“On the Road Again”

Posted on September 4, 2020 by murray

I believe the quote is “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore”. Totally forget which movie the quote is from but it is somewhat appropriate. Maybe not seething mad, maybe more like crazy mad. The difference doesn’t really matter, we need to get away so Debbie and I are off traveling. Not that far, to the British Columbia coast. Desolation Sound to be exact.

We have been camping a few times this summer and didn’t realize it but the three or four trips we took were actually practice for the bigger trip on which we are about to embark. We were able to do our part with the social distancing thing and only interacted with folks from a distance. Honestly it is a pretty sad state of affairs but it is what it is and we are going along with it.

We have booked a trip with a guide to kayak for 6 days in the ‘wilderness’ of the BC coast. Things as they are, Debbie and I are the only ones booked to go, so as long as the guide is not Covid positive we should be just fine. Our plan is to camp all the way to the Sunshine Coast. Only contacting the outside world for groceries and gas. We do that at home anyway so we will not be putting ourselves at any greater risk than we do in Edmonton. Stopping for only a short time to visit Debbie’s sister it should only be about 4 days before we arrive in Lund. Without delay we will get in our kayaks and paddle away from civilization. After 6 days in the backcountry of Desolation Sound we will get out of the kayaks and follow a similar but shorter route home.

It is amazing how scary this actually is. Scary and exciting. Both emotions arise because we are heading into the unknown. We are pretty seasoned travelers but the situation is such that very few alive have even experienced anything like it. We’re all on unfamiliar ground. It took us a long time to jump in and make a commitment to go on this trip. We wanted to wait as long as we could and see what was transpiring on the virus front before we could say yes for sure. The spread of the virus has been pretty stable in Canada for quite a while. After analyzing our plan and figuring we were no more at risk than doing what we are doing at home the YES button was pushed. Still there are butterflies in our stomachs. I think that is good because those butterflies should be a reminder to remain diligent and cautious. The excitement arises from the imminent adventure after sitting at home for the better part of 6 months. Not quite like paddling into the ‘Heart of Darkness” but it is exploration for us.

Started packing today. Leave Monday.

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Lower Kananaskis Lake

Posted on August 23, 2020 by murray

It is said that at noon the wind picks up. Yesterday we found out the warnings we had received were indeed accurate. Our approach is to leave earlier and even though the trip will be shorter, today we want to be back at our put in spot before noon.

At 8.30am G drives by our camp site and we follow in behind. As we leave our ‘loop’ and join the collector road that leads to the highway, we turn the corner and the camp attendant’s truck is stopped and blocking our path. I joked to Debbie, ” What the hell is he stopped for….. a bear?”. Sure enough as we creep by the stopped truck there is a grizzly bear chopping on a small bush covered in berries. It is totally engrossed in its exploits and our vehicle passing does not even cause a flinch. Very cool, I can’t say I have ever seen a grizzly before and for sure not that close. Later talking to the park attendant I found out the bear is the cub of Number 139 and her other cub was in the bush near by. We totally missed the second bear. The one we saw is stunning, quite big even though it is only a cub, and the coat was lustrous, dark brown in colour with golden brown shoulders and hump.

Lower Kananaskis Lake, Alberta
Lower Kananaskis Lake

Our kayaks are unloaded and we are boarding by about 9am. We will paddle down the lake until 10.30am then about face and head back and try to make it back before the witching hour. For most of the trip the water is glass smooth. The surroundings are quiet and tranquil. The mountains adjacent to the lower lake are not as rugged as the ones surrounding the upper lake but it is still an alpine paddle and the reflections on the still water are impressive.

Lower Kananaskis Lake, Alberta

I spent a good amount of time taking photos of those reflections but somehow a picture never captures reality and although the pictures are nice, the fleeting images can only be experienced if one is sitting in a boat.

Lower Kananaskis Lake, Alberta

About 11.30am a few gusts disturb the water’s surface and the mirror type reflections become distorted. Still interesting but not nearly as noteworthy.

Lower Kananaskis Lake, Alberta

Our paddle back to the spot from which we disembarked is much less stressed than yesterday’s and we arrive right on time. After getting the boats back on shore and loading them on the car we sit on a bench and eat lunch overlooking the lake in a spot not as exclusive as the previous lunch but with a no less impressive view.

