November 2017

Fall Paddling Trip to Nunikani – Snorts, Surprises & Snow

By |2017-11-14T17:14:16-05:00November 14th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, algonquin highlands, backcountry, backcountry camping, Campers, camping, campsite, Canada, canoe camping, canoeing, cold, cold camp, day trip, Exploring, fall, kayak, kayak camping, kayak portaging, Kayaking, Nature, Ontario, ontarios highlands, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, recipes, tarps, tentcamping, waterfalls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was a great weekend, it was cold, it was wet, it was windy and I vowed momentarily not to camp again until next summer, but it was a total hoot! I had been in correspondence with Mike Burns who had provided me with a huge amount of advice and information regarding my recent solo trip to Killarney.  I had met Mike at the 150 through another friend Derek, from Paddling Adventures Radio, a podcast [...]

September 2017

Algonquin Kiosk Loop – 5 Day Solo Canoe Trip – Part 2 of 2

By |2023-11-10T20:07:32-05:00September 20th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, Algonquin, Algonquin Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, alone, backcountry camping, Campers, camping, campsite, Canada, canoe camping, canoeing, enthusiasm, Exploring, inspiration, kiosk, Ontario, ontario parks, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, Solitaire, solo trip, sunrise, sunset, tangii|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Part 1 of this trip can be found here.   This is the continuation of that post starting from the afternoon of Day 3 at my site on Big Thunder Lake. I had just arrived, set up my small footprint tarp and was sitting under it enjoying some lunch...... While eating my lunch on day 3 on Big Thunder Lake, I realized I would have to move the small footprint tarp I was using and [...]

Kayaking with Kevin Callan – Herb Lake, Haliburton Water Trails

By |2017-09-12T19:33:35-04:00September 12th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, Algonquin, algonquin highlands, backcountry, backcountry camping, camp, Campers, camping, camping tips, campsite, Canada, cooking, education, enthusiasm, Exploring, food, inspiration, kayak, kayak camping, kayak portaging, Kayaking, learning, Nature, navigating, Ontario, ontarios highlands, outdoor products, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, scenery, scenic, sightseeing, sunrise, sunset, tangii, teach, teaching, training|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Ever since my first trip with Kevin Callan, The Happy Camper, in June of this year, there has been a challenge set forth for Kevin the (mostly) canoeist to go on a kayaking trip with me.  Our second trip over the Canada 150 long weekend, brought us canoeing once again, but I was promised a kayaking trip at some point and I was going to make sure it happened, no matter how short or the location. [...]

August 2017

Killarney Days 1 & 2 – The Rainy Plains to the Magical Mountains

By |2017-08-29T16:52:31-04:00August 29th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, backcountry, backcountry camping, Bear Barrel, camp, Campers, camping, campsite, Canada, canoe, canoe camping, canoeing, Climb, Climbing, enthusiasm, Exploring, fishing, girls, Hiking, hiking trails, killarney, Killarney Provincial Park, loons, Nature, navigating, navigation, Ontario, ontario parks, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, Provincial Park, sunset|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had been to Killarney a few times and loved it there.   The only issue I ever have with Killarney in the summer, is that you have to book a site 5 months in advance to get the sites on the lakes you want.  This trip is actually the only one I reserved this entire year, 5 months in advance with Ontario Parks.  That might help explain how important it was for me to [...]

July 2017

The All Canada Weekend – On Smokey Lake With The Happy Camper

By |2020-05-18T14:00:08-04:00July 5th, 2017|Categories: #fish, Adventure, animals, backcountry, backcountry camping, Campers, camping, campsite, Canada, canada day, canoe camping, canoeing, Conservation areas, conservationarea, cooking, creek, creeks, day trip, education, enthusiasm, Exploring, fishing, Fun, Nature, Ontario, outdoor products, outdoorproducts, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, sunset, swimming, tourism, Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I camped with The Happy Camper last month, I had no idea we would be heading out on another trip so soon.  We had discussed the big 150th birthday this year and I had mentioned I wanted to do something awesome, but hadn't made plans yet. Kevin had originally had something booked, but it was cancelled, so,  it left us both open for the long weekend and  it being such a big deal, we [...]

