North Saskatchewan, Emily Murphy Launch

I got out at lunch the week before last on the North Saskatchewan. No sign of spring run off so I put in at Emily Murphy. The launch here remains a bit crappy. The ice trail leads down to a dock that isn't in so you've got to scramble across some rocks to get down. The bad trail (below) is crazy steep.

The river was nice and low so it was an say grind upstream for 45 minutes or so.

I got as far upstream as the MacKenzie outflow and then floated back with the ducks.

Lots of beaver activity, including this slide.

Downtown amid partial clouds.

A new rock to play below has come available just upstream of the Groat bridge on the south side of the river. The river is also low enough that gravel bars are almost exposed.

I'm hopeful to a run through the city before the water rises.

Devil's Lake

We popped out to Devil's Lake out by Onoway last weekend. It was a gorgeous day and the lake was good. The boat launch (below) was in good shape. It was a bit busy when we arrived around lunch but there was plenty of parking. The lake was about the same level as last fall but, according to one fisherman, several feet below last spring?

We paddled along the north shore towards the outlet into the Sturgeon River.

There was lots of room to go under the bridge (not so last spring, said the fisherman). 

We floated maybe a kilometre downstream past beaver dams and such. Lots of ducks and shorebirds and red-winged blackbirds.

There was evidence of beavers but none to be seen. We did find a muskrat back in the lake.

And two pelicans, some marbled godwins (not pictured) and a lot of ducks and coots.

Overall, a super nice day with no wind.

Definitely worth the trip if the weather is good. A few more weeks until the trees are fully leafed out,

Muir Lake

We've been paddling on the Sturgeon while we've waited (and waited) for the ice to come off the lakes. We snuck out to Muir Lake on Tuesday night after dinner.

The birds were incredibly active, pairing up and nesting on the island. We saw a huge number of loons plus what I think was an Osprey overhead carrying a fish.

There were a few folks out finishing but we mostly had the lake to ourself.

It was a bit cool as the sun started to set but very happy to be back on the water.

I'm hopeful the weather will cooperate and I can get out to Johnny's Lake next.