Cheryl was the last to arrive Thursday evening. As she paddled around the point, pulled up to the island, and stepped out of her canoe, that's when the loons showed up. Two of them, not twenty metres away, completely unbothered. It felt like a sign. The trip had officially begun!

The Concept

Ripples and Leaves is an inclusive outdoor community, with many events, year round, and this trip grew out of conversations we'd been having at past events.

A few of us talked about learning to fish together, in a beautiful area. The idea was to practice catching and cleaning. Conversations continued at each successive community event, and eventually we decided to do a video call to plan the details. We decided to go to Temagami, Ontario for a crown land camping trip. We’d paddle in for a few days to set up a base camp, and go from there.

Seven of us ended up going. Thursday through Sunday, with a very reasonable paddle in from the boat launch.

The Long Drive Up

The Gorgeous Drive North. Photo Credit: Tricia Bos

I drove up Wednesday night to Marten River Provincial Park, where both Jen and Tricia were already settled in the neighbouring site. I had stopped for dinner at Hits the Spot in North Bay on the way. I had a very tasty wrap, the staff were nice, and it felt like the kind of place that’s absolutely a hidden gem. Well worth the stop!

I'll be honest: I wasn't in great shape emotionally at the start of this trip. A co-worker I cared about had recently died, and the grief was still fresh. The usual pre-trip anxiety was in the mix too. I was a bit weepy on the drive up, and didn't sleep much that night.

Paddling In

Late Thursday morning we met at a tidy boat launch. The paddle out to our island was easy. Sunny, warm, and a bit of a breeze. The kind of morning that makes you quiet in a good way.

I was still feeling raw when we set off. We navigated the water, set up shelters, and had proper dinner eaten together on the rocks at the water's edge. The weepiness eased a bit.

Then excitement and elation struck like lightning, Cheryl caught a lake trout on her second cast!

Cheryl caught a lake trout on her second cast! Photo Credit: Tricia Bos

A bit of context

None of us had ever been to Temagami. Only a couple of us had done crown land camping before. Crown land is publicly owned land outside of provincial parks. No designated sites, no facilities, no fees. You find your own spot and leave no trace. For Elena and Kathy, it was their first backcountry camping trip. And while Cheryl brought the most fishing experience, none of us would call ourselves serious anglers. Catching a lake trout on your first evening on a lake you've never fished is a good omen. She held it up for a photo and released it.

The loons arrived with Cheryl and stayed all weekend, rarely more than twenty metres from shore. We heard them calling through the nights. The loudness and rudeness startled most of us, and then it was magical to hear them serenade.

The northern location, mid-week start to the trip, and the specific area we paddled in meant a wonderful sense of solitude. We did see a few motorboats. And one gentleman stopped by to say hello at one point, and mentioned he was staying at the head of the lake. But otherwise it was very quiet.

The Loonie Lounge

At some point the flat rocks leading down to the water got a name: the Loonie Lounge. It's where we ate, had our coffee, watched the lake, and fell into the long, wandering conversations that don't seem to happen anywhere else.

The “floor” of the loonie lounge was smooth sections of rock. Some were delightfully colourful. It struck me that these rocks had been here for at least tens of thousands of years. The timelessness of that added to the atmosphere.

The Loonie Lounge. Photo Credit: Jen Minnie

What I liked about it was the flow of the trip. You'd retreat to your tent or hammock, or go solo paddle, to have some quiet alone time. We’d drift back to the Lounge when we felt like company. You showed up when you wanted to, and someone was always there. Every conversation was different, but all were so interesting!

Behind the Loonie lounge, we set up our shelters in the small hills in the forest. There were layers upon layers of dropped needles and other vegetation, along with very thick moss, making the ground soft and spongy.

On Friday, Jen also caught a lake trout. We also recovered three lures from snags. It was a collective effort as sometimes we had to paddle to rescue the lures by tugging them in the opposite direction.

We rigged up a tarp together when the rain started coming, anchoring it with rocks.

At dinner time, Cheryl had brought maple moose sausage. Jen brought water flavour, I think it was the tang one that I had. Both the sausage and drink flavour were unreasonably good!

In the evenings, we watched Tricia work. She had her pen and watercolours out and drew the island we were camped on, and the shore by Elena's tent. Watching something beautiful appear on a blank page in her hands is one of those camp moments that stays with you.

Tricia at work, creating beautiful pen and watercolour images. Photo Credit: Andrea Ross

We talked about everything and anything. I especially enjoyed when we swapped book recommendations. We laughed a lot.

Saturday morning the lake was still. The glass-like water was stunning, and you could see right to the bottom.

Kathy, paddling well on the glass-like lake. Photo Credit: Andrea Ross

The lack of wind meant the bugs were fierce! Someone noted they sounded like distant highway traffic, that steady hum. By noon the wind picked up and the bugs eased up a bit.

