Yolk = the yellow part of an egg
Yoke = the painful part of a canoe

That rope you speak of is referred to as a painter line, I believe, although painters are normally tied to only the bow or the stern as a means of securing the canoe to shore or lining it down rapids, etc.  What I do with the painter is use a bowline knot at both ends - if I need to untie it, it is a simple procedure.  Normally I do not untie the rope and a lay it along one of the gunwales prior to loading the canoe so it's out of the way.  When I hoist the canoe overhead for a carry, I trap the painter line on the "lower" gunwale of the canoe (instead of trying to lift it over my head) since it can dangle and get hung up on a pack, your hat, etc. as you are lifting the boat overhead if it were on the "upper" gunwale.  Does that make sense?

The only accessorizing I would consider is an improved yoke, depending upon the quality of the one that came installed on the canoe.  The contoured yokes are more comfortable compared to a straight bar or a bar with just a slight contour.

Enjoy the new craft...you've got to be very excited to get it on the water and get the first scratches on her!

Love it, Bo!

Booth might be a good option - maybe not officially "corridor" but plenty of exploring to do and a day loop option through Godda.  Also good fishing if that might occupy his interest.

A little more strenuous but cool would be a loop from Rock through Welcome, Harry and Louisa...that would get the "explorers" blood flowing in him!

Don't sell a 10 year-old's creativity short - chances are that he'll be exploring around the site, the shallows and inventing games and such on his own - you don't have to keep him entertained around the clock since their own creativity will fill in the gaps.  

Do prepare for rain - bring a tarp and a deck of cards and a travel game of checkers (or better yet, create your own checker board on the site with sticks and rocks...that could be an hour of activity just making the board!)

In the end, you cannot go wrong.  As long as you get him out away from the TV and the digital assault of life nowadays I think the two of you will have a grand old time.  Swim, jump and act like a couple of boys.

Lake la Muir?

Old topic, old video, but one of the more deliberate and comprehensive descriptions...good for novice and advanced paddlers to see:

https://www.nfb.ca/film/path_of_the_paddle_solo_basic/
 

The portage has a fairly substantial climb to it of approximately 70 meters of vertical elevation gain in a little over a kilometer of trail length when traveling upstream; I would estimate that the majority of that climb occurs in about one-half of a kilometer.  Fully loaded, it poses a good reminder of your age or youth. I would estimate that it is harder than about 90% of the portages in Algonquin when you consider the length and elevation gain.
 
As a weak reward, there is a bit of a clearing with a log bench or two at the very top to take a rest.  I normally single carry but on that one I left the canoe after the steepest section began, then dropped the pack at the peak while I retrieved the canoe; I carried canoe & pack for the remainder.

Traveling downstream it is a much more pleasant experience.

I would recommend double-carrying at least the first half to the highest elevation if you don't want to kill yourself.  To finish the trip, I would recommend taking the Luckless/Nipissing River route back out - you'll get a very different feel on the way out and that Luckless portage, while long, is generally downhill to the Nip.  

Lots of nooks and crannies to explore around Catfish Lake and good variation of topography/environments when coupled with a Nipissing egress.  No harm in re-tracing your steps to come out the same way, but loops offer a broader experience than the classic in-out trip.

Neither Pardee nor Hidden Lakes.  

Hidden and Ryan Lakes are the closest, as the crow flies, of all guesses so far.  Sens fans probably are more familiar with this lake/area than Leafs fans.

Not Big Thunder and not West Otterpaw.  

Mine are usually guessed pretty quickly.