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Kayaking in the Mountains

Posted on August 22, 2020 by murray

Traveling along the Alberta highways in the summer I am again taken back by the beauty. The wheat has started to change colour and the landscape is now a patchwork of green and gold. Our trip to the mountains is pretty uneventful but we did see a very large moose traipsing across a shallow slough. We also took note on how the cows are respecting the social distancing edict and are evenly spaced at an acceptable distance of about 2 meters. Who would have thought??

We are on our way to Peter Lougheed Provincial Park to meet our kayaking buddies M & G and another couple we soon find out are S & J. We arrive and our reserved site is empty and ready for us to set up. M & G again arrived earlier and were already ensconced. Of course their drive from Calgary was much shorter. The Lower Lake Campground is quite big but it is nicely laid out, with a good amount of space between each site allowing for a bit of privacy. We were however treated to a free Spanish lesson at one a.m. when the lady next door was teaching her kid, who must have woken up scared, to count, uno, dos, tres….

9am and we are on our way to Upper Kananaskis Lake for our first paddle in the Canadian Rockies. Just standing on the shore looking at the crystal clear, blue/green body of water surrounded by rocky peaks rising right from the shore is an awesome site. Our goal is to paddle the perimeter of the lake and see what is about.

Upper Kananaskis Lake, Alberta
Upper Kananaskis Lake

On this particular day there were no animals, save for a couple of ducks, about. There were a few boaters, power boats are allowed on this lake and a couple of boat loads of fishers were trying their luck, and three or four other kayakers out paddling.

Upper Kananaskis Lake, Alberta
Upper Kananaskis Lake, Alberta
Lunch Time!

Half way around the lake, it’s noon and lunch time. G lands his boat on a very small island, we all follow, seating for 6 please, we dig our dry bags out of the cargo holes and have a very peaceful and secluded lunch with a million dollar view. Right about noon we start to pack up and board our sloops.

Upper Kananaskis Lake, Alberta

We were warned about the wind that whips up at exactly noon and sure enough the air starts to move right on queue. We are on the homeward leg of the journey and the waves are very small so we just keep paddling in a leisurely fashion.

Upper Kananaskis Lake, Alberta
The start of the wind

About a 1/2 hour in, the wind starts to pick up and in a flash the waves are a 1/2 meter high with white caps. This is a bit disconcerting, we buddy up and paddle towards the boat launch in a much more urgent manner . This is the first time Debbie and I have been in water like this so we learn on the job so to speak. The wind of course is not constant and the gusts create a very unpredictable canvas on which to apply our art. Neither of us have a lot of arrows in our quiver but we did use a couple of different paddle strokes to maintain some sort of control over the direction we were headed. We do get to experience one very cool thing. We got to surf a few of the waves. Paddling along with the wind at our back, a wave picks us up and jets us forward. A bit of fun in a somewhat stressful situation.

A couple hundred meters from the boat launch we round a point and find ourselves in a small somewhat calmer bay. This lessens the urgency and we can paddle in a much more relaxed manner till we reach the shore. Debbie and I get there first, we leave our boats in the water, ready to lend a hand if necessary, and keep our eyes across the water making sure our friends are not in distress.

Regardless of the somewhat bumpy ride at the end of our tour it is a wonderful day on a pristine lake with world class scenery as a backdrop.

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Kayaking Devon, Alberta to Laurier Heights in Edmonton, Alberta

Posted on August 13, 2020 by debbie

We don our pirate hats and eyepatches once more and head out on the waters of the North Saskatchewan. Today our trusty side kick, J, and his bright yellow canoe are missing from our flotilla.

Both our vehicles have bars on the roofs, so we drop Murray’s vehicle off at Laurier Heights and drive to Devon with the kayaks and our gear in my vehicle. Once there, we unload everything and then remove the kayak racks from the bars. We load two racks into Murray’s kayak and one on top of each kayak, under the bungee cords. We also load the kayak covers, tie down straps, lunch and our sandals into the kayaks. We are ready to push off!

North Saskatchewan River

It is a windy day today, with the wind coming mostly from the west, which is a good thing as we are paddling north and west. The river is moving about the same speed as when we were on it last week. We notice it is not as silty as the other week also.