By Saturday evening, there was a forecast for a chance of a storm, and the wind picked up dramatically, along with a noticeable drop in temperature. We battened down the hatches to brace ourselves. In spite of the potential incoming bad weather, the mood at camp was electric in the whipping cool winds.

Paddling Out

Sunday arrived windy despite the forecast that it would die down. Waves at shore were giving us pause, with hints of whitecaps further out. Heather and Cheryl decided to wait until the afternoon, when the forecast called for the wind to ease. Jen, Tricia, Kathy, Elena, and I decided to go. Our plan was to tuck in close to the north shore of the lake in hopes of finding a calm seam back to the boat launch.

The wind across the lake Sunday morning. Photo Credit: Cheryl Benstead

It was bouncy as we made our way across the waves back to the launch. Paddling into a headwind is a slog, and this was a proper slog. There were three distinct moments of relief on the way out: rounding the point, because we knew we were almost there. Turning the corner and spotting the launch. And pulling up to shore, knowing everyone had made it safely and overcome the challenge. I was really proud of everyone!

Cheryl successfully paddled out later in the afternoon. Heather decided to stay one more night, which, honestly, is hard to argue with. She paddled out successfully on Monday.

The drive home was smooth. Sunny, light traffic the whole way back to Ottawa. I stopped at Hits the Spot in North Bay again. Twice in one trip. Yum! No regrets. I grabbed a coffee, and then hit the road for the long drive home. Jen and Tricia also shared that Temagami Subs was really tasty too! They had many fresh topping options for their subs.

What Could Be Better

The bugs were significant. Mid-June in northern Ontario is peak season for black flies and mosquitoes, and a provincial fire ban was in effect all weekend, so we had no campfire smoke to help deter them. A bug shirt and head net aren't optional up there. Pack both.

The island was a wonderful setting, but it did mean no hiking. If trail access matters to you, it's worth knowing that going in.

What I Learned

Grated soap! Cheryl packs soap grated from a bar and stored in a small container. Liquid soap is heavy and risks spilling in your pack. Grated, you take only what you need, and you dispense a small amount at a time for handwashing or anything else that needs a scrub. Simple, light, no mess. What a great idea, and I'm adopting this immediately!

The finger on the fishing line. I haven't fished in a few years. Jen reminded me to put my finger on the line as I flip the bail up before casting. Basic technique, but the kind of thing that fades when you step away from it for a while. It came back fast. Thank you, Jen.

Gear Geekery

I like to share reports on gear that I loved, or that disappointed me, in case it’s helpful to others.

The FlexTail Max was a nice luxury item. It pumped up my air mattress quickly and was effortless to use. Impressive for something so small and light.

First trip with the Durston Kakwa 55 backpack, and I'm an instant fan. It has the volume I've been missing with my other ultralight packs, and it feels genuinely robust. Like it'll hold up to real use. I can’t wait to use it again on Snails on Trails 3!

The Durston XDome 2 served me well, and I really love it, with one exception. There's a section of mesh near the tent pocket, about four or five inches, that either wasn't sewn or ripped very cleanly at some point. This was my third trip with it, but the two previous ones were in the fall without bugs. I didn't notice until Thursday night, when mosquitoes started coming through and biting me on the face. I covered the gap with my bug shirt and slept fine after that, but it needs a repair before the next trip.

My Recreational Barrelworks map case was a mild disappointment. The plastic was cloudy, which isn't what you want in something designed to let you read through it.

The maps themselves were a different story. My Temagami maps from Maps by Jeff were excellent. Lots of good information, and sturdy enough that you don't need to baby them. I really love my maps I got from Maps by Jeff. They’re practical on trips, and fun to pour over at home playing what-if for future trips.

Which brings me to the bug shirt. Bright orange, breathable, keeps the bugs completely at bay. The kangaroo pouch is perfect for holding stuff puttering around camp. It feels robust too. I love it so much and can highly recommend it.

Next on the gear list to purchase:

new Merino wool socks,
and a better lighter. I want a lighter that lets me get a bit further from the stove when lighting it.

How did we do on our goals?

We caught two lake trout, and that felt like a genuine win for us. Neither was cleaned or cooked. We released them quickly. We weren't quite comfortable enough to go there yet, but that's exactly what next year is for.

Lures and Loons 1 is in the books, and was a hit. First time in Temagami for all of us. Two lake trout caught and released. Loons within arm's reach all weekend. The Loonie Lounge. Tricia's drawings. A lot of laughs. Strangers to life long friends.

All 7 of the “OG Loonies” Photo Credit: Andrea Ross

The timelessness of that place is real. I felt it the first night, lying in my tent listening to the loons call across the water. We'll be back!

If this sounds like your kind of trip, you're welcome on the next one. We have more trips coming up all he time too!

Trip Report: Lures and Loons 1