Magnetawan River loop (2011)

  Having done a portion of this loop 2 years ago I was ready to go for the full loop. Once again I had to go alone but I wasn't too concerned about that. Three years ago this seemed way too risky for me. I started at Wahwashkesh Lake dock. The wind was pretty much in my face till I reached Trout Lake. I found a nice site and I called it a day.

  Second day I was on the water by 7:30 am and it started to rain, not too hard. There was no wind and paddling conditions were perfect. So I kept going till 6:30pm when I reached the unnamed lake between Wilson Lake and Miskokway Lake. I couldn't have predicted that I can get this far and this is the advantage of camping without reservations. I knew the lake is a bit different than the rest of the Magnetawan system( the water is blue but not very clear). Nice lake but the campsite not special.

  On the third day I was planning to go all the way up to Maple Lake. Instead I had to stop at the first site on Bolger Lake, the wind making travel very difficult for me on Miskokway Lake. The wind was coming from North-East when usually blows from West. Good challenge though.

  Last day I was up at 5:00 am and on the water by 6:10am. I was trying to avoid the wind and it worked fine for a while. On Maple Lake I stopped at a camping site to take a break. A nice butterfly came and was sunning himself on the canoe. After a while I was getting ready to leave when I saw a frog stalking the same butterfly. He was sunning this time at the water edge and the frog was inching his way up to the prey. I stood still waiting. But the butterflies have almost 360 degree vision and he got away before the frog got too close. On Wahwashkesh Lake I had to battle the winds once again, ending the trip tired but happy.