Triplogs / Triplog#7 / Day 2 / Day 3
Day 3 - Wrapping it up
I awoke on Sunday morning to a clear blue sky with the sun shining along Fork lake from the east, yet the sunlight could not reach my site, 'protected' as it was from other elements. It was to bad too, as it was even colder this morning, and thinking of the weather the day before, I felt that if it could've rained, it would've snowed instead. In fact a friend of mine was in The Park that same weekend on Lake Lousia, not too far away. That same morning, Randy Born woke up to a white Algonquin, as it had snowed during the night in his locale. Go here to read his account, <http://www.algonquinadventures.com/triplogs/RandyBornMay2004.htm>
As I broke camp, I had the chance to witness my first Algonquin misty morning solo. It was a nice change. No chatter from fellow campers, or the clatter of plates or tin cups. Just me, watching and listening to nature. I left a small pile of burnable wood for the next occupants, did a double check of the site for cleanliness, and headed out into the sunshine of Fork Lake, as the mist began to burn off. The coffee I had that morning did good to shake off the sleep I lacked from the weekend's nighttime fear fest. Being 'Out' day, It was a most beautiful day(go figure)...I estimate that in less than 90 min, I reached the culvert under hwy#60. I really took my time. Passing under the highway, I came out on the north end of the highway, and got stuck. The current here was strong, and I couldn't get to shore. At that time there was a family of 4 people, standing on the bridge(part of the Spruce Bog Trail), watching my dilemma. "Are you OK?", one of them asked. "Yup! just stuck", I said. It seemed to me that the only way for me to get unstuck was to stick a leg into the creek and walk out. Bad move. My leg plunged into the water and down almost 3 feet into muck. I gasped in surprise..the water was so cold, that it felt like a thousand tiny little knives were stabbing into my flesh.
The part of my leg below the muck line, felt warm, although I'm guessing it was just numb. NOW I understand the danger about falling into frigid May waters. I was so cold...one couldn't concentrate, the pain demanded too much attention. So there I was struggling to keep my other foot in the canoe, as I sank deeper and deeper into the muck of Sunday Creek, while the people stood and helplessly watched me. I wasn't in any real danger...just stuck with one leg slowly turning into an icicle. I noticed a 2x4 embedded in the muck next to my leg. Obviously it was placed there for a reason. I grabbed a paddle and jammed it onto the 2x4. Using the paddle as leverage, I extricated myself from the creek. I then placed my frozen leg onto the plank, and didn't sink. Next I placed my other leg on the plank, and sank a little, but it held, I was un-stuck!
Frigid morning: After the fog burned off,
I was able to snap this picture of the opposite shore, as I broke camp
Swiftly, I pulled my canoe out of the culvert and into deeper water, as I dived in my canoe in one motion, made it to the creek bank and jumped to land! The show was over and the folks observing my feat left. I proceeded to portage my gear back to my car. While walking back and forth from Sunday Creek to Spruce Bog parking lot, a couple of 'Cougars'(APC's) zoomed by, no doubt from CFB Petawawa, The Military! There everywhere...protecting our parks!! As it was I think I got more sleep driving down Hwy#11, then I did all weekend in the bush by myself. It was fun, a little dangerous, and most of all, I learned alot and survived to do it many times since.