We probably will not get out again this season….temperatures are plummeting, and the forecast is for snow. Water temps are down to around 50 degrees, and without dry suits, it would be a “Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” should we go over.

So, we prep the boat for it’s winter storage ( NuFinish the hull, Tung Oil the wood, remove float plugs, etc), and present a short video…one picture from each of our 40 canoe journeys this year. We canoed on 11 new ( to us) bodies of water, and found some new favorites among that group.

We’re now getting into winter mode, and the fun we’ll have dealing with whatever Mother Nature brings us this year!

(click on the link below for the video!)

                                                                2014 A Patchwork of Paddling

“Stick Season is Vermont’s second most unheralded time of year. We are in it. As soon as the peepers have finished driving back south to the flatlands, the last few leaves will fall off the trees and there will be a month of snowless, colorless landscape. It is a landscape that is left in monotones, reminiscent of a black & white photograph. The sky and clouds take on a gray, foreboding color. The sun tries to shine through but only manages a weak, white light. It’s a warning that snow is on the way.” scenesofvermont.com

We welcome October, and the end of paddling season, with unusually warm days, and resilient color on the hillside.  On the first day of October, we race against the quickly fading daylight, and have a lovely paddle on Wolcott Pond. This small, peaceful pond has been a delightful find this year, accessible for a quick paddling trip of an hour or so, but one which is made in solitude.

Enough color remains,so that we can see Edgar!

Reflections beside a peaceful canoe….

Heading towards sunset..and the end of paddling season!

On the first weekend of October, we head to NH for the Northern New England Sled Dog Trade Fair….the dogs get to mingle with “real” sled dogs, we attend seminars ( this year,  on first aid for dogs), and update any equipment needs. This year, Griff got a nice new harness from Northern Exposure Outfitters, and Edgar , our “Jaws” of a dog, will try out a moose antler chew ( so far, he really, really, enjoys it!). Our dogs are well behaved, quietly sitting during the lecture, and walking around the vendor building, in very tight quarters with other dogs and people.

After the trade fair, it has become tradition for us to head out for some canoeing and camping. This year, the forecast was “iffy”, but we managed to get to the campsite during a lull in the showers, and put up the tent. The dogs were able to splash a bit in the lake, right at our campsite.

Looked like we could have some nice foliage paddling along the lake…that is until we had the deluge!

Yes, of course…as we returned from a quick trip into town, the heavens opened….

It has been kind of a tough month, and there appeared no likelihood that the rain would stop, so for the first time…we bailed. Bailed on the trip, that is, and decided to pack it up and head home.

We were not defeated so easily, however…and we did get out for an early morning paddle the next day, at our local reservoir. We had a great time, and stayed out on the water for quite a while…and were a lot drier than if we had stayed out camping!

Definitely fading foliage….but still warm enough air and water temps, to get in a few more paddles….

There has been some hiking going on…lots of short hikes, to local parks and trails. Hunting Season has begun, and we have one dog who is the color of  a bear, and one who is deer-colored.  Orange scarves and vests for everyone! We did manage to find the last remnant of foliage, for some nice shots….

Alex’s Trail, Stowe,VT

Ridge Trail, Mt. Elmore, VT

Joy at Waterbury Reservoir

Near our canoe launch….

Happy Dogs, and Happy Us..who doesn’t love temperatures in the 60’s and 70’s in mid-October?

As we neared the second weekend of October we realized we were nearing 40 paddles for the season…we are not “paddle baggers”, but the high number of trips this year is a reflection of the great weather we’ve had. We headed out for paddle #39, at Green River Reservoir, and had a breakfast picnic on an  island campsite, near where we had planned to camp a few weeks earlier. It was serene, and we had nearly the whole lake to ourselves…all 600 acres. There was a pair of kayakers also doing a picnic breakfast, on Picnic Island…from the water, we mutually sang the praises of our Jetboil stoves!

Remnants only, of the awesome foliage we had this year….

Breakfast on the Big Island, GRRSP

Hats and gloves for paddling today…..

The launching area…see you next spring!

As we moved the car to the kiosk, where we can bring the canoe up from the water and load it…Gryphon began to bark at the kiosk.  Thinking it was probably just a chipmunk, I thought nothing of it, until I moved near the kiosk, and saw this little fellow.

He was right at the kiosk…thankfully, Griff was in the car, and Edgar, on leash, was walking up from the launch area.So no unexpected prickly disasters!

