Day 69

This morning everyone slept in, except me, who was awake at 6:30 (I have a hard time sleeping in!). I went to find out some canoe info, but they were closed, and I was really bored because everyone was asleep (and I'd feel too guilty waking them up!). So I went back to bed until 8:30-9. Everyone started trickling awake after that and we sorted out the canoe info. I called the place and they asked if I was just going to stay on the lake, or if I planned on doing a portage. Since we were only going to have the canoes for one day, I figured we would only be on the lake, which was wicked because then he offered me the cheaper canoes ($25/day). He said he had two down there already (as the shop was 40km from the campground). When I gave him my site info, he realized I was in Algonquin (and not Samuel de Champlain park), and so said he didn't actually have cheaper ones there, but said he'd give me the better canoes for the cheaper rate (how wicked is that?! I didn't even ask for anything, and was fully planning on, and assumed I would have to pay the higher rate!). So, we got two canoes which were suitable for a portage! Michael talked to the park ranger and we had a route! Michael, Katie, and Stephanie were in one boat, and Philippe, Jimi and I were in the other!
We paddled out on the lake right in front of our site. Our route took us through to Little Mink Lake, then to Mink Lake, and then back via Waterclear Lake and then Whitebirch Lake. The portage sections varied in length from about 340m up to just over 1,300m. I took two of the shorter portages, Jimi took some of the medium lengthed ones, and Philippe took the two longest stretches (the 900m and the 1300). I was struggling to do what I did, I don't know how Jimi did it, and I especially don't know how Philipped did it! And he didn't even take a break! I was so impressed! I was also super impressed with Katie (and in some ways more so because lifting is harder for girls than boys) who did the 900m stretch without a break! Stephanie and I had our limits with the shorter lengths! And those were a struggle! But each boat had their own rotating system, which worked. It was a really nice day, and we were glad we were able to do a portage! It was a beautiful day for it, and there weren't too many bugs! It was perfect!
When we were paddling back in (and super eager for a swim and some food!), we saw someone's camper van fairly deeply submerged in the water. We were too curious not to get a closer look! Turns out, when they were unloading their boat, the brakes failed and it just kept rolling back. When the tow truck arrived and pulled it out of the water, tons of water was pouring out of the back. It was too bad. There was definitely going to be some damage. It was good they had a sense of humour about it though!
We returned the boats and paddles, then went to make some dinner and go for a dip (which was lovely!). We had more leftover chili (which Katie made from scratch for us when Stephanie told her no hamburgers, which was lovely of her! We devoured a good chunk of it yesterday and finished it off today), and had hamburgers! (there was some technical difficulties with getting burgers. On the phone to Stephanie, while planning this trip, I told her to bring burgers, but to buy A LOT. None of this one burger each bullshit, but TONS of them! We are hungry and don't often get to eat meat or fruit and vegetables (depending on where we are). She misinterpreted that to mean we didn't want burgers. So, that was our main objective in the grocery stop over in North Bay). To test our four food group theory, we put peanut butter and cheese (along with all the other typical and essential condiments) on our burgers. Delicious! We also had some smores again for desert, and then went for a night swim! (ps. I didn't mention that both nights we had a bonfire because I felt it went without saying. But to clarify, we had two wicked bonfires!). Then we called it a night, ready for an early morning tomorrow!