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Canoe is great way to explore wilderness
Paddling up a lazy river is an ideal way to spend a summer afternoon and there's no better place to do it than Ontario. There's plenty of opportunities as this province has 20 per cent of the world's fresh water and thousands of lakes and rivers. And, after all, the canoe is a Canadian icon like the beaver and maple leaf, according to the folks at the recently expanded Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, which pays homage to the watercraft. From quiet lakes and meandering rivers and streams to raging northern rivers, Ontario has the world's best paddling waters, says Judy Hammond, publicist for Paddling Ontario, an alliance of adventure travel providers. Available options are flatwater canoeing, river canoeing trips, sea kayak packages, whitewater canoeing and kayaking, lodge-based packages, "planes, trains and paddles" and self-guided packages throughout nine paddling regions of the province. The First Nations developed the canoe more than 800 years ago with such a perfect design that its shape remains the same today. In a vast country covered with forests, the lakes and rivers were the only sensible routes to travel back then. This delicate craft was adopted as the primary mode of transportation by the early French and English to explore, trade and settle throughout the continent. These days, as urban residents flee the cities in search of wilderness, the cottage and camping experience has become an important part of summer, and the canoe has its place in it. Here are some options to get away from it all and head out on the water: GRAND EXPERIENCES: This canoe and kayak outfitter offers trips along the Grand River from its base in Paris. There are great day trip offerings, including family paddles in big northern canoes and guides who incorporate natural and cultural history into their storytelling, Hammond said. Among the most popular trips are along the Grand from Cambridge to Paris, taking five hours; Glen Morris to Paris, three hours and Paris to Brant Park, 2.5 hours. There's also a Nith River option from Canning to Paris for a "smaller, more intimate river, off the beaten track," taking four hours. The guided day trips, with lunch, follow the river through ancient Carolinian forests, 19th century villages and native lands where osprey, deer and blue heron can be seen along with rare species of flora and fauna. Also offered are learn-to-canoe or kayak packages with guides, bike rentals, and overnight packages, including a stay at the recently restored 150-year-old Arlington Hotel in Paris, located at the forks of the Grand and Nith rivers. THORNCREST OUTFITTERS: Based near Southampton (with another location in nearby Hanover), this is an outdoor adventure centre for canoe, kayak, bicycle, hiking, birding and winter pursuits. Among their offerings are sunset kayak paddling around the Chantry Island lighthouse, canoeing and kayaking trips on the Saugeen -- the third-longest river in Ontario -- and the Rankin River, just north of Sauble Beach. There's also paddling off Lake Huron's sandy shores, and overnight package options at bed-and-breakfast establishments. VOYAGEUR QUEST: This outfit offers wilderness trips year-round in Algonquin Park and throughout Northern Ontario. Algonquin is a popular destination for a variety of guided adventures, including three- and seven-day canoe trips, and three- and five-day lodge-based hiking and wildlife viewing. Return transportation is provided from Toronto along with all meals, camping, canoeing equipment and professional guides. No previous experience is necessary for most of the trips. KAWARTHA KAYAKING: It provides the chance to enjoy "soft adventure" trips around the 1,100 islands of Stony Lake from Lakefield, northeast of Peterborough. There are one-day and overnight experiences that are particularly good for those who are eager to try sea kayaking for the first time, Hammond said. The lake is on the Trent-Severn Waterway. Visitors can also choose hiking and cave exploration, and bed-and-breakfast packages. FOR MORE INFORMATION: For Grand Experiences, call 1-888 258-0441 or 1-519-442-3654; on the Web: www.grand-experiences.com; write: 113 Grand River St. N., Paris, Ont., N3L 2M4. For Thorncrest Outfitters, call 1-888-34-KAYAK (345-2925), 1-519-797-1608 (in Southampton) or 1-519-364-5838 (Hanover); on the Web: www.thorncrestoutfitters.com Write: 193 High St., Southampton, Ont., NOH 2L0. For Voyageur Quest, call 1-800-794-9660 or 1-416-486-3605; on the Web: www.voyageurquest.com For Kawartha Kayaking, call 1-877-877-2735 or 1-705-877-2735; on the Web: www.kawarthakayaking.com The outfitters offer pick-up and drop-off shuttle service. Grand Experiences will even pick up paddlers arriving by Via Rail at the nearby Brantford train station. Paddling Ontario has a comprehensive Web site at www.paddlingOntario.com and a brochure available at tourism offices. For more information about the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, with a collection of more than 550 canoes and kayaks, (featured in an earlier One-Tank Trip column) check the Web site: www.canoemuseum.net or call 1-705-748-9153. Write: 910 Monaghan Rd., Peterborough, Ont. K9J 5K4. |
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| Photos by: Rob Stimpson (lead image), Eckhart Matthäus & Ontario Tourism |
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