North Saskatchewan River

Murray doesn’t really believe in just floating down the river, so we paddle. Sometimes hard against the wind and sometimes very relaxed. About and hour and a half after we start, we pull off on a sand bar and have lunch. We don’t dawdle as we are in the wind and I am getting cold. This is a good learning experience for me about wet feet, wind and staying warm in cooler weather.

North Saskatchewan River

We see a few hawks, no deer at all, some fisherpeople, but mostly river scenery of striated banks, trees and blue sky. As we approach Edmonton, we see more and more houses high on the hills overlooking the river. We also see water lovers and their dogs enjoying time by the river.

Before we know it we pass under the Anthony Henday Bridge, two foot bridges and are approaching the Quesnell Bridge, which is just upstream from our destination. We land and check our GPS. 33 kms! Four and a quarter hours! WOW, the river must have been flowing at a pretty good clip as it didn’t feel like 33 kms.

We secure the kayaks racks onto Murray’s vehicle bars, load the kayaks and gear and drive back to Devon to pick up my vehicle. Once in Devon , we order supper from our favorite Vietnamese Restaurant which Murray picks up on the way. We are famished after our day of trolling the North Saskatchewan. Unfortunately, there were no other water craft for us to plunder.

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The North Saskatchewan River Through Edmonton, Alberta

Posted on August 6, 2020 by debbie

The Arrogant Worms sing a song about pirates on the Saskatchewan River and that is what we are today. Pirates in kayaks! We paddle the river from Laurier Heights (near the zoo) to the 50 Street boat launch (near our house) with our friends J&A&S.

I have never done this before and I am excited as the flow rate of the river has mellowed out after all the rain and after paddling the Red Deer River, I feel I can do this. We meet up near the zoo at the boat launch and push off.

Edmonton, Alberta

This is definitely an urban paddle compared to our previous paddles. On this river there is constant noise – traffic, motor boats, construction work, people on the river banks. We have paddled up to today in the wilds where it is quiet with the occasional bird call.

We see scullers training on the river, dogs jumping in the river, cyclists and runners on the river valley paths, fisherpeople and a few ducks. We travel to many large international cities where the concrete comes right down to the river. In Edmonton, the river is bordered by green. The city has kept the river valley parks for everyone to enjoy. The tall buildings of Victoria Park Road, downtown, the University and Saskatchewan Drive are visible but they are set back behind the green embankments.

Edmonton, Alberta
First Bridge we paddle under!

The part I enjoy the most is floating under so many the bridges (10!). We start with the footbridge that connects Hawrelak Park to Buena Vista Park. Groat Bridge comes up and we can hear the construction on the bridge. My father was in Engineering in the 1950’s while the bridge was being built and I have some photos of his class on a field trip to the construction site.

Groat Bridge, Edmonton, Alberta
Groat Bridge

Two most favorite bridges arrive around a bend. The High Level Bridge, opened in 1913, and the Walterdale Bridge, opened in 2017. My engineering roots are tickled just to be able to view them from water level.

The High Level Bridge, Edmonton, Alberta
High Level Bridge with Walterdale Bridge in the background and the LRT Bridge in the foreground

Next we pass under the new LRT bridge being constructed over the river. The span doesn’t quite reach across yet and we mused about how the trains will have to jump over the gap on their way to the southside.

New LRT Bridge, Edmonton, Alberta
New LRT Bridge

J tells us an interesting historical tidbit about the river valley. About a hundred years ago there was a dump by the river, just after the Dawson Bridge extending downriver for a distance. We float close to shore and can see the garbage being exposed in the river bank. Erosion is wearing away the soil, but the debris remains. We see old tires, metal, house parts, a horseshoe, coloured glass and it doesn’t smell that nice. Interesting!

We stop at the downstream end of an island for lunch and A&S, being of a younger age, frolic in the water and play in the sand. We older folks, sit on the sand, munch on our wraps and enjoy the views and conversation.

It is only 500 m to the 50 Street boat launch and once we push off again we are there quickly. It has been a grand trip down the North Saskatchewan and, unfortunately we marauded no vessels and obtained no loot.

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The Road Home

Posted on August 1, 2020 by murray

Debbie’s and my plan is to pack early and stop at one of the many lakes between us and home and practice partner and self rescue techniques. One never plans a spill and if it happens it is a good idea to know how to get back in a kayak. Kayaks are narrow by design. If you sit in the middle and do squiggle around much they are very stable, but one lapse of concentration and you’re going for a swim.

