bay a Barred owl flies over us on silent wings to land in pines on shoreline to our right.  I paddle over to try and get a better view only to provoke it to fly back to its original roost.  Of course the camera was in its waterproof box, so we let it be hoping for another look on the return.  Barred owl is a woodland species often heard calling in daylight and is about the same size as the Great Horned of open country.


Barred owl territory

As we pass into Mitchell Creek there is an alternate put-in and a canoe/kayak rental facility off Canoe Lake rd.  Beyond this bridge it is total solitude having left the habitation and boaters behind there is nothing but an occasional bird call: Perfect!



Author (photo credit Mike)



Mitchell Creek



Approx two and a half kilometres of creek before entering Birch Lake proper which has some cottages on its north shore, the right belonging to Frontenac Prov. Park.  A short way along is a campsite (no 7) with picnic table and a sign suggesting portage😬 to Akron Lake for those hardy canoeists who love carting stuff around on their backs.    Crossing Birch diagonally to reach the channel on its north side that connects to Kingsford Lake, today's destination.   Reaching the east end of Kingsford you find a dam on a narrow channel leading to Devil lake, also another portage for those canoeists.  There is a steep gravel ramp not suitable for take out so turning around I seek a more easily accessed lunch stop.  The park side of the lake is in shadow and heavily treed the other side has several cottages but I espy a low level grassy bank on a point, probably belonging to a cottage out of sight, so hopefully we will be out of sight too!

Kingsford Lake lunch stop
Easy enough landing and under the watchful eyes of a neighbouring cottager whip out our Swiss army chairs and sit down to a well earned picnic lunch.  The shoreline does not offer a lot of good take outs, but there are some they just might not be where you would want one so sometimes you improvise..

Eleven km to the end of Kingsford, 22 in all.   Heading back the wind has sprung up from SW, in our face and is likely a good 20 km at its best so a bit closer to the south shore is in order to gain the leeward side when possible.

Birch Lake


Mitchell Creek

Turkey vulture





You pass the rock pictured above as you exit the channel between Kingsford and Birch lake then crossing it we are back in Mitchell creek and heading back to the bridge.

Canoe Lake Rd bridge

photo credit Mike

As we pass back through Desert lake I make another try to relocate the owl but to no avail then we work our butts off traversing the last few kilometres into a 20 km wind head on, arriving back at the put-in feeling a bit wiped yet satisfied with another great days paddling.


Happy paddling

from
KayakJock

Note: clicking on an image renders it full size.


Tuesday 8 May 2018

Murphy's Point & Colonel By Island

Hoggs Bay & Colonel By Island



Spring has arrived and another kayak season is well underway and with today's perfect paddling weather, 20+c and sunny with light winds it was time to get out for a full days paddle on Big Rideau Lake.   Our put-in is the public launch just off highway 15 a bit east of Portland and our destination is Hoggs Bay a lovely sheltered bay in Murphy's Point Provincial Park then a visit to the fish sanctuary behind Colonel By Island on the return leg of our trip.

off Hwy 15

Portland put-in
Travelling about a kilometre west we round McDonald island turning NW foranother four towards the buoyed channel of the Rideau canal arriving at a point a little NE of Col. By island we turn to starboard at Fancy Free island then continue NE until just past the end of Tar island before diagonally crossing the channel to reach the entrance to Hoggs Bay.



Fancy Free approach

Entrance to Hoggs Bay

The entrance to the bay is somewhat hidden behind an island and not easily discernible from the opposite shore.    When you pass the island with a cottage on it you see ahead the ramp and docks for Murphy's Point, only on almost reaching this does it become clear that a narrow channel continues to the left, this is access to Hoggs Bay.  From here on no power boats are allowed, Yeah!  Not that they were any concern on this day as it seemed we had all of Big Rideau to ourselves.  The bay has a swimming beach for young children and a recent addition of a sheltered pavilion and swing set.  Today there is no one to be seen in the park so we opt for landing on the beach, a no-no under normal operating conditions.

Entrance

Beach
It is very pleasant having our lunch here, so peaceful, the only sound the gentle sighing of wind in the treetops truly a great time to be out paddling before the boaters or park visitors become active.  Normally I would pull up on the grassy bank just before the beach so not to interfere with beach users but also not to draw attention from any park officials as presumably we would be required to have paid for day use.   Lunch over we set off for Colonel By island; this time by keeping the shore on our starboard side until almost opposite Tar island before making our crossing of the channel to approach Colonel By from the north.

Crossing Big Rideau
I will be looking for what I call my secret entrance to Lost Lake an area of water enclosed by four islands and designated as a fish sanctuary; one of the islands being Colonel By.  This narrow passage is easily navigable when water levels are high, i.e. now, but may require a lift over later in the season when levels drop.
Secret entrance
Lost Lake fish sanctuary

Travelling roughly Sw through Lost Lake brings you to a narrowing of the channel which will take you around the west side of Colonel By bringing you out to where the main Parks Canada docking and moorings for the island are located.  I will come here quite often in warmer weather to swim and picnic as a nice little beach develops further round when water levels drop.  

Colonel By Island
From here we head in a south easterly direction for about 5 km to get back to our put-in then it is pack up and head home. Just a note, although the weather was lovely water temperatures are still pretty frigid so I am still wearing some cold water gear which is recommended.




Happy paddling!

KayakJock