We now were determined to have a 40th paddle, so the next day we headed out to a lake we had not previously paddled…there are a number of camps on it, but by this time of year, it was essentially deserted. It was very peaceful and calm, and it was fun to paddle in a part of the state we do not frequent.

I love my Kokatat paddle jacket…great for fall paddling!

Edgar, looking like a real Labrador!

Our boy….

Greenwood Lake, Woodbury, VT

So, is paddling done for the year? This past weekend was a travel one for us ( without the dogs, who went to the Mutt Motel). We traveled to Western NY, to visit our son at University.  I don’t think the dogs would have enjoyed ( or been welcome at ) keynote addresses, hockey games, Broadway shows, band concerts…but they would have loved one activity we did…We did a scouting hike/explore of Letchworth State Park in NY. This area is sometimes called the Grand Canyon of the East, and there is a large trail network around the park. Maybe next time, we’ll have the pups with us!

I’ve got the bikejor bike all ready to go…in fact, today I took Griff out for a short jor on our new rail trail. It was a bit drizzly, so we did not go too far or too long, but it was nice to get him in his pulling harness, and starting to get prepped for the skijor season!

Paddling? Maybe, if we get a nice day in the 50’s or 60’s…Hmmm, next weekend looks like a possibility……

         Happy End of Autumn, from the Vermont Paddle Pups!

   (at the Vermont State House)

Warm temperatures, brilliant sunshine, dark charcoal skies, light winds, no rain falling…all factors that have contributed to a colorful period of fall hiking and paddling. We present an album for your enjoyment, highlighting the brilliant colors of autumn in Vermont !

A few hours exploring the (now closed for the season) state park….overlooking one of our frequent paddling spots.

Edgar dances for joy…he loves the cooler temperatures of autumn!

Early colors showing for a late day paddle….

Calm evenings make for reflective moments….

Sometimes we have to “play tourist” , and pull over for a photo!

Great paddling in some new ponds…so much fun to explore as the foliage nears peak brightness!

Griff loves hiking on our local trails networks….

We celebrate the end of September, with a short, but sometimes steep and scrambly, hike to a beautiful vista overlooking the Mad River Valley…..

Colors are stupendous this year!

Edgar wears his orange bandanna now…it is bear season in Vermont!

Edgar and Griff did not quite know what to make of the nest of snakes…thankfully, we have no dangerous snakes in our area!

Proud dad and his dog…..

So now we enter October….our final canoe camping trip is this weekend. Wanna know when it is going to rain?; just check our camping schedule! It has not rained in 8 days, but looks like we’ll be tenting under the drops this weekend! We’ll also be attending the Northern New England Sled Dog Trade Fair. That will get us all psyched up for the upcoming snow sports season!

A cool morning paddle…respite from the challenges of the week

A brief posting this week…As the seasons change, so do our lives. The past two weeks have been difficult ones, as we faced the unexpected death of a beloved member of our family. My mother–who taught me to ski, play golf, and who encouraged my love of summer camp and the outdoors, passed away last week.

Our scheduled canoe camping and hiking trips went by the wayside, as being with family, and supporting each other became the priority. The dogs were of great comfort to us, just being there, wordlessly comforting us in our grief.

The autumn is arriving with glorious early colors, and the serenity we can achieve by being out there, in the cool fall air, taking in the glorious changing of seasons is much appreciated this year.

On we go, into a new season of our lives…..

Fall brings change, in the air, and in our lives…..

Getting out with the dogs, is a welcome and peaceful time

Until next time, peace to you…..

A few clips from this past summer…..just click on this link!

https://vimeo.com/105270666

September is here! The past few weeks have seen cool nights, not much rain, and some cooler and windy days…but no, we did not celebrate with a double-dip ice cream cone (though the return of hot and humid weather might suggest that). We decided to start the new month with a paddle on a new (for us) body of water, in a part of the state which we do not usually paddle. This single paddle trip somehow turned into a day in which we dipped our paddles in 2 different lakes, for our 30th, and 31st paddles of the year!

So, for a slightly different approach, here is the “Top Ten” list of our activities for the past few weeks…

#10  A sunset paddle on a lake where we have gone for quiet foliage paddles turned out to be less than peaceful. There was one other boat on this medium sized lake—a high powered motor boat, pulling wake boarders. Of course, they had to run the entire length of the lake, including the narrow end where we were paddling. And of course, the boarder kept falling, so they had to keep circling, often much closer than the 200 feet distance from us, that the law requires. And of course, they acknowledged they were too close, but that did not deter them….so we had a rollicking time, but managed to keep from swamping, through sheer determination and strong paddling. We did beach at one point to use the bilge pump, and ended up cutting short our excursion.