This is when a little practice of getting back into the kayak pays off. There are a myriad of different techniques, and many different variations, on each of the methods to climb back into an overturned boat. You can take a course which will teach you one or two different ways to do it but I found searching the internet, and watching dozens of videos and borrowing ideas from several helped a lot. Both Debbie and I are fairly body aware and know what we are capable of. There were some of the methods that were just not going to work for either of us and some we thought we should try. By experimenting we each found a couple of ways that work. We have been practicing them. As we find others we give them a try and have added ones we could make work to our practice schedule.

We stop at Buffalo Lake. There are 3 different provincial parks around the lake and we wanted to do some reconnaissance for future camping excursions. The Narrows, the first stop, is a nice campground accessed by a gravel road. There were a lot of available spots, due to the gravel road access I think. There was a good place to put the kayaks in but the water is a reedy channel between Buffalo Lake and another smaller body of water. Not somewhere we want to dump the kayak and practice our skills. Nice enough campground though and maybe a place to return to. We could paddle the narrows and chill in the great outdoors.

Next stop Rochon Sands. There is a provincial park campground there as well. It is a little more crowded as the access road is paved right to the park. The beach in the park is nice enough but quite small. There are no reeds in the area of the beach and the bottom is sandy. This is where we launch the boats, go for a paddle, come back to shore don our wetsuits and head out to get wet. First the water is not a cold as we thought so the wetsuits are a bit of overkill and second the lake there is so shallow, even 50M beyond the swim enclosure both Debbie and I can touch bottom. We still practiced but cheated a couple of times when touching bottom was an asset. It was still time well spent as getting into the kayak was difficult but we both managed to do it.

Refreshed from out dip in the water and tired from our strenuous efforts we head to the north shore of the lake and the Buffalo Lake Provincial Recreation Area. This would be the most ‘rustic’ of the campsites. Again it is accessed by a gravel road and not as many folks are willing to travel the 5KM on a less than perfect road to get to a campground. The beach there is quite nice, we wandered out to the waters edge and there is a lot more room there than at the Rochon Sands Provincial Park. The one downside to this area is it is quite low, elevation wise. There has been a lot of rain this year in Alberta and a lot of the sites are rendered useless because of the boggy conditions.

Any of these three spots look good for future forays into the wilderness. Don’t know when we will make it back but I’m pretty sure we will.

The rest of the trip is a highway drive and I am again amazed at the fantastic landscape that I have driven though a hundred times and only in the last few years been awed by what is there.

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Paddle 2, Tolman Bridge to Morrin Bridge

Posted on July 28, 2020 by murray

It takes 6 car driving segments with 2 cars to get things set up this morning. Two cars travel to Tolman bridge with 4 people. Drop the kayaks there and leave M and Debbie to set up and make sure the boats don’t ‘float’ away. G and I drive both cars to the Morrin bridge, leave one car there and return to start paddling. Once we land at Morrin G and I will drive back to Tolman and pick up the car left there. We both drive back to Morrin to pick up M and Debbie and the 4 kayaks and then return to the campground. We checked out the logic of using 3 cars, as Debbie has her car from driving from Vernon, but it would still take 6 segmented trips. It is sort of like doing a grade school algebra problem. There was a reason we learned that in school. Although we used a graphic method rather than some long forgotten algebraic formula.

We put in at Tolman bridge as planned. The wind today behaves. When we start we have a tail wind. The grade of the river is steeper on this sections and with the wind we travel very fast. (at least relatively) The day is hotter than yesterday and there are a couple of occasions when the wind blows in our face but it is very light and more of welcome cool breeze rather than a challenge.

Tolman Bridge to Morrin Bridge

The wildlife is sparse. We pass the occasional cow or small group of them moaning and bellowing as we paddle by. The group spotted a couple of pelican’s searching for lunch. The big event of the day was a bald eagle and it’s overly large off spring. The eagle was flying back and forth across the river trying to attract our attention away from what appeared to be a flightless young one. The dark colored, no white head, juvi was lolly gagging on the beach.

Tolman Bridge to Morrin Bridge

Today was definitely the day of scenery. The base of the banks started right in the river and rose at a steep angle to a height of a 100M or so. The lack of a flood plain made the vision much more dramatic, more of a canyon feel.

