Gananoque River

Gananoque to Marble Rock

Gananoque to Marble Rock

Today I am revisiting an area I first paddled a year ago but then it was part of a 40 km overnight trip from Lyndhurst to Gananoque.  This time I will be going upstream to Marble Rock and returning to Gananoque a distance of 21 km.  This area is part of the Frontenac Arch Biosphere and is sparsely populated so once leaving Gananoque I am unlikely to encounter much boat traffic if any, or for that matter see much habitation.

Gananoque River

Pickerelweed

   

Shoreline is often marshy and supports large areas of rather pretty Purple Pickerelweed and does not offer a lot of safe landing areas and homes/cottages are few.   If you are not equipped with GPS there are a few landmarks to help determine where you are.   These are, going northward; Highway 401 at 2km, CNR at 5km then about 0.5km after that is Co road 32 at Maple Grove, a couple of houses.  Then nothing until about 9km when you can see the bridge carrying Marble Rock road.

Highway 401

County Rd 32

Marble Rock Road

At 10.5km is the dam and to the right of that is the portage around it, here is where I stop for lunch before reversing my course.

Geese under Marble Rock bridge

Dam

Portage & lunch spot

Eastern Kingbird

Today is very hot so I'm glad the return journey will be easier, downhill and the little wind there is will now be at my back so less effort all around.  The usual bird sightings today including several Great blue herons, Kingfishers, Osprey and 10 minutes before the 401 I get two sightings of  Green herons, the first posing long enough for a pic then an Eastern Kingbird follows.

Green Heron

As I return to my put-in, which today is very mucky with floating weeds/algae that of course clings to your hull when you haul out, I notice another launching spot almost across river from here at the end of a road which looks a lot easier to use.   So I have since determined that it is at the north end of River Street and has room for on street parking so next time I'll use that instead of the grassy area beside Kinsman daycare on Stone street I used today.

Happy paddling!

KayakJock