Chapter 5
The Canadian Wilderness
1/21/2009
something fishy
Our family vacations were tenting and fishing adventures in Canada each summer. In the earlier days (1953) here on Cranberry Lake, Onatario above Gananoque we rented a couple old wood boats and a camp. I think after the first year Dale and I were trusted to motor by ourselves. Even though Dale was older, he wasn't so handy with mechanics so I used to pilot the craft with our $57 1947 2 1/2 HP Sears Elgin outboard motor. He didn't go North much after this, think he was afraid.
By the 60's we were exploring 300 miles from home down miles of desolate dirt roads past Indian reservations and logging camps to get to the "good" fishing in the Cabonga Reservoir. While on the Gatineau and Ottawa River systems we had to be on the look out for three quarter submerged renegade logs from the logging float operations. Dad, showing off, piloted right up on top and over one just to startle me.
On my last trip into Quebec's largest wilderness reserve, the La Verendre Parc at Camatose Lake, a sudden violent storm nearly swept my boat away into the unknown. Mom was sure I was a goner, but I survived. Plenty of wildlife around, moose, loons, beaver, and so on. We'd get the occasional leech sucking on our leg if we went swimming.
It was a pioneering spirit using WW2 army surplus cots, tents, jerry cans (named for the German soldiers) for gas and water, 50 # blocks of ice and surviving. Disney World no, Adventure World yes.
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video notes to myself:
5 HP Martin now called obsloete-weird but Dad bought out the lot of salvaged parts from Boothies Electric Marine in Cortland
aluminum boat popular over wood
Pete Van Gorders 54 Chev 210 brought $20,000 last week. Anita, Darlene, Teri
Watertown - Wellesley Island bridge into Canada- Kingston- Gananoque (load up on illegal fireworks, then lie at Customs)
South Lake, Cranberry Lake- Rideau
Ogdensburg- Hull - Ottawa- Gatineau- Maniwaki, Rapide, Le Domaine, Whiskey
Lake Pemichangan one couples gallery (search for Lake Trout one day- slow- pack up go on..
Gatineau River
Wagoose many trips, next to logging hut, Dad's naming was actually the name of a dam Barrage Wagoose-3 on Lac Andou
Camatose Lake near Le Domaine above Rapide and the Cabonga Lodge, if you go as far as Whiskey you missed it
Camatose Lake took boats mile out camped on peninsula
Golden Lake
Larieve Lake
30 Island Lake where Carol and Nelson had a camp for years, and others
many fishing buddies Wacky Goff, Bob Muncey, Dave Van Gorder, Jack Park, etc