I'm impressed with the duration of you camping trip, but even more so with your volunteer work in retirement!  I for one will watch your youtube videos!  Looking forward to hearing some solo trip conversation & some wisdom you have gained in your life experiences!!

boknows wrote:

I have been outside Canada the past ,6 months in Ghana, Africa and Brazil, South America volunteering with Iko Poran teaching children English and football when this trip was planned.

I have added a few comforts to this trip like a cot bed with mattress for sleeping and a brand new guitar to keep me company during rainy days.

Lakes to be camped on will start with Opeongo, Canisbay, and then clockwise to include Rain, Tim, North Tea, Kioshkokwi, Cedar, Lake Traverse, Sec, Billy, and back to Opeongo for last few days.

All around THE GREATEST PARK IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD in 4 months.

I should add also that once this trip ends, I will begin finding a new place to live as I plan on cancelling my current living arrangements before this trip begins No sense paying rent twice over 4 months eh!

Counting the days now to start this epic journey of mine.

I'm suffering from cabin fever, had the day off, decided to get up early, take a chance & drive up to QEII Wildlands for a day trip/paddle. Unfortunately not yet ice free, though getting close.  Lakes just south of QEII were ice free from what I could tell from the road.  Given ice out ruling is for Opeongo, approx 100km north of QEII, higher elevation & 2wk forecast not that warm, my guess is ice-out is probably at least 2 weeks out, unless weather forecast changes.

Unfortunately 

MCX30 wrote:

Anyone know how to reserve Pretty Lake when calling a reservation - which access point does one need to enter from to get to Pretty. Thanks!

I just tried to do a test, reserving with access point from #23 Lake Travers online seems to work.  I didn't actually go through with the booking, but if I picked a further away access site it gives an error message, so seems like booking with Travers will should work. Give it a try.

If you google "how to carry two kayaks on a car without a roof rack", there are several articles on how to do this, generally with pool noodles or foam blocks. Sorry, can't endorse any one method over the other.

I am also a kayak camper, but at least for my kayaks, due to width, both wont fit flat on the roof/crossbars.  Plus if I have a kayak flat on the crossbars I can't open the rear hatch.  I have to use the J racks, but I don't have folding ones, so kinda a hassle to constantly take them on/off due to underground parking (work, visiting my parents condo...). I'll probably have to buy some folding J racks at some point...

At some point, I'll probably have to buy some folding J racks.

Yeah, I'm with Martin on this one... I also think Opeongo's notoriety is misplaced. I just came back from 4 days on Opeongo (Mon - Thurs), weather was great during the day (only heavy rain Wed night).  Mon evening there was a thunderstorm with lighting that delayed getting on the water, but I knew about that from the weather forecast so I was in no hurry leaving Toronto & heading up.  There was only a couple hours Wed afternoon as a new weather system moved in where it was windy.  But again, I think both of those situations (lighting & wind) would have affected you whichever lake you would have been on.

My orthopaedic surgeon said don't run anymore, but still be active. So following Drs orders I spent a lot of time out paddling & fishing.  Wind was not an issue except for the couple hours Wed afternoon.  I also went with a couple of family members that have mobility issues, so as Martin said there are lots of great sites.  It is not just that there is no portage to deal with, but there are also several good sites to choose from that are quite flat, if that is important.

I'm sure Opeongo gets busy on summer weekends, but I work pretty well every weekend, it's great on weekdays. Using the SiteScout extension I saw that Monday night there were only 17 sites booked out of the 60 available for booking on the South Arm.  I booked the 18th site, so not busy considering size of South Arm.

To be clear, sure some campers have died on Opeongo by bear attack & also died paddling lake Opeongo (novice, late season hypothermia), but those are quite isolated events, be smart about bear safety, paddling safety & weather conditions... you are probably at greater risk driving up to Algonquin & hitting a moose or getting into car accident, but those don't make headlines...  

The only downside of the trip was some jerks camping somewhere across the lake from where we were, blasting music until 2am two nights, really annoying that people don't realize that sounds travel far a

I think in terms of floor waterproofing I think the best/cheapest option is cheap plastic liner (eg Dollarama paint drop sheet plastic) used on the inside of your tent.

Not sure of the waterproof ratings, but a few years ago I bought a nature hike 2p tent, my daughter gave me heck as to why I would trust a no name Chinese tent in the middle of the backcountry, she said don't skimp, buy a brand name, so I bought the Nemo Hornet 2p. Well in my experience the Nemo leaks worse (I presume its through the floor...) than the Nature Hike.  Nature hike tent is also nicely seam sealed for a budget tent.

Yes the Nemo is lighter, but if the weather is going to be rainy, I would rather be in the Nature Hike tent.

I just came back from a trip Mon-Thurs, 15-18. First time in 30 years of Algonquin camping that I actually stayed in a campground. My creaky knees were kinda glad given the chilly weather, Tue night went down to -2C with a light dusting of snow. Wed night - 1C. I did day trip fishing trips, portaged into different lakes each day.

Cold must have put the biting insects into a deep freeze. I would rate them as basically insignificant, your mileage may vary...

I brought bug hat, bug jacket, bug spray, bug zapper rackets, didn't need any of them.