First Paddle of the Season
2018 April 22
We're finally getting some nice spring weather. So we got the canoes out of winter storage yesterday and went for our first paddle of the season on the Chalk River this morning. The air was cool, but the sun was warm and the wind non-existant.

(photo by Diana: 2018-04-21 - explore)
Getting the canoes out of winter storage with Bob contemplating our driveway.

(photo by Diana: 2018-04-22 - explore)
First paddle of the season. From the Corry Lake bridge to the beaver dam and return. Here's the view from the bridge looking downstream towards Hwy. 17.

(photo by Diana: 2018-04-22 - explore)
This view is from the bridge up into Corry Lake.

(photo by Diana: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
The Corry Lake bridge.

(photo by Bob: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
Along the shore at the outlet of Corry Lake.


(photo by Bob: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
Diana photographing the edge of ice on Corry Lake.

(photo by Diana: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
The edge of ice with with geese.

(photo by Bob: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
"We're out of here."

(photo by Bob: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
The edge of ice on Corry Lake. We're still at the stage where we get melting during the day and cat ice formation at night. -4C last night.

(photo by Diana: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
We turned around and paddled downstream to the beaver dam but no farther. No problem going downstream farther but it might be a challenge coming back up. And there's no solid ground on either shore for a lift over. Too cold for a swim.

(photo by Diana: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
A nice grove of jack pine just upstream of the beaver dam.

(photo by Diana: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
A very large beaver house. No doubt the dam owners live here.

(photo by Diana: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
A Compton Tortoise Shell Butterfly resting on the beaver house. (We saw another one around our house later in the afternoon.)

(photo by Diana: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
Looking upstream on the Chalk River.



(photo by Diana: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
A pair of nesting Canada geese. This is the guard goose. The first strategy is to keep a low profile and hope we don't see it.

(photo by Diana: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
"Okay, I've been seen. So I'll just sidle slowly off this way, away from the nest."

(photo by Diana: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
The brooding goose on the nest. We don't have high hopes for this nest. It will probably get flooded as the river rises to its normal spring levels.


(photo by Diana: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
Cat ice along the river's edge.

(photo by Diana: 2018-04-22 - map - explore)
Approaching our launch point, the Corry Lake bridge.
Chalk River Corry Lake (Petawawa Research Forest) Corry Lake Bridge (Chalk River) Point Alexander