Tolman Bridge to Morrin Bridge

The river moved quickly. Sitting in the kayak, it doesn’t really feel like we are moving that fast, but as we pass stationary things on the shore we get a real good idea of our relative speed and I think a strong runner would have a hard time keeping up. There was a homestead ruin on one of the banks and I turned and tried to paddle upstream to get a second look. I was motionless, much like swimming in an infinity pool. It would have taken a lot more effort than I was willing to put in to have a second glance.

We travel 24KM, it is a good day, a long day, and we are all bagged.

Tolman Bridge to Morrin Bridge
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Paddle 1, Bleriot Ferry to Drumheller

Posted on July 27, 2020 by murray

Tuesday, our first day of kayaking on the Red Deer River. We are to put in at the campsite near the Bleriot ferry and get out at Newcastle Beach in Drumheller. G and I had to hunt for the ‘beach’ in Drumheller but with a little help from a couple of locals we were able to drop off the pick up vehicle. Once back at camp we set up the kayaks at the river’s edge. We launched the boats and the day began.

The river is flowing nicely and we start at a reasonable clip. The wind is from the SE which is right on the bow so even though the current is enough to keep us moving downstream we all increase our paddling power. As we go we all talk about the increase in effort and figure it must be an unconditioned response to the resistance of the wind.

The view from the water is different than from anywhere on land. When Debbie and I are in some foreign city we will ride the water bus or taxi, if one is available, just to get that different perspective.

Travel by kayak is much slower than in an auto on the highway. It is easy to take in the surroundings and see things that would normally be a blur. The bright green reedy shore foreground and the striated cliffs of the badlands behind make for stunning scenery as we drift by. We are in a ‘civilized’ section of the river so there are a few houses that dot the banks and every once in a while a busy roadway parallels our path. Not exactly wilderness but that is quite hard to find now-a-days.

Not to many animals on today’s journey. We do see quite a few birds. There is an osprey or two circling high above us. Maybe checking to see if we would make a suitable lunch. They seem to be enjoying the strong wind, swooping and soaring without flapping their wings even once. The next siting is two deer on the left bank (arty types). One slid down a short steep band and into the water. She swam the river and mounted the bank on our right. From a couple of meters above our heads she stood and watched us approach. Not spooked at all. When we got too close for comfort she ducked into the bush and disappeared. We spot another osprey fishing from such a height it is really only a dark silhouette against the deep blue sky.

Our new found diversion of kayak touring in physically a lot of work which in itself is good, but other than that it gives us a reason to explore the world near our home. It’s on the water, of which we are great fans, the ride is super smooth, and the movement is rhythmic and repetitive. A short time into each trip ones worldly concerns disappear and the state of Zen takes you over. You become one with our kayak and with the surroundings and it makes for a very pleasant way to spend the day. Alberta is big and there is a lot of territory to explore, it should keep us occupied for quite some time.

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Edmonton to the Bleriot Ferry Campground, on the Red Deer River

Posted on July 26, 2020 by murray

We travel the world in search of beauty and really it is right at our doorstep. With the lock-down easing we are into the ‘staycation’ portion of travel. Our friends M and G are coming from Calgary, Debbie is traveling from Vernon, I will arrive from home in Edmonton. We are to meet near Drumheller, ‘The Badlands’, at the Bleriot Ferry Campground.The goal is to kayak the Red Deer River. It is a mellow waterway, especially downstream of Red Deer. Our plan is to travel downstream from the campground to Drumheller on day one and on the second day start upstream and paddle to the campground.

Normally we don’t tend to leave home much in the summer. With skiing in the winter and international trips in the fall and spring, the summer has been a time to spend at home and regen.

When driving solo, the conversation is a lot less active. In fact other than cursing a driver or two it is non existent. This means more time to look about and see things.

The highway is calm and I have some time to look about. Man is the country side beautiful. It is mid growing season and the crops make a perfect carpet over the land. The green and yellow checker board is like a quilt, accentuating all the dips, rolls and hummocks. People from around the world are amazed at how flat the prairies are, but I’m from here and what amazes me is how rollie they are. You are always either at a high point with vision for miles around or at a low point in the middle of a cupped hand looking up 360 at the horizon and the inside of a bowl with that checker board carpet.

