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9/22/2016 3:55 pm  #1


Crotch Lake and the solo frustrations

So, my trip was to be with my paddling partner, who at the last minute had to cancel due to serious health problems. Nothing for it, either cancel myself or go solo.
Coming off a trip with my daughter J (trip report later) the same day, it was all tightly planned. I normally rent a keewaydin pakboat when i solo, but none were available on the east side of the Park, so, i settled for a solo boat from Algonquin Bound, who delivered it to the access point. This part of the park is all new to me, so i was eager to get going. Its not that far of a drive from opeongo, but after a 8 day trip with J i needed to get some fresh veggies etc so i stopped in whitney for a great tasting burger at the Musher and then some shopping. I loved the drive down from AB ( is in madawaska, about 20 minutes from whitney, access point 17) to access point, it was still afternoon and very warm. My canoe was laying close to the permit office, beside a short trail to a lake. However, the lady explicitly told me to go across the road,cross the parking lot, load up, canoe under bridge etc.  Went to the canoe and to my surprise the thing was patched an awful lot, and was very very wide and none to light. I struggled to get it up and over, and ended up leaning it up against the porch railing and then  I backed up under it. Got everything done as instructed, and ofcourse, after paddling  under bridge and through short piece of the river, i looked back to see the shortcut.  GRRRR. Crotch was much smaller then i anticipated, and paddling up it i soon came to a site on a point, just before 2 islands. (PCI map site #3.). I noticed that crotch is surrounded by rounded hills, many which are covered with tall red pines, and rather low under growth. I found it very scenic. My campsite was in 3 parts; a small gravel beach, up a few feet to a level tent pad, up another 15 feet, another level tent pad, up another 10 feet or so and there was the fire pit with a very old unusable picnic table (and a small tent could be pitched too, although a bit rooty up there, and yes, another 15 feet up(yeah were on top of the hill now) the thunderboxThis site was to be a great choice, as on saturday sept 10, the horrible windstorm blew in. Sleeping turned out to be not possible, although the tent was not being battered, but the trees around me sure were. I had checked for widow makers when i set up, didn't see any, but that doesn't mean a tree isn't coming down. It howled, pounded rain, and lightning galore, and then in the pitch dark the creaking starts....... Eyelids hanging on my knees by morning, but nothing untoward happened. So, out i go to see some of the surrounding lakes, the portage to shirley ( was contemplating going there) and seeing some of the other campsites. There was only one other campsite taken, so lots to check, but many were very worn out, and none had a stitch of firewood, branches etc. I was expecting that and had brought a bag of campfire wood from whitney, (im on a paddle-in site) In the afternoon a slight breeze picked up, and while taking pictures i realized this canoe and i are not going to get along. It would not steer at all, was very hard to move forward, (l like using a kayak paddle) and constantly blew me off course. There wasnt even wind to speak of! I put water in one of my SEAL bags for weight up front, which helped, but this thing is not for me.
Around one of the first sites towards farm lake i found to my delight a wetland which had  all kinds of sundews, cranberries and lots of other swamp plants. I never did make it to shirley lake, i could not see myself get that beast of a canoe across the 1km portage and all my gear too, only to get stymied in the least bit of wind. The portage made for a nice walk in the forest.
Farm lake was nice, i paddled some of it, would like to go to Booth next time but will have to plan for bringing a keewaydin from oxtongue river outfitters.
 The weather stayed warm for all 4 days then i headed out. There was however logging very close by. Although i did not hear the trucks, others said that they were very loud on the lower part of Crotch. There were several days in which 2 helicopters flew over very low and were going in and out about every half hour till 5 pm. After that (frid-sun) the logging road was gated closed and no more logging noises were heard.
A great relaxing end to 14 days in Algonquin!  (The first ten were much more intense, trip report later)
 

 

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