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5/11/2017 11:12 am  #1


Part 1 (of 2): 6-day solo, Opeongo to Round Island

Let's just say the first couple hours of this trip weren't my finest moments in the park. I ended up running most of the Opeongo River rapids - by accident - because I missed the portage. The rapids don't look all that threatening in the video but considering it was May 4th, I was alone, and I had no idea what was coming around the next bend, it was more than enough excitement for me. 

Part 1 is Day One only, as it was a very long and difficult travel day. Part 2 will cover the remaining 5 days of this trip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGeh_8ra7Sw

 

5/11/2017 12:24 pm  #2


Re: Part 1 (of 2): 6-day solo, Opeongo to Round Island

Great video, thanks for sharing :-).  A few years ago I had missed a portage around rapids on the Petawawa, my kayak tipped and I hit the bottom...  Wasn't as bad as it could have been, more a bruised ego ;-). But I hear you on the not knowing piece, to me that's part of the scary part (especially in spring), is simply not know what's 'around the corner', as you can sometimes be 'committed' once you see the rapid...

Great video, and glad you were able to find the portage :-)

 

5/11/2017 4:37 pm  #3


Re: Part 1 (of 2): 6-day solo, Opeongo to Round Island

Oh, I'm impressed .. not only with your perseverance, but also with your honesty and sense of humour. That was a thoroughly impressive sharing of the day. 

 

5/11/2017 6:52 pm  #4


Re: Part 1 (of 2): 6-day solo, Opeongo to Round Island

@Ash: Thanks! Yeah, it's not that the rapids I ran were particularly scary, but given it was early Spring, I was alone and had no idea what was around the next bend, my heart was racing something fierce. Finding the portage again was a massive relief. 

@Barry: That's probably the nicest thing anyone's ever said about one of my trip videos. Thank you very much!

     Thread Starter
 

5/11/2017 8:07 pm  #5


Re: Part 1 (of 2): 6-day solo, Opeongo to Round Island

Noooo don't post the next 5 days as one video! That was so good. Better than HBO. I need more shows.

Very scary beginning to the trip! Not knowing what you were getting into on those first rapids could have been a disaster!

Even though it looked like hell, I'm very jealous!

 

5/12/2017 7:53 am  #6


Re: Part 1 (of 2): 6-day solo, Opeongo to Round Island

Even though I didn't end up going through Round Island, now I feel like I did. And am super happy that I didn't . Great video. Looking forward to the rest.

 

5/12/2017 10:39 am  #7


Re: Part 1 (of 2): 6-day solo, Opeongo to Round Island

Thanks for that!! 
I've felt the same sometimes in the park when I'm having a difficult day and always berated myself for thinking "I don't want to be here".
The sunset says it all though!!

 

5/12/2017 12:27 pm  #8


Re: Part 1 (of 2): 6-day solo, Opeongo to Round Island

Subscribed. Great video! Love seeing such honesty.

 

5/12/2017 10:30 pm  #9


Re: Part 1 (of 2): 6-day solo, Opeongo to Round Island

Another great video, Uppa. Certainly didn't look like an ideal day but still makes me excited for my first trip of the year. Nice hat. 

 

5/13/2017 5:55 am  #10


Re: Part 1 (of 2): 6-day solo, Opeongo to Round Island

What a day I feel for you. I'm not one to try rapids in my Kayak either. Specially when your alone.

 

5/13/2017 7:15 pm  #11


Re: Part 1 (of 2): 6-day solo, Opeongo to Round Island

@MartinG: There's a simple reason why part two is going to be the other 5 days in a single video - for three of those days I didn't leave Round Island, and for that matter barely left my tent. It doesn't exactly make for exciting footage. I'm glad you enjoyed part one but let's not go crazy here - I don't think HBO is going to be worried about losing subscribers to me any time soon. Don't forget you still owe me a video of your own!

@AlgonquinLakes: Yep, like I said via private message you definitely made the right decision on not heading to Round Island (especially since you'd have had to push on in the Friday rain). What a hellish slog to get there. And then with the weather being what it was, I really can't even claim that I've seen Round Island Lake. I cowered in my tent for three days and then paddled out while it was snowing. 

@oldboyscout: I rarely get to the point where I'd think or say "I don't want to be here", but the combination of that awful stretch of portages, and the knowledge that miserable weather was going to be the encore just had me super down. In hindsight I'm glad I went, and I'm even glad the weather was terrible - it made for a camping experience that I won't soon forget. 

@spicol: Thanks. I mostly make my videos for me - it's fun to make them, and it gives me something I can go rewatch to keep the memories of a trip alive, but I really appreciate the likes and subscribers I get on my channel. It's nice to know a few other people are enjoying them too!

@RCShevalier: Finally someone mentions the hat! I was super jazzed when that hat showed up in the mail. It's going to be with me on every camping trip until it falls apart. At which point I'll probably order a new one ;)

@Russ S: Yep, that's it exactly. The rules are different when you're alone, even more so a couple of weeks after ice-out. In summer, with friends waiting downstream and actual knowledge of what I was dealing with, that same stretch of rapids would have been super fun. 

Part two (of two) is uploading now. 

     Thread Starter
 

5/14/2017 6:36 am  #12


Re: Part 1 (of 2): 6-day solo, Opeongo to Round Island

Good report. I was on a solo up in the NW corner, the Nip and big lakes from Apr. 28 till May 9 and the dreary light was all too familiar. Thanks for posting.

 

5/29/2017 8:22 am  #13


Re: Part 1 (of 2): 6-day solo, Opeongo to Round Island

Great vid. I always bring Trevor and Corey on my trips so I have someone to blame for things like missing portages and falling in the mud. Keeps the mood up. Blame it on your dummies. I think those ports on the river are easy to miss. I missed the 770 in August with high water and and just cruised along. That port might be for up river travel. Crazy how high the water was on Booth. No beach at the take out. That middle section of Presto-Marshy looked great. You get that or sink to your knees mud. In the end you made it so all was good.

 

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