SHADES OF GREY – ALGONQUIN PROVINCIAL PARK – Paddling Along....

We continue to visit Canisbay Lake from time to time, sometimes to picnic, and sometimes to sit awhile and take in the view. It’s become a quiet place to sit and remember as we grow older. It’s interesting how, as one grows older, time speeds up and memories grow fonder.

As I mentioned, as we became better at paddling we discovered other lakes in the park, Canoe, Smoke, Cache, Kearny, Lake of Two Rivers, Costello, Opeongo, Pog, Rock,Whitefish Lake, and so on.

Whitefish Lake was sort of on the way to Rock Lake. We’d sometimes put in at Lake of Two Rivers and paddle down the river to Pog Lake, do a carry over and paddle a bit further down to Whitefish Lake before paddling on to Rock Lake. If we paddled all the way down to the end of Rock Lake, and paddled about for awhile, we’d be looking at a full day of paddling; something that we’d no longer consider at our advanced age, especially since we’d probably have the wind in our faces all the way back.

If we weren’t up to paddling down to Whitefish Lake we could enjoy the lake from atop the ridge on the Centennial Ridges Hiking Trail. But then, you just can’t drive to the lake you have to hike, and depending upon the route that you take this can involve a 5-6 hour arduous hike. However, it’s worth the long hike as the view of the lake is spectacular. The entire lake is visible from the ridge including its lone island.

View From The Ridge - Whitefish Lake  Conte  Crayon Drawing

When you reach the ridge overlooking Whitefish Lake you’re entering the last legs of the hike with but a half hour, or so, to go. Time to sit a spell and take in the magnificent views from the ridge.

In 2009 we hiked to the ridge and after lunch I found a spot where I could wedge myself without being blown off the ridge and made a sketch looking down on the island below.

View From The Top - Whitefish Lake Island   Graphite Sketch

One sketch was about all that I was able to complete as the wind had strengthened and it was all that I could do, as the note on the side of my sketch indicates, to hold my sketchbook without the pages flipping all over the place.

Whitefish Lake  Graphite Sketch  2009
As the notation on the sketch indicates, it was too windy to continue sketching on the ridge.

We abandoned the ridge, but before leaving the area we hiked to the lake at shore level where I made a couple more sketches.

Whitefish Lake Island From The Shore
Graphite Field Sketch 2009

Whitefish Lake Island From The Shore
Graphite Field Sketch 2009

 MEMORY OF A WONDERFUL SUMMER DAY
Whitefish Lake Island  - Graphite Studio Drawing  2010 

I'd really like to spend more time exploring Whitefish Lake, Lake of Two Rivers, Rock Lake, and so on, but if we're to make our way to other parts of the park we have to get a move on. In accessing the service road to the Centennial Ridges Hiking Trail we made a right turn off  Hwy 60. Perhaps, we should go back to the highway and back track a bit and investigate some of the hiking trails...............

To be continued..................