June 2017

Women on Water Paddling Festival – It’s called WOW for a reason!

By |2020-05-18T14:02:11-04:00June 20th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, camp, Campers, Canada, canoe, canoeing, cottage, cottaging, education, enthusiasm, Fun, georgian bay, glamping, inspiration, instructors, kayak, Kayaking, learning, learning centre, level 1, level 1 instructor, meditation, Muskoka, Nature, Ontario, ontario sea kayak centre, Outdoors, paddle, paddle canada, paddling, Presentation, scenic, sunrise, sunset, sup, tangii, teach, teaching, training, Uncategorized, water, waterways, wild women expeditions, women, womens event, yoga|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Before taking my Level 1 Sea Kayak Instructor Course with Ontario Sea Kayak Centre, my coach Dympna had asked me to attend the Women on Water Paddling Festival.  I had no idea what this festival was all about and had not heard of it until she'd mentioned it. I did a bit of research and it looked like a really cool weekend that had been created by Wild Women Expeditions and Ontario Sea Kayak Center, [...]

My Instructor Sea Kayaking Course at OSKC – Am I An Instructor Now?

By |2020-05-19T16:18:13-04:00June 13th, 2017|Categories: #course, Campers, camping, Canada, certification, education, enthusiasm, glamping, harmony, harmony inn, inspiration, instructors, kayak, Kayaking, learning, level 1, level 1 instructor, Muskoka, Ontario, ontario sea kayak centre, paddle, paddle canada, paddling, sunrise, teach, teaching, tent, tentcamping, training, Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I actually had decided going into my Level 1 Sea Kayak Instructor Course, that I wasn't going to blog about it.  I had things to learn and too much to do and needed to be serious and focused on learning as much as possible. Studying while kayak camping weeks before the course No time for pictures, (HAHAHA, yeah, well, I always get a few pics!!) But I think you get the drift of [...]

Full video on my trip with The Happy Camper – Kevin Callan

By |2017-06-08T09:03:13-04:00June 8th, 2017|Categories: bugs, Campers, camping tips, Canada, canoe camping, education, enthusiasm, loons, Ontario, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, scenery, true north, Uncategorized, Up north, video|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Here is the full video of my trip with The Happy Camper! https://www.youtube.com/embed/933Pelhp2o8

Canoe Camping with The Happy Camper -Bugs, Banter & Boney M

By |2017-06-06T17:19:40-04:00June 6th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, algonquin highlands, backcountry, backcountry camping, Bear vault, bearproof, birds, blog, bugs, camp, Campers, camping, camping tips, campsite, Canada, canoe camping, cooking, enthusiasm, Exploring, gear, learning, morel, morels, Ontario, ontarios highlands, outdoor products, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, recipes, scenery, scenic, Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Have you every wondered what it'd be like to camp with the famous Happy Camper, Kevin Callan?  I did too, so I decided to find out! I had chatted with Kevin Callan a few times online at the start of 2017, as he had picked me to do a blurb on my tipi for his winter camping book. When we met at the Outdoor Adventure Show this spring in person, we shared a few stories [...]

May 2017

Bentshoe Lake – 1st kayak camping trip of 2017

By |2017-05-02T16:07:22-04:00May 2nd, 2017|Categories: #drysuit, #kokatat, Bear vault, bearproof, camp, Campers, camping, camping tips, campsite, Canada, Exploring, gear, kayak, kayak camping, kayak portaging, Kayaking, loons, Ontario, outdoor products, Outdoors, owl, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, scenery, scenic, tangii, tent, tentcamping, water, waterways|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had plans to head over and visit my kayaking coach for some training in preparation of my Level  1 Sea Kayak Instructor Course, but as sometimes plans do, they were moved to another day during the week.  This put me at 8am on a Saturday morning, kayak on car all ready to go, and no plans for the weekend. Guess I could start my kayak camping season after all?  You didn't have to twist [...]

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