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Published: August 24th 2009
This past weekend, Nigel, Mel and their friends (who are now my friends) Eric, Annie-Claude and Otis and myself went on a canoe and camping trip to Hidden Lake on the Ingram Trail. (45 minutes from Yellowknife). And it was a trip never to forget!!!! WOW!!!
Friday, Mel and I spent most of the day getting ready, getting supplies packing, shopping and getting excited. Nigel did some shopping and arranged for a canoe for us.
All packed, supper made for the trip and the canoe on top of the car, we are all off! We got to Powder Point (the start of the trip). Cars unloaded, canoes packed. We had 2 canoes....Eric, Annie Claude and Mel and the 2nd canoe had Nigel, Otis and myself. I was a little worried about bringing Otis, thinking he might not like the canoe, wanting to jump out or not want to get in...but he changed my mind really quickly! Otis is a canoe dog! Otis also, barked every time I tied him up to get the 2nd load, and we figured it was his way of scaring the bears! He needed some assistance at first to get into the front, but after
a while he would jump in. At first he tried to drink the water! First portage...success....second portage, a little longer, made it! (each time we needed to make a couple of trips to get our stuff, because we had a lot of stuff and the guys carried both canoes, and eventually they carried them over their heads, much easier)...third portage...people we met along the way (Katie and Daniel) helped us on the 3rd portage through the creek and lead us to the island we stayed on. If it wasn't for Katie and Daniel, we would have set up our tents near the 3rd portage...but we made it to the island just as the sun was setting and the northern lights came out! It was such a site!
We put up our tents in the wind (and it was extremely windy)....made a campfire and just enjoyed the rest of the evening...celebrating we made it!!!!!
The wind was something else! At one point, the wind blew over the tent Otis and I were sleeping in (the look on Otis's face)...time to move. Eric, Annie-Claude and myself found a new spot to camp the next morning! Nigel and Mel woke up
The canoe/camping trip
Julie and Otis in the back seat of the car!and thought we had abandoned them! It was perfect. A bit more sleep...then start the next day! Hikes, cooking, fires, more hikes (Otis is really a rock climbing dog), swimming, fishing...cooking! Yes, we all went in the water! Quick, and refreshing! I can now say, I went in the water in the Northwest Territories! Fishing was a lot of fun! At first, I was the person, who just couldn't get the gest of fishing...tangled the lines a couple of times...then in the evening, I tried again and thanks to Eric and Nigel...I got it! I love to fish! I even got one, but it got away!
We were sitting around the fire after supper, and we heard a couple of loons making noise, looked over and 2 more loons joined them...eventually there were 11!!!!! It was a real party going on! At the same time, we decided to start fishing! and that's when 3 were caught, except they all got away!
The rain came and so off we went to bed. A much better sleep! Woke up the next morning, to Nigel catching a fish!!! After a group effort to start a fire, we succeeded and had a
The canoe/camping trip
yup, all this stuff will fit in the canoe! wonderful breakfast! Started to pack up and load up the canoes and we were off! This time we had the portages down to a science, only have to make 2 trips each!
When we got home, we all took showers, Nigel and Mel made supper, while I unpacked the car. Otis, he slept!!! Annie-Claude and Eric came for supper! We all thought it was a very successful first time for all of us, canoeing and camping! We can't wait to do it again.
As I said to everyone...you are so lucky to have this in your own backyard...me, it took 2 weeks to get here for the trip!
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Momma
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Wow!
Hi you campers you! It sounds like you had an amazing time. I can't wait to hear more about it. Otis is such a trooper! I love you all.