TOURduPARK
Day 3: Tom Thomson Lake to Canoe Lake via Potter Lake & Potter Creek
I woke up at 6:45 a.m. after a terrible night sleep, which was probably my own fault. All that vodka and orange juice last night resulted in me getting up and out of the tent three cold times to go to the bathroom. I wasn’t impressed, it was really cold out (-7). I packed up my sleeping gear and tent before breakfast today because I wanted an early start. I planned to make my way across to Potter Lake to meet up with Jeffrey and a few others I’ve yet to meet who were camping there for the weekend. This was a last minute decision made immediately before my trip. After another delicious breakfast of a BLT, coffee and applesauce with blueberries, I took down the tarp and packed up the rest of camp. I launched onto the lake at 10 a.m. and I was disappointed to find it was still windy. I estimated the short trip to Potter Lake would take me about 2 hours. I accidentally added about 1km to today’s trip by travelling to the north-west bay on Tom Thomson by mistake. Before I entered the bay completely, I checked the GPS and realized my error. I had just paddled about half a kilometre into the wind for no reason. I let the wind take me back down the lake and I made my way into the small channel entering the Little Oxtongue River. This is a small creek as opposed to a river. I followed it until I couldn’t anymore and when I checked the GPS I realized I had already passed the landing to the portage, yet I didn’t see a portage sign or any signs of the landing. I went back about 30 to 40 m and found a little bit of yellow paper nailed to a tree – the sign was mostly missing. I hauled my boat up onto the flatter area of the portage and loaded up for the 1220 m carry. Single carrying this portage was my plan. I achieved this by taking three quick breaks along the way, which I estimate to be about every 300 to 400 m and about two or three minutes in length. The carryover was simple with only one obstruction that required me to put everything down and start breaking dead branches. The other blow downs could easily be stepped over. The portage took me about 35 minutes to complete, I was beginning to regret some of the luxury items I brought.
A stone chimney along Potter Creek (Click here to see more)
I launched onto Potter Lake and was happy to find this section was calm and protected from the winds. I was to meet up with Jeffrey, and meet new people on this lake but I didn’t know which site they made camp on. Potter Lake has five campsites scatted over the lake so I figured I’d go check out the north end first and make my way south from there if need be. I paddled past the first site on my right. It looked like a nice site and was protected very well from the wind. It was up on a ledge and though I didn’t get out to take a look, I knew it was unoccupied so I kept it in mind for later in case I did not find Jeffrey & Co. I made my way to the north end of the lake, fighting the wind the entire way yet again. I inspected north-facing campsite from my boat about 60 m off shore. It did not look occupied so I continued to the northern-most campsite, it was small and unoccupied too. I began my journey back down the lake and it was nice to have the wind at my back for a change. I managed to reach 11.3 km/h! I arrived at the second last site on the western shore of the lake and I could see from a distance it was occupied, “I found them!” I thought. But when I got there it looked like a family of campers with children, not the people I was looking for. I later found out that they were the people I was looking for! Jeffrey and a few others had gone to Brule Lake for a daytrip and a guy I hadn’t met yet (and thus didn’t recognize) stayed back to mind the camp with his kids. It was disappointing to find out I had missed out on the chance to meet a few people from the online forum. Little did I know in a few weeks I would end up a part of a new online community and meet these people on a trip about a month later anyway. As I continued down the lake I enjoyed the free ride provided by the strong winds and I landed at the southern-most site on Potter Lake. What an absolute mess it was. There was garbage, chairs and general litter everywhere. It was very hilly and rocky. Not only was it exposed to the southern wind, but it was situated on a strange slope and it was very difficult to find a place suitable for a tent. The only flat tenting spot I found was directly in the path of the wind rushing through the campsite. I genuinely couldn’t figure out somewhere else to pitch a tent on this site, it must be a spill over site for emergencies only. I managed set up my tarp to block the wind and made up the deli meat lunch I was supposed to eat yesterday. It was really, really windy. It was beginning to become more than my tarp rigging could handle, and it wasn’t long before I had to adjust every tie-off point.