Taking a break, in some calm water away from the rude and inconsiderate boaters.

#9 #8 #7  All kind of blend together…the end of August means a return to work, and a reduction in mid-week hiking times. We kept our nearly daily hikes on local trails ( though one network was closed for a week, due to bear activity). We also hiked Mad River Glen ( Stark Mt.) in the Valley, and on a trip to Rochester, NY, Griff and I explored the trails in Mendon Ponds Park. Last week, Griff and I headed out at 0520, to begin a sunset hike on Mt. Elmore. Well, we had a really nice, cool, foggy hike…foggy being the operative word. We never really saw the sun through the fog, but we did have the mountain to ourselves!

Edgar was not too keen on getting in the chairlift seat…I guess he has no future as an avalanche dog!

Lots of ravines and “up and downs” on the trails at Mendon Ponds.

No long distance views today!

#6   We returned to the lovely Wolcott Pond for a sunset paddle…this time, there were no power boats to harass us! There actually was one other canoe on the water this time, but certainly it did not affect the feeling of solitude here.

Edgar had the rare opportunity to go for a short solo…Gryphon anxiously paced on shore!

#5  Another early morning on Green River Reservoir…we’ll be camping here again in a few weeks, and realized we’d gone a few weeks without a visit. We explored an arm of the reservoir we rarely visit, and had a delightful and peaceful trip.

Our 2 boys…early morning at GRRSP, with red and orange foliage beginning to peek through the greens!

4#   We set out to paddle Parker Pond, but arrived to find strong gusty winds, and whitecaps…okay, so at least we found it and checked out the access area. We took a very scenic ( thank you, GPS T’Pau) trip to another lake, where we thought the wind might be less.  We had paddled Little Hosmer Pond earlier in the year, but now we were at Big/Great Hosmer, the adjacent lake. It is a long and narrow lake, where scullers frequently train. It was ,in fact, less windy, so we headed out. The “browse line” left by wintering deer herds were clearly visible. A sculler rowed by, leaving us “in the dust”. We chatted with some fisherman, who had just caught a lovely bass. We headed through the narrowest point of the lake, and suddenly, the wind picked up…we are used to that now, and paddled strongly and firmly, safely finishing an enjoyable paddle.

It is inevitable…the colors are arriving….

It was quite calm in the small cove in which the access is located.

#3   SWAG! Yes, I won the Wag N’ Swag sweepstakes, sponsored by Animal Wellness. The dogs were quite excited by the packages of prizes which arrived ( more excited by the toys and treats than by the shampoo and poop bags). We’ve been giving out poop bags to our dog owner friends, and will bring some to the trailheads where we hike. The dog food is great, but I am a bit hesistant about the dried catfish skin chews…I mean, dog breath is not great to begin with, and add old fish….

Is it all mine????? Nope. We’re going to share with some other dogs….

#2  No photo…but a personal accomplishment. We have discovered that having a nice,high quality canoe means more canoe maintenance…never had to buy tung oil or nu-finish for the Old Towns, and we are proud of how we keep the canoe clean and safe. We recently somehow lost one of the flotation tank plugs, and Swift Canoe quickly sent us a replacement. But the new style plug is a different size, and did not seem to fit. The folks at Swift were very helpful and understanding…but they said I had to drill into the tank…Yikes, drill into our beautiful canoe?? Well, I am proud to say I successfully completed this task…without causing any damage! A little thing, but for me, a tool dunce, a nice accomplishment.

#1  Back to our Double-Dip, and the highlight of the past few weeks…after a very nice, adequate paddle on our initial destination , we decided to head south and check out another, larger lake. Wow, this was great! We discovered Bristol Pond,with an amazing channel through marshes and great bird habitat…though we had not planned to go paddling for a second trip, this one looked too good to pass up. So back we went into the boat, and had a great time. Many Great Blue Herons, lots of geese, kingfishers, and other birds were keeping the dogs interest. We passed a fisherman, who had just caught a 12 inch bass…he seemed startled to see that we had TWO dogs in our boat. We will definitely return to this lake another day.

