Algonquin Adventures / Campsite Pirates!

**Posted by Methye** 8/30/2017 8:34 pm

Yeah, i guess they were maintenance crew only.

the thought crossed my mind that signing the note could be asking for trouble, but on the other hand I thought maybe a ranger might have a list of people booked on the lake that night, and would see that I was entitled to be on that lake.but i don't know how they operate.

at any rate, I felt it was okay because I was never out of sight of the campsite. I was literally 150 metres away, looking at the site, packing my gear to jet back across the bay.

If occupying a site requires occupying it, permit in hand, at all times, then what happens to a soloist when you take an evening paddle or go fishing for an hour or two away from your base camp? By that reasoning, your site is up for grabs.

**Posted by trippythings** 8/30/2017 9:09 pm

Methye wrote:
...
If occupying a site requires occupying it, permit in hand, at all times, then what happens to a soloist when you take an evening paddle or go fishing for an hour or two away from your base camp? By that reasoning, your site is up for grabs.

Good question. A few weeks ago I was camped on the north site on Clydegale, and I took a day trip for 4-5hrs. I left a note stuck to my tent saying that I was just out for a paddle and I am coming back. Knowing that it's a nice site, and the first one seen when people come to the lake, I didn't want anyone to think I had left or was planning on leaving that day.

My next trip I was on Pardee and did a day trip, but since there is only 1 reservation for the lake, I didn't feel the need to leave the note.

I think it would depend on the specific lake whether I feel like I should leave a note. But I'd be surprised if the site isn't 'yours' when you have your tent pitched and all your gear at the site, with a permit for the lake, even if you're not present at that specific moment.

**Posted by BarryB** 8/31/2017 2:29 am

Yes .. I believe that you've accomplished "occupancy" once "you have your tent pitched and all your gear at the site, with a permit for the lake, even if you're not present at that specific moment."

The key issue here is that your occupancy is at the campsite you have established occupancy at by "so doing" .. not extended to a second campsite for the following day by virtue of a "note" to that effect.

No note at your "occupied campsite" should be necessary. Your campsite permit remains on your person as you "day-trip" about. If it was intended that "paper-work" be present on your campsite in your absence, the "system" would have included a metal clip on a post like in the drive-in campgrounds, where one posts a "campsite copy" of one's permit.

**Posted by trippythings** 8/31/2017 10:57 am

I know the note in my example wasn't necessary, it was just to be corteous. Someone arriving early might not know if I was staying or leaving that day, if I'm not there to ask. The note was just to let them know that they should keep moving and not make any assumptions.

**Posted by Foxriderz** 9/03/2017 12:54 pm

I've been following this thread all the way through and just got back from a trip out of access point 4 and came up with a weird scenario. I was camped on Casey lake, it's has 3 sites, 2 of which are reservable. I had a site reserved for Friday and Saturday night. On Friday evening the other two sites were also occupied. Here is my question, hypotheticaly speaking of course. So you have a site reserved for Friday night, I also have a site reserved for Friday night, you get there and all three sites on the lake are occupied, why do you do? And what should the two "squatting" parties do? Should the squatters be the ones who have to double up and share a site?

**Posted by Swift Fifteen** 12/26/2017 9:46 pm

I cant even imagine this happening to me..lol. Some of you are way too nice. After reading the OP i immediately had visions of gripping the fool, who stole your site, by the neck and running him into the lake. Then grabbing the rest of his crap and throwing into the lake behind him. It's certainly not the best course of action, but it'll be a cold day in hell when i allow anyone to disrespect me like that.

For the record, i certainly wouldn't get into an altercation without cause. But i assure you, i wouldn't give up my occupied and paid/booked site for an arrogant bully...not in a lifetime.

**Posted by Kurt** 2/08/2018 4:13 pm

I touched a nerve on this one, it's been fun reading the responses....

Once I planned a long-weekend "easy" trip into Sec and foolishly didn't bother to reserve a site. Showed up with the whole gang and found out the lake was booked solid. Grudgingly took what was essentially a road access camping site on Mallard instead but then found a couple already parked at the campsite.... Quickly realized they had mistakenly set up on Mallard, kept driving to Sec, ran into a Ranger, told him what was going on and if it was OK with him, we could just go out and find that empty site on Sec. The guy smirked, took my pass, scribbled out Mallard, replaced it with Sec and initialed.... The rest of my crew had no idea, just hilarious....

**Posted by Shark** 5/02/2018 11:07 pm

I wasn’t going to post on this, but. the funny thing is mythye. I was staying on the south site on the point peninsula that morning, just heading across the bay. Met you paddling across the bay making good time. I was north bound with two boys in a three man canoe. I heard the rangers go by with the motor boat and questioned it my self. That was second time they went buy in a short period of time. They seemed to be putting around looking for something. I did not see them, but could hear the motor running for a long time. Longer than usual on pen.

You were paddling like a man possessed. I figured you were gunning for the site I had just left, but some one was already movin into it while I was packing ( I told them I was leaving and It was ok to move in.) it’s a small world out there.

**Posted by ChristineCanoes** 11/13/2021 11:54 am

I question the idea that occupied requires a tent set up. Not all of us even use tents.

I do think sometimes people drop stuff and keep looking which isn’t cool but I would just move on. Not getting into an argument because they haven’t pitched a tent yet.

That stuff is for park staff to figure out.