This year we have had a lot of rain. All the waterways are full. The rivers are running high, the beaches at all the lakes are shrinking, and all the ponds and swamps are full to the brim. The bodies of water add so much to the landscape painting that is constantly changing as I move along the highway. The dark blueish water edged with the bright green reeds and a backdrop of yellow and green crops is a vision of joy.

As I get close to my destination suddenly some of the fields are blue. A pale purplish blue. My guess is flax. I can’t say as I have ever seen flax before but by asking a few questions when I arrive at the campground and meet up with M & G, G confirms my suspicions.

Travel the world and whatever it is you are in search of , whatever it is you want to see, hear, touch, smell, or learn is just outside your backdoor.

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Big Knife Provincial Park, Alberta

Posted on June 28, 2020 by debbie

COVID 19 has dashed all of our travel plans for this year. A scuba dive live-aboard in Cuba in April, reschduled. A scuba dive trip to Roatan, cancelled. Tours through Madagascar and Nambia, rescheduled. So where should we travel?? Alberta! No borders to cross and no long hours travelling.

We load up our camping gear and kayaks and drive about two hours south east of Edmonton to Big Knife Provincial Park. It is along Hwy 855, near Forestburg, along the Battle River.

The campground is first come first served so no reservations are needed. It has a walk in tenting area but it is dark and, mostly likely, mosquito infested. We decide on a site in Circle A, the RV and trailer side. The sites are large (to accommodate those big fifth wheels) and a slightly more open to everyone’s business than we like. But they are pretty nice sites and we choose one that will get morning sun and afternoon shade.

Big Knife Provincial Park, Alberta

While cooking one day, we notice that we do not hear others cooking and sharing meals. It is quite quiet. We are the only ones outside doing this domestic chore, everyone else is inside.

Big Knife Provincial Park, Alberta

The campground is nicer than I expected, with a playground, mowed areas, a boat launch, pit toilets and group camping (now closed). It has only 40 sites and since they are wide apart every site is usable. There are a couple of hiking trails, one to some hoodoos. We walk there one evening and supply some mosquitoes with their supper and are slightly underwhelmed with the hoodoo.

Hoodoo, Big Knife Provincial Park, Alberta
Hoodoo

Kayaking is a joy on the Battle River, especially for a novice like me. The flow rate is extremely low so paddling upstream is not a chore. On our first day we paddle upstream for 50 minutes, turn around and come back in 25 minutes. We spy muskrats, ducks, cows, coots and a crane that we chase down the river.

After lunch, we paddle downstream to where the river widens out and becomes rather lake like. On the way back, we take a detour around an island and go further than we had planned. By the time we arrive at the boat launch I have very tired shoulders and core. We had picked the perfect day to spend on the water in our kayaks.

Battle River at Big Knife Provincial Park, Alberta
The Battle River from the boat launch

We spend the afternoon visiting with M & G who arrived while we are paddling. We maintain a social distance and have a great visit. The next morning, the four of us launch our kayaks and paddle up river. We go further than the day before and spot deer, pelicans, lots of tracks in the mud and a couple of carcasses. It is nice to visit and share observances with fellow paddlers.

On the drive home Murray and I make a brief stop at the Diplomat Mine Interpretive Site. We realize that we tend to get in car and just drive from point A to point B, so we are trying to visit interesting side stops. The Diplomat Mine, a strip mine, began operation in 1956 and supplied many customers with coal, including the Battle River Generating Station. A Marion 360, the largest shovel in Canada at that time, removed the overburden and another huge shovel loaded the coal into a hauler.

Marion 360, Diplomat Mine Interpretive Site, Alberta
Marion 360
Bucyrus-Erie 950-B, Diplomat Mine Interpretive Site, Alberta
The bucket of the Bucyrus-Erie 950-B

To increase capacity at the mine in 1962, the Bucyrus-Erie 950-B was brought in and was able to remove three times the quantity of overburden than the Marion 360. The machine was dismantled and all that remains on the site is the bucket.

On our drive home, we cruise by a pond with a beaver lodge in the middle and, lucky beaver, he had a satellite dish poked into the top of his house. I wonder how many channels he gets!

Our international travel plans have been disrupted so we are enjoying local travel, exploring new places for us that involve water and kayaking. Where to next?

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