July 2017

Solo Camping Tips with Michelle – Wow Auction Winner – McCrae Lake

By |2017-07-25T21:24:12-04:00July 25th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, backcountry, backcountry camping, Bear vault, bugs, camp, camping, camping tips, campsite, Canada, conservatationarea, Conservation areas, conservationarea, enthusiasm, Exploring, food, Food storage, girls, inspiration, kayak, kayak camping, kayak portaging, Kayaking, loons, McCrae Lake, Nature, Ontario, outdoor products, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, swimming, tangii, teach, teaching, Uncategorized, water filter|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When my kayaking coach Dympna from Ontario Sea Kayak Centre, asked me to consider auctioning off a weekend of camping with me, for the Women on Water Paddling Festival silent auction, I thought she was off her rocker. The auction was very successful and proceeds went to the Georgian Bay Biosphere, a great organization that takes care of a place I love to play in and it is a good cause.  I agreed to proceed, [...]

Opeongo Backcountry Camping by Water Taxi- w Maryann & Randy

By |2017-07-18T19:03:00-04:00July 18th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, Algonquin, Algonquin Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, backcountry camping, Bear Barrel, Bear vault, bearproof, camp, camping, camping tips, Canada, canoe, canoe camping, Exploring, glamping, kayak, kayak camping, Kayaking, loons, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, outdoor products, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, Provincial Park, scenic, swimming, tangii, tips, water taxi|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Since my Level 1 and Level 2 Sea Kayaking courses, I've been wanting to do a trip with my friends,  Maryann and Randy, that I met through the courses at OSKC. This weekend was finally it and I was so excited to be camping with them after all this time! They had advised me of a cool way they sometimes camp in the backcountry, or should I say glamp?  And that is to go by [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

April 2017

McCrae Lake – Kayaking in Kokatat

By |2017-04-25T16:33:35-04:00April 25th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, alone, Canada, conservatationarea, Conservation areas, conservationarea, day trip, Exploring, inspiration, kayak, kayak portaging, Kayaking, loons, Muskoka, Ontario, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, scenery, scenic, tangii, Uncategorized, water, waterfalls, waterways|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was a gorgeous Easter weekend with warm temperatures and beautiful sunshine, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Sunday I managed to get out with a few friends in Niagara for a hike in Niagara, but by Monday, with my return to Muskoka, it was back to below zero and not so lovely or springlike.  I had decided to stay in, relax, get caught up on things until the Fedex truck pulled up with my brand new [...]

December 2016

Paddling on Big East Lake – Living Life With No Regrets

By |2016-12-13T18:56:59-05:00December 13th, 2016|Categories: Adventure, algonquin highlands, alone, animals, backcountry, backcountry camping, camp, camping, campsite, Canada, Exploring, gloves, ice, Ice trail, inspiration, kayak, kayak portaging, Kayaking, moosehunting, Muskoka, Ontario, Ontario Trails, ontarios highlands, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, solo trip, sunrise, sunset, tangii, tent, tentcamping, texting gloves, Uncategorized, Up north, water, waterways, winter|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It is a time of year when one must be really careful going out on the water.  I often receive comments of concern, people calling me brave,  and others blatantly stating I am unsafe, careless and should not be doing what I'm doing.   What if you fall out of your kayak?  You will freeze instantly!!! I have been kayaking for over 15 years of my life.  In that time, I have never, not once, [...]

November 2016

Paddling in Algonquin in November- Pure Heaven !

By |2016-11-15T19:25:58-05:00November 15th, 2016|Categories: #mirror, Adventure, Algonquin, Algonquin Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, alone, animals, birds, Canada, day trip, Exploring, fall, falls, kayak, kayak portaging, Kayaking, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, paddle, paddle canada, paddling, photography, Provincial Park, tangii, tracks, Uncategorized, Up north, waterfalls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had intended to camp this weekend, but on Saturday morning, kayak on my car, camping gear packed and fully ready to go, I woke up feeling horrible.  I had a sinus infection by the familiar feeling of it and felt nauseous and headachy.  Going on a solo camping trip feeling like this, for me, wasn't a smart move and I knew I had to stay home. I spent the whole day resting and making [...]

September 2016

Brent Campground – Relaxing W/E…Well… til I hit a deer

By |2016-09-14T06:53:02-04:00September 14th, 2016|Categories: Adventure, Algonquin, Algonquin Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, alone, beach, Bear vault, bearproof, brent, brent campground, camp, campchairs, Campers, camping, campsite, Canada, carcamping, cedar lake, clean up our parks, creek, creeks, Exploring, glamping, hike, Hiking, hiking trails, hikingtrails, kayak, Kayaking, loons, malone, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, Provincial Park, solo trip, summer tent, swimming, tangii, tent, tentcamping, Uncategorized, Up north, walking, walks, water|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have always wanted to get up to Brent in Algonquin but it was always way to far for me to go. Now that I live in Muskoka, the drive is the same as what I used to drive to get from Niagara to Hwy. 60 in Algonquin, 3.5 hours, so I figured it was time for a visit.  I had made some plans to go camping with a friend that weekend but she got [...]

August 2016

Moon River – kayaking & cleanup

By |2016-08-31T06:33:17-04:00August 31st, 2016|Categories: #crownland, Adventure, alone, backcountry camping, camping, camping tips, campsite, Canada, clean up our parks, creek, crownland camping, Exploring, kayak, Kayaking, Moon, moon river, moon river cottages, Muskoka, Nature, Ontario, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, Privy, River, rivers, solo trip, swimming, tangii, tentcamping, Up north, water, waterfalls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have been camping almost every weekend since I moved up to Muskoka. It's been amazing but on this weekend I'd decided to take a break and head home to see my family.  That left the Sunday open for a day trip though and I had been hearing about this place called Moon River since I'd arrived, so I figured it was time to check it out! I put my boat up on my truck [...]

July 2016

My New Rack!!! – Easy Peasy! My 100th POST!!!

By |2016-07-27T23:01:09-04:00July 27th, 2016|Categories: alone, Campers, camping, camping tips, Canada, day trip, Exploring, glamping, kayak, kayak carrier, kayak rack, Kayaking, learning, malone, Muskoka, Nature, new beginning, newkayak, Ontario, outdoor products, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, Port carling, rack, rack system, tangii, Uncategorized, Up north|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

For the last few years since purchasing my kayak I have been playing the foam blocks game.  I put them on the car, then I put my boat on them, then I strap the boat down, reverse, repeat, reverse, repeat.  Except for three times now where I've forgotten to take the foam blocks off and they have ended up somewhere else, possibly with someone else. I have no clue why 2 foam blocks cost $40, [...]

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