We did not load from the dock…there is a nice sandy/muddy launch area.

A beautiful day!

Mr. Heron….

Some local flora.

Our trusty Swift Kipawa…with it’s new float tank plug!

We’ve been quite busy on the water lately…we’ve tried out a few different ponds and lakes, all within 45 minutes from our home.  The dogs get quite excited when they see the paddling gear get put in the car!  We’ve continued to see quite a collection of wildlife on our paddling trips…still lots of loons, but also osprey, eagles, geese, kingfishers, deer, beavers…the dogs express appropriate levels of curiosity at these critters, but thankfully do not get agitated, nor try to jump out of the boat.

At Wolcott Pond, lots of flowering lily pads, and LOTS of Canada Geese!

At Zach Woods Pond, we watched, but did not harass, the loon parents and their baby.

We’ve paddled quite a bit on our local large reservoir, and camped on one of the remote sites that are on a “first come, first served” basis. We were fortunate to have 2 mid-week days available, so we could avoid the weekend crush. With only about 20 sites, it is risky to load up the boat, paddle a few miles, and find out that someone else has already staked out the site. These sites have traditionally been renegade sites, unregulated, and not monitored by the state parks system. This means there have been issues with sanitation, trash, loud parties, and folks fighting over the sites…this year, there is a “floating ranger” from the nearby state park, who is monitoring the remote sites. We have definitely noted an improvement in the condition of these sites, some of which are really great spots for a short camping trip. After making camp, we spent a few hours paddling north. We had a nice on-water chat with Terry, the floating ranger..we then headed north to check out some great potential sites for our next trip.

The heavy rain stayed just far enough south…we had a nice sunset, and after a miniscule little shower, we had a nice rainbow.

Edgar would really prefer to be sitting in his dad’s lap ( but no, not when we are in the Helinox chair!)

Paddling up the northern arm of the reservoir…checking out a potential site for our next trip!

Edgar has the most amazing canoe entry technique…he is so smooth, when he lands, the boat barely moves!

Our campsite…high above the peaceful water

Thanks to the dogs, we were up early enough to catch a lovely pink sunrise

Loaded up, and ready to head home….

Then, of course, I have been excited to do quite a bit of paddling, in order to get used to my new paddle…an early birthday present ( so it could be used during paddling season!). I am the proud owner of a Bending Branches Limited Edition A paddle…not just an ergonomically designed, lightweight, smooth paddle, but an absolute work of art!

My bow-paddler (aka husband) knew that I would much prefer such a paddle over fancy jewelry or other gifts, which are often used to mark such a “momentous” birthday….

We have had over 25 paddle excursions this year…last season, we did not hit that mark until mid-September. We have a few more trips planned, and if the weather cooperates, we will paddle until the end of October. Everyone ( human and canine) in our crew really seem to enjoy canoeing…what fun we have had!

Short Post this week, but trying to keep to the weekly schedule!

After our adventure trip to Maine, we took it easy on our return weekend and the following week. The usual daily bike rides took place early, before the unpleasant hot and muggy temperatures hit. One day, we were able to take the dogs out for a nice 2.5 hour hike, on a trail with lots of water. It also let me return to the site of my nasty fall a week or so earlier…to conquer that tricky river bed!

The dogs cavort in the cool water!

So, this is the rocky river bed which led to this…..

Nope, changed my mind. No one wants to see a photo of a nasty 6 inch purple bruise!

Griff and I headed out one morning at 5:30 am…to hike our backyard peak in the cool of the morning. Well, it was a bit muggy and hot, but we were off the mountain by 8:15, before the oppressive humidity hit.

About 6:45 am….as the sun rises over the  mountains

Great views, from a not-so large mountain!

The rest of the week’s hikes were on local trail networks…wooded, and a bit more cool than mountaintops. The dogs appreciate getting out in any weather,  and we are fortunate to have great trails nearby. One one of these short hikes, we encountered a barred owl , sitting on a branch doing some late afternoon reconnaissance. I never would have seen it, except for the silent alert by the dogs.

Mr. Owl watching us….

We were able to take a mid-week paddling trip to a 350 acre pond in NH…it is a “quiet” water ( no power boats allowed), has wonderful islands, and many loons and other wildlife that frequent it’s water and shores. It has become a bit “too” popular to paddle on weekends, so we were lucky to get an early start on a Friday.

Gryphon was not sure whether to eat the newt, or play with it….he did leave it alone after a quick sniff!

