PARTICIPANTS -EQUIPMENT
Eugene will be canoeing solo
James wants to be in the bow/stern in someone else canoe - won't bring a canoe
Fiona doesn't have a canoe and car and needs to be picked up in downtown Toronto /cabbage town and needs a partner to go canoeing with
Fred has a canoe but needs a partner
Mary has a canoe but needs a partner
Emmy has a canoe but needs a partner - small 14 ft canoe - as someone else is using my longer tripping canoe - could use space in case not everything fits
DIRECTIONS
So the goal is we meet in Walkerton in Lobies Park on Saturday May 17 between 8.30 and 9.00 am
you can join later - around 11-00-12.00 but we'll leave your car then at the starting point. and shuttle at the end
There is an option of camping at lobbies park on Friday night.
once we unload our canoes and gear - we will drive to Southhampton - Dennies Dam - to park our cars
As we have enough people, we probably can do our own shuttle - preferably a driver that doesn't have a canoe.
It will take about 2 hours to do the shuttle - so the people that stay behind in Walkerton bring a good book to read - as there will be a lot of people loading and unloading canoes and we don't want our equipment to be lost.
MENU
So far I only know that we have one person who is vegetarian - Are there any other diet or food restrictions?
in the past year to save space, food and have more fun together we set up a menu plan and share the meals
Saturday LUNCH - we bring our own sandwiches as we will be back in Walkerton just before lunch - we eat either before we launch or we paddle a bit and then paddle
Saturday DINNER - Emmy will make Chili - a portion without meat and a portion with hamburger meat
Sunday Breakfast -
Sunday Lunch - surprise a la Jim
Sunday Dinner - Garden pie and desert a la Fred
Monday Breakfast - pancakes a la Eugene
Monday Lunch
Monday Dinner - on our way home
Also remember to bring lots of water with you, enough for 2 days and any cooking we need.
What I do is I freeze my water bottles and use them for cooling of food. Which I then can use as drinking water during the first 2 days. We can refill water in Paisley on Sunday Lunch
Water filtering in the Saugeen is not advisable - so we have to carry it.
Don't forget toilet paper and sanitizer as there will be no toilets /outhouses until Sunday afternoon
Coffee /Tea - Stoves can we share - ? please send me feedback regarding this
I'm a tea drinker myself - I do have a camp - coffee percolator but no guarantee it will be good? - I mean the coffee
Also note that around Sunday Lunch we will go to Paisley to eat ice cream - Jim and Eugene can verify how good and delicious those were.
CAMPING
as all of us are individuals - please consider to share tents as a possibility to save space
TRIP
DAY 1
Leave Walkerton around 12.00
There is a level 1 rapid within the first hour after leaving near the bluffs - depending on water level pretty easy - but we will scout it for novice
Camp between 3rd and 4th bridge - There is McBeath Conservation area - but because it is long weekend - it is very noisy - loud - and messy and a lot of raccoons - so I prefer to go to crown land just before mcbeath either on right or left side.
It will be a short day paddling - but a lot of us maybe had a long day due to packing /loading and driving
DAY 2
This will be a boring day as there are less water ripples as some people say
But I find it nice and relaxing - time to catch up with fellow paddlers and enjoy nature and the outdoors
Lunch and Icecream will be in Paisley
Camp at Saugeen Bluffs Conservation Area - there is a nice hike to the look out point
For the 'not so wilderness' people there are flushies and showers here
DAY 3
Can be fun as on Sunday there is an event where people build floats and float down the river just past Saugeen to Port Elgin
We will probably still see some on Monday
Lunch under Port Elgin bridge
and then the big event of the weekend - find the Bald Eagle nest
enjoy the currents and the exploring the small creeks of the Delta of the river
NOTE: this can be a long day
We probably will be finished around 5.00 pm depending on how things are going, current/speed on the river, wind.
The bugs are bad, so don't forget bug spray, please remember that any product with deet in it is not good for your clothing or camping gear,
as the weather is getting warmer for the weekend around the 16-20C, please bring sun tan lotion.
Bring a smile and lots of fun.
Im looking forward in sharing this adventure for you all
I hope I didn't forget any thing
otherwise please email me back
