of the parking lot. The lake, well separated from the main section of the park, has two beaches and numerous islands to explore. The main part of Bon Echo attracts more than 100,000 car campers every year, and includes a camp store, boat tours, guided hikes and interpretive programs. On our trip, we stayed an extra day to marvel at the dominant feature of the park: 100-metre cliffs towering above Mazinaw Lake. The cliffs, which inspired the Park’s name, feature petroglyphs painted by Aboriginals hundreds of years ago. A word of advice; rent a canoe outside the park. You’ll get a cleaner, less tippy vessel that way. Just north of Kingston, Frontenac Provincial Park offers 48 sites for the exclusive use of hikers and canoeists. Unfortunately, many sites are clumped so closely that smoke from one campfire often chokes campers at the next. However, a wonderful variety of hiking trails and canoe routes provides abundant opportuni-
ties to view wildlife. On our first trip to Frontenac a few years ago, we crested a hill during a hike to find two deer munching contentedly on grass not more than three metres away. They looked up casually, and sauntered away. The sight inspired us to schedule a return visit. The granddaddy park of them all is Algonquin Provincial Park, home to the finest canoeing in eastern North America. There are hundreds of beautiful interior campsites and a seemingly infinite number of potential routes. Within the park you’ll find craggy cliffs, spectacular waterfalls, serene lakes and rare plants and animals, along with rustic cabins and historic logging sites. If Algonquin has one drawback it’s the crowds of people you’ll encounter in July and early August. September is a spectacular time for a more serene visit. Rivière Noire, located on crown land in Quebec, empties into the Ottawa River near Fort Coulonge. River trips tend to be more complex,
as the start- and end-points are usually dozens of kilometres apart. A three-night trip here in 2002 turned our kids’ infatuation with canoe camping into a full-blown love affair. The section of the Noire we paddled meanders lazily back and forth, depositing massive quantities of fine sand along the way. For much of its length, the river is less than 15 metres wide and three metres deep, making it ideal for swimming. There are a few rapids along the way, but most are easily run with a little care. We camped on a different beach each night, waking to sultry mists that lingered until late morning. We saw only one other group during the whole trip. Just because you’re planning a family, doesn’t mean you have to give up the serenity and beauty of canoeing. Camping with children requires more preparation, but the benefits and fun outweigh the drawbacks. — Peter McKinnon is an avid canoe-camper living in the Ottawa area.
Photo by National Capital Commission
Survival Kids
Water Safety By Angie and Ryan Brown
Picture it… Youʼre at your cottage. Itʼs 35 degrees C outside, and youʼre boiling hot. What would you do? Most people would head for the lake at full throttle, and jump in. But that could be dangerous if you donʼt know the importance of water safety. We, the Survival Kids, will tell you how to stay safe this fall when around water. Letʼs consider five basic rules: 1. Never jump or dive into a lake until you know itʼs safe. And water levels can change...so check it out on each visit. Have an adult snorkel under water to make sure the water is deep enough and there are no rocks or sharp stuff. Otherwise you could injure yourself very badly by jumping into shallow water. 2. Generally try to avoid aggressive swimming after eating. Even though the they say to wait an hour in case cramps and stomach pains develop, we checked with some experts who say itʼs not a hard and fast rule. Eating a big meal also can make you tired — not a good thing when youʼre half way across a lake.
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O T TAWA O U T D O O R S FA L L
3. Stay in sight of people, and always make sure somebody knows where you are in case you get into trouble and need help. 4. If you get caught in weeds, try not to panic and donʼt kick as you may get more tangled. Start by yelling for help. If no one is near, or if no one notices, take a deep breath, duck underwater, and try to untangle them. 5. Make sure you know how to swim before you enter the water. Or, wear a floatation device.
If you learn some vital safety practices before you venture near open water, youʼll enjoy your outdoor experience more. Hey Kids!
Itʼs time to hear from you!
The Survival Kids want to hear from other kids who enjoy Ottawaʼs great outdoors. Send us your stories, photos, survival tips, etc. Weʼll even take recipes. Send it to us c/o of Ottawa Outdoors Magazine. We may even be able to get the publisher to “spring” for some prizes!
www.OttawaOutdoors.ca