We put in at the nice, sandy, easy launch area…managing to avoid any confrontation with the snapping turtle swimming nearby. We had a great paddle, saw lots of loons, and re-routed the canoe a few times to steer clear.( We did see a pair of kayakers who were not maintaining their distance from the loons!)

Loons off the starboard bow

Without camping gear in the boat. Griff can sprawl, taking up his fair share of the boat!

Smooth paddling today!

Our friends, the loons.

Two dogs in a boat…if not for his orange life-jacket, you could never see Edgar!

So the summer progresses, and we try to keep busy. We were fortunate to have a lucky week, that will benefit our outdoor excursions. In two separate contests ( twitter/facebook), we were the lucky winners!

A new Osprey day-pack has joined our arsenal, courtesy of the American Hiking Association, and Moosejaw Mountaineering. It also came with a Granite Gear soft dog frisbee, so the pups are happy.

And, for my very tall husband, I won a beautiful Big Agnes XXLong sleeping bag, just by entering a comment on the Sierra Trading Post blog! Now we’ll have to head out on another camping trip, to give the new gear a try-out! Here’s hoping for a safe week!

Proudly waving the US and Paddle Pups flags!

We scouted this area of Maine last March, when it was 20 below zero, and covered in a deep blanket of snow. No snow this week, just sun, hot, muggy, and one morning of torrential rain.

We spent the first four days on Aziscohos Lake ( also spelled Aziscoos), about 20 miles west of Rangeley, the nearest town. Our usual paddling waters range from 600-800 acres…Aziscohos is nearly 7000 acres—our first “big water” paddling trip. The wave and wind action of this long north/south lake made for some interesting, but quite fun paddling. The rocky shores were beautiful, and home to an abundance of wildlife. We saw the whole size spectrum of birds…from hummingbirds to bald eagles soaring over our shoreline campsites.

Our site, as seen from the water….

Gryphon, relaxing in the late day sun….

Miles and miles of lake…all to ourselves!

We spent most of the week on Beaver Island, a 20 acre island, about 1.5 miles from the access point…no cell phone service, of course, and we had the lake mostly to ourselves.
There was one other camper on the other side of the island…ironically, we met him paddling, when we think our 2 canoes were the only boats on the whole lake! In fact, during our 4 days, I think we saw 5 or 6 fishing boats, 3 kayaks, and one other canoe…that was it!

Our gear, hanging at the campsite sign….

The Swift, ready to head on out….

The dogs were unleashed, and though they could run free, they stayed close to us ( after all, we had the food!). Of course, we did have one particularly brazen red squirrel, who would run right up to the dogs and taunt them with his ch-ch-ch voice. Finally, our pups had enough, and off they went, scrambling down to the shoreline, chasing it with great loud barking exclamations. Thankfully, Gryphon responds quite well to a stern “BREAK!”, and has a great recall. Edgar, our “wild child” actually returned when called…even if it was not on the first try! After that, they had to spend a bit of time on their lines..it was getting dark, and we did not want to be chasing them over slippery rocks, roots, and hills!

Tug of War was definitely the dog’s favorite campsite game….(that, and chase the squirrel)

We had quite a rain storm arrive during one night, and the next morning we hunkered down in the tent during 4 hours of deluge. Thankfully, we had books, and the dogs were happy to sleep. By afternoon, the skies had cleared, and the lake had calmed enough for a paddle. There was quite an impressive sunset that evening, and we were able to partially dry some of the wet gear. Some of us went swimming…others just relaxed on the impressive rock that jutted out from our campsite, watching the loons and eagles.

The dogs slept through most of the rain..at least we had no thunder and lightning!

Post-rain paddle around very rocky shores

Relaxing after the storm

Sunset at Aziscohos

On Thursday, we packed up early, and paddled out….we wanted to do some hiking, especially in areas where we had been snowshoeing in March. We also had reservations at a dog-friendly hotel in Rangeley, where we had stayed in March…then, we had done kicksledding right out the door, onto the frozen lake. This time, we planned to canoe, putting the boat in the water 100 feet from our door. We had 3 total hikes this trip, none too long, and we did not see any bears or moose. We did see some rather large fresh moose tracks on one trail….the dogs were very interested.

Tossing gear DOWN to the canoe to leave, was definitely easier than off-loading it up a short steep ledge!

This rock was under the snow in March!

Cascade trails mean water! Happy dog!

