Triplogs / Triplog#18-Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3
Cache Lake - Tanamakoon Lake - Cache Lake
Day 3 - Tanamakoon Lake to Cache Lake
Chilly Morning Mist: It was a frosty morning on my departure day
I had an uncomfortable sleep, as my sleeping bag with a fleece liner, were not enough to keep me sufficiently warm. I had two layers of socks on, and a ball cap(no toque) with full long underwear set. My sleeping bag only being rated to +5°C, along with the fleece liner...wasn't enough to keep me warm. The temperature at around 7:30 am(when I finally rose for the day)was -4°C. I had spent the night tossing and turning in my bag, with ice-cold feet. I got up, made coffee and oatmeal and came back to my tenting area, to sit on a rock and warm myself up under the rising sun. While sipping my coffee, I became aware of a rustling noise in the forest at the narrows. Looking over I spied a cow moose, splashing into the water, through the narrows, where it seemed to be at it's shallowest. What a treat! Having the loons out and about, calling their lonesome wails, was a great gift indeed, but to have a moose travel by, while sipping your morning brew in the most tranquil of settings, transcended any expectations I had about this weekend. I was in bliss and total awe. I love moose. They are such inoffensive creatures, and this capped off an otherwise perfect weekend.
A cow moose crosses the narrows
The moose finds shallow waters as it prepares to enter the forest
The moose was gone, my coffee finished, I packed up, loaded up the canoe, gave my campsite the 'once over', making sure I had removed any traces of my passing. I had left a small supply of firewood behind..not much, but enough for someone to get a half decent fire going for a few hours. As I paddled out to the access point the strong feeling of Déja-vu returned. Especially when I approached the cottage studded island I had mentioned previously. There was something very familiar about it. I had been to Algonquin Park a few times in the '70's, when I was a young lad, but do not recall much about the experiences then. I strongly suspect I had been on Cache Lake before, but there is no way now to confirm this. I will forever be kept wondering.
One of many Islands on Cache Lake
Approaching the access point on Cache Lake
The weather was perfect again, as I paddled across the last expanse of Cache Lake to the dock of the access point. The fellow that had been fishing two days previously was there again, in the exact same spot. Looking like he hadn't moved from that spot either! It was almost comical. We waved at each other as I approached. I un-loaded my canoe, packed up my car, took a last look around, mentioned 'good day' to the fellow on the dock and headed out. I have heard that Cache Lake is a very busy access point in the summer, with a lodge, boys and girls camp, and many, many cottages, my early May experience was not the crowded, noisy affair it could have been. My timing was perfect, my experience with Tanamakoon Lake a good one. For a short weekend trip, this lake can be(and was) a good choice.