3 day trip to Booth Lake via Shall AP
 
The objective was a manageable trip that included portages with an 8 year old.
 
Day 1 (June 24)
 
The car had been packed Thursday night, so we were able to get out the door and on the road by 6 am. Traffic was light, and we only encountered moderate morning traffic through Renfrew. Breakfast in Eganville was disappointing, but at least the boy's BLT was better than my eggs + sausage.
 
By ~10 am we were at the Shall Lake AP and chatting with the friendly woman at the desk. She regaled me with stories of the "pike as big as the boy". She also raised doubts about my thoughts of doing the loop through Godda and Mole on Saturday. Maybe the bugs in the parking lot should have told us something...
 
We set off from the AP shore at 10:30 up into Farm Lake. Conditions were great - skies clear, warm, sunny, not too humid, and not much wind to speak of.  When into the lake proper, we were joined by a very friendly Loon.  He popped up within 10 feet of the canoe and then disappeared and reappeared within a similar distance the full length of the lake.
 
As we reached the end of the lake and rounded the bend past the marshy spit, we were surprised by a white tailed deer springing back to the tree line!
 
I haven't portages in 10 years, and much longer since a serious trip, so the 90m from Farm to Kitty was a good step back into it. It took too many trips, but we did it, and it was a real sense of accomplishment for the boy! He was extra helpful in finding my whistle that had been dropped within 10 feet of picking up the canoe out of the water.
 
Kitty Lake was a nice paddle, if unremarkable.
 
The Kitty - Booth portage was more like it. It was real work, and ~2.25 trips. we both made it ~85% of the way with our first (heaviest) load. We then returned for the rest (2nd load) which we managed to get all the way to the end. Bringing the first load the final bit was not bad at all. The bugs were out, but it was mostly hot and humid.
 
The put in/take out at Booth is quite the challenge, though. The sand/soil has been warm away quite badly so there is a substantial step between lake level and portage level, with only the tree roots keeping anything in place.
 
The portage was the busiest place of the weekend. Going our way we were passed by 2 gents apparently returning from a day trip from their site on Booth and met a couple arriving at the Kitty end of the portage. We also met a very nice solo woman going the other way. She was at the Booth end, starting a single carry (a green swift solo canoe).
 
Into Booth Lake for the final stretch! Since McCarthy creek and or the Godda loop was still in my plan, we headed west along the southern shore, next stop, home for the weekend.
 
We passed along the southern island, and passed the site of the men who passed on on the portage. Around the bend, and a large crowd was sweet miming at the site with the stairs. We continue on and round the point - I know there are at least 4 more sites, and all closer to where we want to be.
 
We rounded the point to check out the next two sites (#13 & 14 on the PCI). The first one had no apparent landing place, so we went on.  The next site had a good landing but felt odd. The site was clearly used, but it had no recent foot traffic (lots of tree litter). It had few tent pads, and not much for a view. On we go...
 
Around the next point an we find a nice spot to pull in. We find a nice site with lots of great views, nice layout, and a comfortable spot to stay. Here we are. The site has a great view of the lake, and on top of the hill, a great view up the creek. There are also some remarkable massive trees, I assume white pine. My arms would not go halfway around the trunks.
 
Dinner at ~18:00, (beef and rice wraps - success) and rest for a bit.
 
We were in bed before 21:00 with reading preparing to sleep. The boy fell asleep before the wolves started howling across the lake. What a chilling sound.
 
Day 2 (June 25)
 
We woke and were roused by splashing not far off. I suspected a moose, but the noise we generated trying to get up and out of the tent encouraged "whatever it was" to move along quickly.
 
We has a great breakfast of eggs (freeze-dried), bacon (ready-crisp), and hashbrowns (dehydrated) - success.
 
I had planned on spending Saturday looping through Ryegrass, Rumley, Godda, Mole and McCarthy creek.  Based on the feedback from the woman at the AP, and particularly the pace of travel of Friday, it looked like that would be a strenuous day. The risk of course is ruining the idea of a canoe trip for the 8yr old.
 
As a result, we spend the day close to "home". After breakfast, we headed out to paddle up McCarthy creek. The wind was blowing down the creek against us, and the current was against us too. After ~1.5hrs we parked ourselves in I sizeable bend in the creek. We pulled out the fishing gear and spent some time casting. We had one strong bite, but unfortunately the lure and the fish was lost.
 
Heading back downstream, it was mush easier.  Near the mouth of the creek, we met a family of otters - animals I have never seen!  They were not happy with our presence, so the huffed and puffed a lot as we approached and passed by.
 
Some afternoon fishing resulted in another "big one" and another lost lure. This one casting from the shore, the boy got the fish "this big"! right to shore and he got a look at it at least.
 
Day 3 (June 26)
 
The boy had expressed a desire to get home, and some frustration with the bugs. As a result, we packed up quickly and had a quick bite for breakfast. We were on the water at ~7:40.
 
The Booth-Kitty portage was very buggy. So much so, the boy was rendered useless. He was bitten so badly, he couldn't do anything. His poor ears were tripled in size from all the bites he experienced. We got through in 2 carries, but he was sent through in one, to rest in the breeze, and out of the bug zone. My own hands were numb from bites by the time the portage was done.
 
We paddled through the Kitty-Farm swift so we raised our paddles and cheered at the end.
 
Most of the paddle this day was with a light following wind along with the current. The wind picked up as time went on.  I knew where we were going, and I knew there was really only way out, but the south end of Farm is a bit tricky to find (get to the end, around the campsite on the right and another left).
 
We were back at the AP at 10:30 and ready to pack up.
 
What's interesting is that despite the occasional intensity of the bugs, the Boy only refers to the act of portaging, or at camp when asked about the trip.
 
Where next, is my question!