A lovely trail…though the steep sections and rocks were very slick from the rain. We decided not to climb Bald Mt., due to the wet hiking conditions.

This is the exact spot we were kicksledding last march…when the lake was frozen!

This trip was quite the experience…a few days cut-off from any communication with the outside world, 12 hours of torrential rain, much of it in a tent with 2 dogs!, challenging paddling conditions which we faced with confidence, all factors contributing to a successful vacation,. We came home healthy and safe, and looking forward to the next adventures!

Wheww…that was close! That expression was muttered more than once in the past few weeks, but we’ve survived with only minor injuries, and a mostly dry boat.

A recent spate of oppressive heat and humidity has limited our hiking activity…and the holiday weekends (Canada Day and USA 4th of July) have resulted in crowded waterways. After an early morning paddle last weekend, we let the dogs practice their natatorial skills. Neither of them despite their obvious Labrador heritage, is an avid swimmer, so we like to have them get more comfortable swimming with their life jackets on…Just in case.

At the house, their Labrador instincts do kick in, and the kiddie pool is recognized as a place to stand, and cool off!

We had planned an “international paddling day” for July 4th. That is, paddle two lakes near the Canadian border, the second of which involves paddling across the border. A few phone calls to US Border Patrol, and CBSA in Canada, and we were legally ready for the trip. However, Mother Nature had different plans, and the 4th was a stormy, rainy day. We were able to get to a parade, and the dogs were quite well behaved, despite the obvious chaos and noise.

Our trip was postponed again, when July 5th was marked by the tail end of Hurricane Arthur, and high wind warnings. To keep it simple, we headed off for a few hours to a trail network near our home. Usually a simple, uneventful few hours, but not today….After letting the dogs splash around in the river, and taking the obligatory photos, we headed back to the trail. I inadvertently stepped on a loose river rock, and tumbling down I went. Initial fears that I had broken my femur were unfounded, thankfully….after a short break, I hobbled the few miles back to the car, the proud owner of a lovely deep bruise, 5 inches across. Silly, when I think of all the tough climbs we have done, and I wipe-out on a river bed.

So, early Sunday morning, we are a determined crew heading off to the Northeast Kingdom. A light breeze is blowing, but the skies are sunny, T’Pau ( our GPS) has our route mapped, and in 2 hours we are .25 miles south of the Canadian border.

Flying both flags, of course….

We put in at the state fishing access, and paddle a narrow channel out to the main body of the small (500 acres) lake. A family of ducks accompanies us, so the dogs are quite alert.

We start paddling into the gentle wind, not quite sure where the border is (no signs out on the lake!). We make a call to CBSA marine reporting, but of course, the cell phone coverage is nil, so our Canadian Invasion has begun without official authorization! The lake is quiet, though we note it is more “built-up” with camps and cottages than most of our paddling destinations.

Since the wind seems mild, we decide to go up the west side, cross by a marshy area, and paddle down the east side, back to the USA. All is going fine, until we notice the wind pick up, and gusts begin to blow quite firmly. The sky to the north is darkening (despite the forecast), and the tail wind we have begins to be accompanied by larger waves and a cross wind. We keep heading south, steering and quartering the boat as best we can, often having to paddle on the same side of the boat; realizing there is no safe way to now cross the broad lake, we head for a beach on the southeastern end of the lake. We think that it is on the US shore, but we figure if we create an international incident, so be it….

The Swift Kipawa was great…we were rocking and rolling, (reminded me of my old whitewater days) but the dogs were calm, it never rained, and we were able to keep heading to our destination. About 100 feet off-shore, we ran into a great mess of swells; the boat tipped onto it’s left gunwale, while we counterbalanced, and I paddled for all I was worth. Amazingly, we did not capsize, though it was clearly the closest we have ever come. We came ashore, (on US soil), and found only about a gallon of water in the boat…

Safely ashore!

We had made the wise decision to come ashore when we did…as Griff and I walked the 1.5 miles west to retrieve the car, the dark clouds lightened, the sun came out again….but seeing the whitecaps and waves clearly reinforced our decision!

Well, the dry bags kept our passports and rabies certificates dry!

We did check out the other lake we had thought of paddling…but the winds had picked up, well over 20 mph, with gusts higher, so we stayed on land and had our picnic lunch. And of course, the dogs were so well behaved in trying conditions, that they deserved a stop for a creemee on the way home.