Moon River Pics
09-03-2009, 11:07 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Moon River Pics
I've finally found the time to select & upload our pics from our last camping trip to Moon River, Ontario, so here they are, with the usual running commentary.
I've been going to this river since I was 2 or 3. I think I didn't miss a year from then until I was 27. I'm amazed how little of the place changes. A little more erosion in the campsites, and that's about it. Otherwise, every rock, tree and swirl in the river is still there next time I go.
The family truckster (my father's) that got us there and back. With all the food, 4.3 people, and our gear, the car was really weighed down. Here we're refueling before crossing the border into Canada.
This is the view from the first falls that we have to get past to get up river. (This is looking from the falls itself back the way we came).
As we head up river, I snapped this pic of my paddling helpers.
As we head up river, occasionally we come across some rapids that we can just pull the canoes up, and don't have to empty them out and carry everything, (like we did at the falls). We use the canal boat method when possible with ropes on either side to minimize the risk of slamming the canoes into the rocks (especially important for my carbon fiber beauty!)
Anika spent some time the first day practicing her casting. She was pretty good at the end of the trip last year, so it didn't take her long to get the hang of it again. She didn't catch anything, but a surface lure in this area is rarely effective to catch
anything. Too deep.
...more to come....
I've been going to this river since I was 2 or 3. I think I didn't miss a year from then until I was 27. I'm amazed how little of the place changes. A little more erosion in the campsites, and that's about it. Otherwise, every rock, tree and swirl in the river is still there next time I go.
The family truckster (my father's) that got us there and back. With all the food, 4.3 people, and our gear, the car was really weighed down. Here we're refueling before crossing the border into Canada.
This is the view from the first falls that we have to get past to get up river. (This is looking from the falls itself back the way we came).
As we head up river, I snapped this pic of my paddling helpers.
As we head up river, occasionally we come across some rapids that we can just pull the canoes up, and don't have to empty them out and carry everything, (like we did at the falls). We use the canal boat method when possible with ropes on either side to minimize the risk of slamming the canoes into the rocks (especially important for my carbon fiber beauty!)
Anika spent some time the first day practicing her casting. She was pretty good at the end of the trip last year, so it didn't take her long to get the hang of it again. She didn't catch anything, but a surface lure in this area is rarely effective to catch
anything. Too deep.
...more to come....
09-03-2009, 11:08 AM
#2
Thread Starter
The water level was rising at this point. It appeared that the dam a few miles upstream had been opened more than usual amount due to recent rains. While we were having lunch (and Anika was running around the rocks) the water rose about a foot. We noticed when the little rapids below this area that we were able to paddle up were now way too fast. It was a fun ride down, though!
Ahhhhh, the outdoors! Smell the fresh air!
For the 2 weeks or so before we left, Anika kept reminding my father to not catch any fish until she had the chance to catch dinner. Well, she got her wish. The largest catch of the day was this Northern Pike. She pulled it in all by herself (with a little - OK a lot - coaching from dad). See the pride in her eyes!
This walleye was mine, and we also had it for dinner, but I caught it AFTER she got the pike, so Dad wasn't in the doghouse with Anika.
It was delicious, too!
No tables, no chairs, just the rocks. We call that particular rock "Dinner Rock". It overlooks the waterfall and the pool below it. It's a great place to eat, watch the sunsets, and look at the stars, if we stay up that late.
...more to come....
Ahhhhh, the outdoors! Smell the fresh air!
For the 2 weeks or so before we left, Anika kept reminding my father to not catch any fish until she had the chance to catch dinner. Well, she got her wish. The largest catch of the day was this Northern Pike. She pulled it in all by herself (with a little - OK a lot - coaching from dad). See the pride in her eyes!
This walleye was mine, and we also had it for dinner, but I caught it AFTER she got the pike, so Dad wasn't in the doghouse with Anika.
It was delicious, too!
No tables, no chairs, just the rocks. We call that particular rock "Dinner Rock". It overlooks the waterfall and the pool below it. It's a great place to eat, watch the sunsets, and look at the stars, if we stay up that late.
...more to come....
09-03-2009, 11:09 AM
#3
Thread Starter
Here's a shot of the river looking upstream from the campsite. At this time, the water was up about 4-5 feet over normal.
We moved the canoes even further up the bank than you see my father's canoe now. The water was still rising, so we brought them up another 10 feet or so, and tied them securely to the trees, just in case.
This is part of the view from our Dinner Rock - the previous 2 pics were taken near the base of the pine in the foreground.
Random nature shot:
Hmm. No automatic dishwasher here, either. The manual dishwashers are good looking, though not so much when I help out.
I can't recall what she was doing here, but it made for a good shot.
Mmmm - a staple of our camping breakfasts - Spam & Mac n Cheese! Mmmm. Out there in the fresh air, cooked over a fire, this somehow works. I think at home I'd
...more to come....
