These pages document my first solo canoe trip. It was a well-travelled loop starting from Cedar Lake in Ontario's Algonquin Park.
They say you're not supposed to push your limits when soloing lest something go wrong, so I figured a place with markers, route maps and a detailed description was the way to go.
I've posted photos, a map, a gear list, and may get around to posting GPS waypoints. There's also the trip journal summarized below:
Day 1: Wherein Chris arrives on Cedar Lake and promptly gets lost.
Day 2: Wherein Chris scrapes and claws his way against nasty winds onto Burntroot Lake
Day 3: Wherein Chris paddles around interminable bends in the Nippissing River
Day 4: Wherein Chris recounts his tale of terror at the hands (paws) of Algonquin's wolves.
I loved it.
Irene Jansen, my sweetie. For lending me her car, her tent, and any other piece of gear that was lighter than what I had. I love you.
The Y Canoe Camping Club. For renting me their only solo flatwater canoe. Oh I whine about it a lot, but you know, it really is a good boat. If you're looking to get into paddling, I can think of no finer place to start than the YCCC.
Frank Boyaner. For so diligently describing this trip on Canadian Canoe Routes. It's nice to know what's around the corner, or the next 2,700 corners, in this case.
Jay Morrison. For suggesting I head in this direction and for pointing out the finer points of boat rental at the YCCC (albeit post facto).
Canoe tripping has serious risks involved. Doing it solo is riskier still. I'm hoping this is clear from my trip journal. But in case it's not, please heed these words:
Don't do this sort of stuff at all unless you already know what you're doing. If you go on a canoe trip and all you know is what you've read on this web site, you are in for a hell of a time.
Sunset on Burntroot Lake: What a fortunate person I am to be sitting on a lake shore witnessing this spectacle.
At least there were moose: This one was quite the ham. "Get my good side."
Morning, Nippissing River: I could forgive the wolf serenade just for the dew-drenched spiderweb.