I left some decent kindling for the next occupant of this site
Looking up a beautiful Canoe Lake
Loading up for P1220 to Long Pond
I launched and made the short paddle across the Long Pond to the 425 m portage leading to Pathfinder Lake. This was a simple single carry-over with no breaks. Generally if the portage is in the 500 m or less range, I’ll just push through it in a single carry and avoid taking a break until I reach the lake on the other side. Usually this takes about ten to twelve minutes when the trail is in the 500 m range. Pathfinder Lake is interesting and is surrounded by a lot of marsh lands. I thought for sure I would be able to find a moose or two in here, but this was not the case. It was a simple paddle across the lake and from a distance I spotted the portage sign leading north to Hanes Lake. I decided to stop for a short break from paddling and to drink some water. I rested near one of the marsh areas and all of a sudden I was swarmed by a ton of flies. They looked like black flies but none of them were biting me. It was crazy! They were absolutely everywhere! I immediately paddled back to open water and let the breeze take them away, though they still followed me for a while. I arrived at the landing for the last portage of the day to Potter Lake. I decided to do a double carry, since the whole process would only be ten minutes anyway. I made the quick crossing with my backpack and camp chair then returned for my boat.
I thought about packing up and heading back up to the campsite near the portage as it seemed to be protected from the wind – had I done that I probably would have seen the guys returning from Brule Lake. But I wasn’t sure I had it in me to battle the wind for 2 kms back up the lake. This is a decision I would come to regret. Instead, because there were no more sites between the one I was on, and the car at Canoe Lake (I didn’t know there was one on Potter creek where the old portage to Rainbow Lake was at the time) I made a terrible decision to make a break for it and leave The Park a night early. I don’t know why – I should have just toughed it out at the crappy campsite but I had the urge to leave. I made the final decision after checking the weather and the forecast predicted rain for the next couple days – so I thought to myself, “I might as well get out while I’m still dry.” I packed up and launched onto the lake. I made the short crossing to the 665 m portage leading to Potter Creek. This was an easy portage along a logging road. When I arrived at Potter Creek I noticed it had a good amount of flow to it with only the odd rock here and there to watch out for. This enabled me to skip the two small portages further along the creek (95 m & 105 m) I had a little difficulty at the end of the 105 m, but nothing too crazy. I continued south with the current enjoying a nice sun-setting paddle and it was now about 6 p.m. I arrived at the 390 m portage and completed it in about ten minutes by means of a single carry with no breaks – it was pretty easy going. I launched back onto Potter Creek and continued for about ten minutes more as the creek began to widen. I spotted a campsite high up on the bank and I was surprised to see it because it was not on my map. The first thing that came to my mind was camping here and reviving my last night in The Park. I landed at the steep bank and clambered up to inspect it. The site was very basic and was nothing more than a tiny fire ring with no benches, and any flat tenting areas were still covered in snow. I decided to move on and while continuing through the narrows I came to a clearing and was struck by an unusual sight – a chimney but no house! I have seen photos of this elsewhere in the park, but it looked even more odd in person. I explored the area a bit and noticed a small headstone with someone’s name and years. Rest peacefully in Algonquin was the idea I suppose – and not a bad one at all. I eventually got back in the canoe and emerged onto Canoe Lake at 6:30 p.m. With the wind at my back I managed to cross it in 30 minutes, arriving at the beach in front of the permit office at 7 p.m.
When I look back I truly regret not making the windy trek 2 km north to the better site on Potter Lake. Leaving The Park early is something I’ve never done and will never do again unless necessary. The logic behind making the 13 km trek to the car vs. the windy 2 km trek to the other campsite just wasn’t there. Oh well, live and learn I suppose. Overall this was a great season opening trip and a successful maiden voyage for my new canoe.
Tom Thomson Lake to Canoe Lake
Mini lighthouse in the north end of Canoe Lake