Canoe Tripping with the Red Helmet: Restoule-Upper French River Loop May 3-8 07

- Dramatic sunrise on Satchels Bay

We're back! We recently came back from 6 days on the Restoule/Upper French river with a side trip around Okikendawt Island. We basically did a figure 8 loop starting from Restoule Provincial Park.

- Sailing down the French - we covered approx. 20kms with wind power on our 3rd day

At times you think you're lucky, but sometimes you're real lucky! We were REALLY lucky! From May 3 to 8 all we had was sun, +20 degree temperatures, and not a drop of rain! This early in the season anything can happen to the weather, and trust me, we went prepared, but totally lucked out. We only saw one other canoe. I couldn't believe no one else was taking advantage of the beautiful weather!

- Jawbone was about 4cm long. Not sure what animal it was - weasel, mink??

Although I wear a hat, I'm not keen on sunscreen on my face. That all changed pretty quick on this trip. I have to say as much as the sun was nice, the reflection off the water roasted my face! Marylou is a fanatic when it comes to sunscreen as she applies, reapplies, and then reapplies again! (with all the thick applications, I secretly think she is trying to look like a Geisha!) Let me say, I was almost keeping up with her multiple applications and still my face felt it!

- Paddling down the Little French river was one of my favourite. We took the opportunity to climb ontop of a cliff to view the scenery. (our little canoe is to the left of the pic)

One memorable day (the 2nd), as we travelled up to Lake Nipissing, we saw a multitude of animals paddling down two different creeks. We saw 5 deer, 8 muskrats, 2 huge turtles, mother bear and cub, eagle, herons, possibly a sand hill crane, and tons of other birds. Of course, we also saw beavers, otter, ospreys (nesting + catching a fish), groudhog, water snakes, etc throughout the rest of the trip. I don't know if I can remember them all! It was so heartening to see life all around. As to bugs, we got out just in time. The black flies were just starting to bite in the late afternoon of the second last day so we were pretty itch free!

- Yes its just a tree, but look at the base. The beaver has a long way to go as the girth of the tree is very thick. I would barely be able to wrap my arms around it!

Nothing "unusual" happened on this trip (phew!)....well, except the ticket we got on the vehicle for failing to have a permit. We would have purchased permits for the trip but the park was still closed and the self-serve stations were boarded up, therefore there was no way to purchase permits. Long story short, the park superintendent took the ticket back and agreed that we shouldn't have been ticketed! Now how's that for a lucky trip! See, I told you, "a real lucky trip!"