We moved the canoes even further up the bank than you see my father's canoe now. The water was still rising, so we brought them up another 10 feet or so, and tied them securely to the trees, just in case.
This is part of the view from our Dinner Rock - the previous 2 pics were taken near the base of the pine in the foreground.
Random nature shot:
Hmm. No automatic dishwasher here, either. The manual dishwashers are good looking, though not so much when I help out.
I can't recall what she was doing here, but it made for a good shot.
Mmmm - a staple of our camping breakfasts - Spam & Mac n Cheese! Mmmm. Out there in the fresh air, cooked over a fire, this somehow works. I think at home I'd
...more to come....
09-03-2009, 11:10 AM
#4
Thread Starter
A view of our campsite. The tents are behind me. I realize now that I didn't take any photos at all of the whole campsite, so this will have to do.
Anika just loves playing with the local wildlife. Even the spiders.
The next morning. Since the water was so high (at least 10 feet above normal), we didn't risk getting into the canoes so close to the waterfall. Upstream, around the corner there's a path to the river, so we carried the canoes through the campsite to the other side.
The high water made for some spectacular cascades. We stopped by another waterfall for some photos.
One of the rare photos we have of myself and Virginija.
Fishing wasn't so good that day. With the water so high, all the fish get confused and tend to hide among the trees that are now underwater. Not easy places to fish, so the day was pretty relaxing overall. The river's surface was pretty messy though, with all the pine needles, clunmps of dirt & leaves that got washed off the shoreline.
...more to come....
Anika just loves playing with the local wildlife. Even the spiders.
The next morning. Since the water was so high (at least 10 feet above normal), we didn't risk getting into the canoes so close to the waterfall. Upstream, around the corner there's a path to the river, so we carried the canoes through the campsite to the other side.
The high water made for some spectacular cascades. We stopped by another waterfall for some photos.
One of the rare photos we have of myself and Virginija.
Fishing wasn't so good that day. With the water so high, all the fish get confused and tend to hide among the trees that are now underwater. Not easy places to fish, so the day was pretty relaxing overall. The river's surface was pretty messy though, with all the pine needles, clunmps of dirt & leaves that got washed off the shoreline.
...more to come....
09-03-2009, 11:11 AM
#5
Thread Starter
We like to stop for lunch at a place called The Gorge (Anika calls it the Gorgeous Gorge). Here she is, at peace with the world.
The sun feels good. Ommmmmmmmmm............
Lunchtime. Again, no tables or chairs, so you have to make the best of what you find.
One of Anika's favorite parts of camping at Moon River is swimming in the falls. With the water as high as it was, there were many more places to sit and let the water wash over you. Anika normally doesn't use any flotation devices any more while swimming, but with the fast current, we don't take any chances.
We always have a great time swimming together. She's always been a water baby - I think she gets that from me.
We just came back from a ride in the current. I tried it myself first to see if I could handle the rough water, then took her along for the ride. It was fun, but very tiring to get back to shore going across the current without getting washed too far downstream.
We always bring some fireworks for the evening. What kid doesn't love fireworks?
...more to come....
The sun feels good. Ommmmmmmmmm............
Lunchtime. Again, no tables or chairs, so you have to make the best of what you find.
One of Anika's favorite parts of camping at Moon River is swimming in the falls. With the water as high as it was, there were many more places to sit and let the water wash over you. Anika normally doesn't use any flotation devices any more while swimming, but with the fast current, we don't take any chances.
We always have a great time swimming together. She's always been a water baby - I think she gets that from me.
We just came back from a ride in the current. I tried it myself first to see if I could handle the rough water, then took her along for the ride. It was fun, but very tiring to get back to shore going across the current without getting washed too far downstream.
We always bring some fireworks for the evening. What kid doesn't love fireworks?
...more to come....
09-03-2009, 11:12 AM
#6
Thread Starter
On the way back down river to the car. The water was still very high. This waterfall had easaily 5-10 times the usual amount of water. That bubbling cauldron of a pool below the falls is usually a great place to swim. That day, though Anika begged me, we didn't even try it.
Doing the contemplative thing again. Ommmmmmmm.......
The family that canoes together.....
Anika, exhausted, waits for us to finish loading the car.
I have more photos online if you want to check them out:
Moon River Photo Gallery
JonasM
Doing the contemplative thing again. Ommmmmmmm.......
The family that canoes together.....
Anika, exhausted, waits for us to finish loading the car.
I have more photos online if you want to check them out:
Moon River Photo Gallery
JonasM
09-03-2009, 11:16 AM
#7
Lovely pics, Jonas. Great family time.
Thanks for not inviting me......
Thanks for not inviting me......
Trending Topics
09-03-2009, 03:00 PM
#10
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 10,478
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Anika just loves playing with the local wildlife. Even the spiders.
Beautiful pics.