Triplogs / Triplog#49 / Day 2
Booth L - McCarthy Ck - Mole Lake - Godda Lake
Day 2
Paddling low water on McCarthy Creek
The lake was like glass. I love September mornings like that, and it was amazing. It was overcast and the temperature was slightly cool at 8°C, perfect for a morning warming fire. After breakfast, which for me was bacon and breakfast pita with cheese and some coffee, I asked Bo if he wanted to go out for a paddle. Bo declined (I think he had enough of my canoe!), so he stayed behind, while I announced my intention to explore McCarthy Creek. "You be careful!", Bo chided me. "Yes sir!", I replied, and loaded up the canoe; paddles, camera, tripod, food, water and water purifier. I took along a map and was wearing my pfd. I was all set. I paddled south across the lake, getting a really good look at the underwater topography of the lake bottom. The bottom was quite sandy, and slowly became deeper as I paddled out over the lake. The water's clarity was good and I could see down to a depth of what seemed to be about 4 perhaps 5 meters. As I approached the mouth of McCarthy Creek, the lake bottom came into view once again, or at least what covered the lake bottom. Here, it was choked with weeds, not a good place to fish, or if you dare, a place to fish carefully. It was around 10:30 am when I entered the creek, twisting and winding, the creek was quite an extensive marsh at that point. I stopped in a few places, to observe some ducks, and a Blue Heron, and after a nearly two hour leisurely paddle I arrived at Mole Lake.
A Great Blue Heron flew by me, as I paddled up McCarthy Creek
Paddling Mole Lake
Just before arriving at Mole Lake, there was a small beaver dam I had to cross, and once at the lake, I had two choices; either cross over a log jam into shallow muddy waters, or portage 20 meters(not on the map), across a grassy, muddy flat to the lake, I took the flat route. It was 12:26 pm when I finally paddled onto Mole Lake. The lake itself isn't very big, and to be honest isn't very pretty either. In about five minutes I landed at the portage to Raja Lake. At the trail head was a campsite as well. It is a small campsite, with the portage running by it. There was alot of fallen trees at the rear of the site as I searched for the thunder-box. I found the thunder-box, so that to me made the campsite habitable. The campsite would do in a pinch, but I wouldn't want to stay there. I walked a few meters up the trail, it had a definite upward trend, something to keep in mind if you ever want to portage to Raja Lake.
The fire-pit on the campsite on Mole Lake(Located at the portage to Raja Lake)
Less than ten minutes later, I was back in the canoe, paddling across the lake to the other portage leading off of the lake. The cloud cover was beginning to break up and it looked to be a beautiful afternoon, after barely 10 minutes, I arrived at the take-out for Godda Lake(720m). The other campsite located there(again at the trail head), was again a rough campsite, with not much in the way of incentives to persuade anyone to camp there. However, I'd consider the campsite located on the portage to Raja, the lesser of two evils when it came to choosing between the two campsites to stay on. That said, I'd prefer not to camp at all on Mole Lake!
The trail itself(To Godda Lake)was very well worn, and free of obstructions, it was very flat and straight, but that didn't last for long. After only a short distance, the trail began to climb, curving upwards as it climbed, the trail becoming very narrow the more it ascended. It started to feel like a mini-version of the catfish mountain portage(the trail from the Petawawa River up to Catfish Lake). Despite the climb, I found the trail pleasant to traverse(Ok, so I was empty handed), as the trail went through some really beautiful forest, and at the height of the portage, the trail levelled off. Somewhere along this levelled part, are two tall pines that one must pass through, to continue along the trail. It felt almost like I was passing through a gate, if anything it was a sign, for once past the two tall pines, the trail descends the remaining distance, all the way to Godda Lake. Less than ten minutes later, I arrived at Godda Lake. It is a much larger lake than Mole Lake, the water was beautiful too; Mole's water was murky in places with a muddy bottom, and weeds. Godda was crystal clear with sand bottom for as far as I could see. The nearest campsite was too far away for me to see clearly, and despite that and the lack of outstanding features on the lake, Godda seemed to be a pleasant lake that I would like to visit again and camp on, certainly the solitude factor was there.
Passing through the twin pines: The gateway to Godda Lake
Looking upon Godda Lake(From the portage to Mole Lake)
It was 1:45pm, when I returned to my canoe on Mole Lake, it was time to head back to camp. As I moved my canoe into the water, I spotted what to me was the largest crayfish I had ever seen, It was so big, it could've passed as a small lobster! Did this mean there were no fish in Mole Lake? I got into the canoe and began my paddle home. The sky was completely free of cloud and I had a pleasant paddle back, coming across a weasel, and a another blue Heron. It was 4:30 pm by the time I returned to camp. I had, had a great day, and it just got even better, my friend "Swede" was at camp, he had paddled in during the day to join Bo and I for the week. Bo half jokingly gave me heck for being gone all day. I had left him at camp all day, and he was worried about me being out all by myself. I guess when I didn't come back for lunch, he became concerned. I was enjoying the day thoroughly, and decided not to let the restraints of time hold me up, and as such, it (Time) was flying by, 'cause I was having fun. It was a great time around the fire-pit that night with the three of us trading stories, under a beautiful clear and cool sky as the loons sang.
The very short & improvised portage into Mole Lake(from McCarthy Creek)
Looking the other way towards McCarthy Creek
Crossing a beaver dam, I woke up this little fellow: A Weasel