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3/21/2018 12:14 pm  #1


Canada Day Weekend on Sec Lake in 2017

Cabin fever is intense so why not write a small trip log of my 2017 Canada Day trip to Sec Lake.

​Trip was intended for 8 nights starting on Friday, June 30th.;;....one day before Canada Day on Saturday......which would give me time to organize my campsite as I usually do to celebrate this important day of being a Canadian.  Weather forecast did not look good as it was suppose to rain starting Friday and never end until 3 days later.  So not wanting to set up camp in the rain, I went in on the Thursday instead of the Friday I had planned.

​I managed to grab the site I wanted (3rd site on the RH shore going in) and I made two canoe trips with all my paraphernalia that I needed?????? for my trip.  On my second canoe trip in, a husband and wife who were on the 2nd RH site said hi and asked if I had the name of Bo.  Well now, this got my attention! LOL  After talking for around 15 minutes, the husband told me he was a "troll" of AA and knew I was planning on a trip to Sec Lake on Canada Day weekend.  I have forgotten their names unfortunately.  I told them about the rain starting on Friday (tomorrow) and politely asked if they would like to come to my campsite later on that day and have a celebratory drink to being Canadian.  They did about 4 hours later and we spent the afternoon telling each other stories of trips both of us had done over the past years.  And we indeed had a toast celebrating Canada Day.

​Well, after a very restful sleep Friday arrived.   And boy was it raining hard!  I was sure glad I had bought two piles of wood from the outfitter on Barron Canyon Road on the way in, along with some ice for my small cooler.  I spent the entire day under my tarp by the campfire reading a book I had brought in, playing a little guitar, and having a beverage or two.  On the lake this day were my neighbours, another party I saw come in and myself.   I thought tomorrow being Canada Day would bring in some more campers.

​Canada Day arrived (and so did the armies of skitters) and in the morning, it was not raining.  Now being out of firewood I had brought in, and too lazy to go deep into the woods to find some old dead tree to saw down for my firewood, I made a canoe dash to where my car was parked and went back to the outfitter to stock up on firewood and ice.  The piles of wood I purchased sure took a lot of room in my 14 ft. canoe.  Upon back at my campsite, I took out my small radio (with earphones) and listened to all the activities happening in Ottawa that morning.  It was now pouring on Sec Lake and according to my radio, it was REALLY POURING around Parliament Hill and people were getting drenched in long lineups trying to get on Parliament hill.  I did not see any other campers come in this day so there was still only my neighbours, myself, and the party I saw coming in on Friday.  Skitters were driving me to my bug tent I had brought in as they were ferocious.

​After another sound sleep, I awoke on Sunday to a torrential thunder storm which got my attention as there was lots of lightning going on and the winds were quite strong.  I have always said that the worst place to be in a wind storm is in your tent as you are oblivious to what is happening around you regarding possible trees falling down.  So I immediately got out of my tent and huddled around my campfire and endured the storm and skitters.  Two trees did fall down behind my campsite but far away from where my tent was.

​Come afternoon that Sunday, it had stopped raining and I made another canoe dash to my car for some well needed reprieve from the hoards of skitters. I believed every skitter on Sec Lake was now on my campsite. I still had some ice to keep my meat cold and other perishables cool, and from the wood I bought yesterday, none was needed either.  On the spot, I decided to take a trip to Pettawawa for a fast food lunch.  Upon my return, my neighbours were now gone and according to the parking lot, the lake was mine.  Yeah baby!!!!  The only time I have ever been on Sec Lake with no other campers on it.  Well, that didn't last too long as I saw two parties coming in quite late in the day around 5 PM.  I lost site of where they camped but they never camped close to where I was.

​My small radio told me the weather forecast for the next two days was rainless.  WOOHOO!!!  Too bad the skitters ruined the non rain and I was getting really miffed about spending the majority of the time in my bug tent.  This was the first day I decided to paddle the lake and get away from those skitters.  I went to the big island and saw the eagle's nest which is why the 4 best campsites on Sec were closed.  I paddled the entire lake and ended back at my campsite about 4 hours later to a multitude of blood sucking skitters.  Well, I guess this made me snap as I made a plan to leave the very next morning.  First time I have ever left early from my proposed dates.  

​I got up on Monday and quickly packed and left.  Again, two canoe loads were made.  Upon my second canoe load, the other campers that came in previously (two guys and girls from Quebec) were also leaving due to the skitters.  We talked a bit, they helped me with my canoe on my car and away I went.

​I packed so quickly that morning that I forgot my knife by the fireplace, along with my saw that I never used.  The next campers on my site got a nice wood surprise.  Oh well, at least I spent Canada Day in Algonquin Park on Sec Lake in memory of my mother who passed away on Canada Day some years ago.  I try to camp on Sec Lake every year since my mom died in 2003 as she loved this little gem of a lake.  Hopefully, I will be able to camp on Sec Lake again this year come Canada Day.  That sure would be nice!




 

Last edited by boknows (3/21/2018 1:29 pm)


CAMPING IS WHEN YOU SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TO LIVE LIKE A HOMELESS PERSON!
 

3/22/2018 7:11 am  #2


Re: Canada Day Weekend on Sec Lake in 2017

Thanks for writing that Bo. The bugs can definitely suck the fun out of a camping trip if you never get a reprieve. I've never been to Sec Lake, but it sounds like a good place to take my daughter one of these years!

 

3/22/2018 2:06 pm  #3


Re: Canada Day Weekend on Sec Lake in 2017

I feel your pain re the bugs.  Nothing will ruin a trip for me expect bugs.  I can do snow, sleet, rain, wind or whatever but bugs just drive me batty....Can't blame you!

 

Board footera

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