Mayhem on a cottage lined lake

I often wonder what draws me to the quiet solitude of a wilderness lake or forest.

As a child, I spent as much time as possible wandering the forest trails around my home. It was within those green walled paths that I learned the ways of the forest and learned to "see" the lessons painted on the forest floor. It was there that I learned to remove myself from society and become a part of something that was ancient and profound.

Nothing has changed since those days long past, I have no power to resist the siren call of the woods. The trials I have traveled slide beneath my bare feet as body sleeps and my soul searches for messages and insight.

There are times when curiosity pulls at me and forces me to venture into places I would usually avoid, places where people rule and all other creatures must step aside and stay hidden.

I ventured out onto a cottage lined lake near my home. The cacophony of noise which bounced from shore to shore shattered any illusions of a peaceful paddle within moments. Boats and high powered watercraft created a chaos of waves which shattered on the shoreline continuously. My prospector canoe handled the waves perfectly; but the rat race on the lake forced me to retrace my strokes back to the seclusion of the marsh and then the portage trail from whence I came.

 

R.G.Wright

As I pulled my canoe back up onto the shore where the portage trail beckoned me home, the silence of the forest filled my being and pushed aside all the "noise" that had encapsulated me. I hoisted the canoe on my shoulders and walked the portage trail home pondering many questions pertaining to the impact of humans on the world. I have my thoughts which will remain my own. I am more than thankful that there are many wilderness areas here in Ontario which have been protected and provide us quiet paddlers a place to roam.

 

Portaging can suck, but it gets you to where you are going.

To some, a canoe trip without portaging is simply not a trip at all. Tripping by its very nature requires the tripper to move many kilometres into the interior of any given nature reserve or wilderness area. This requires the tripper to carry everything they have across land, on designated or non-designated trails known as portage routes. 

Portage trails usually follow the shortest route to the next lake. The problem is - not all portage trails are equal; some trails will test the endurance of seasoned veterans. 

It is important to plan your trip according to your capabilities. If you are new to canoe tripping, stay on well traveled portage trails. These routes will be well maintained and if you find yourself in trouble, a fellow tripper will come along in a short time to help you sort your trouble out. 

Portaging is a workout. It will force you to use muscles you may not have known even existed. Heat, bugs, rain and a myriad of other environmental factors could cause your mind to slip a gear and force you into a state of self reprisal. You may even wonder what the heck you were thinking when you sat down at your desk and planned the route you now find yourself on. 

Yep, a picture is worth a thousand words. This photo was taken on day six of a planned ten day trip. Total trip length was 140 km. The yellow signs informing us of another portage ahead became beacons of foreboding. Unless you have crossed the same portage prior - you have no idea what lies within the twisting confines of the forest trail which you are about to traverse. Once crossed, the mystery of that trail is now exposed and you have learned much. 

The trials of the trail are soon left behind as you set up camp and settle into the wilderness. The soft subtle sounds of the forest serenade you as the fire sends tendrils of smoke into the air and fills your camp with its intoxicating smell.

The primitive person in you escapes from the confines of civilization and your mind relaxes to the point where it is free to roam where it chooses. The only way to get here from there - is across the portage trail. 

Happy camping!

Staying grounded when things are messed up.

Pondering the world from the seat of a canoe as you traverse a lake or river is always rejuvenating.

As you pull your paddle through the water, you open your mind and soul to realities which are normally hidden. The living world around you becomes tangible and you become part of a vast group of interconnected creatures. The longer you paddle, the more you connect to the environment through which you travel. Given enough time, something wonderful happens; you realize that you have become part of everything that surrounds you and your mind switches gears. Your spiritual mind comes out of hiding. 

Now you see things from a different perspective, you are open to thoughts which are not polluted by social engineering. You are free - no drugs or alcohol required.

Grab a paddle and plunge it deep into the water. Pull yourself forward and leave your worries behind. It works for me and I am sure my fellow paddlers would agree.

Just remember to treat the wilderness as you would your home, for in truth, it is the only home that really matters.