North Lake and Little Mere

I took a trip to North Lake and Little Mere a week ago. Access can be a bit tricky and DIY so I put directions here. The lake was in good shape, with no weed growth yet and a decent water level.

I went in at at the culvert where Range Road 13 intersects Township Road 540. This is steep and a touch tricky. Then I paddle through the sunken forest and out into the lake.

One of the nicest spots on the lake in on the south side where the outflow should be but has been dammed up by beavers. There is a small inlet that is shaded by trees.

 

I did a quick circuit of the lakes. there was a lot of waterfowl, including geese and loons and grebes. No signs of the beavers, except for their lodge.

The day was hot (+25C in early May) and the sky was almost cloudless. I never seen anyone on this lake and today was no exception.

I did get to wave at the horses. They were curious but a bit skittish, referring to keep some distance from the kayak.

I took out a bit further east than I put in as it looked easier to exit here. This still was a rather athletic disembarking to get out dry footed. 

Overall, a nice paddle. I'm not sure I'd go back any time soon. After three or four visits, I think I've seen pretty much all the lake has to offer.

North Saskatchewan, Quesnel to Fort Edmonton

I took a long lunch the first week of May and did a quick run up the North Saskatchewan, from the Quesnel Bridge to the Fort Edmonton footbridge and back.

There was still a bit of ice on the edges in the shade but otherwise the river was fine and running at summer levels. No sign of higher water from the spring melt yet.

It was a very hot day (+30) and the you could just smell the wildfires to the west of town.

There wasn't much or wildlife. A couple ducks, a muskrat and a fish jumping were all there around.

Overall, a nice paddle for early spring. If I get time, I'll see what Emily Murphy launch looks like.

Spring Lake

With the temperature at +31C on May 1 (!!!), I hauled the kid out to Spring Lake for a paddle before she heads off to work in the mountains for the summer. Access is tricky and I've put directions in this post.

The water level was lower this year than last so the launch was a touch mucky and smelly (although we got in and out with dry feet). It started out reasonably sunny but then quickly clouded over, which brought some welcome relief from the heat.

There were a couple of other paddlers on the lake but mostly it was just us, waterfowl, and frogs. The noise of the frogs was incredible. Ditto the loons staking out breeding territory and, of course, the ever-angry geese.

We did a tour of the lake in about 90 minutes without really trying very hard. Lots of weeds for so early in the year and lots of birds. 

Overall, a nice paddle in unexpectedly nice weather. Sunnier would have been nice but the moody clouds were also pretty. Maybe a lake to get hit earlier this year, given the water levels.

Muir Lake

Kayaking season got started a bit later this year. Winter hung on and then the Sturgeon was low and had a sewage release warning so I waiting until the lakes melted out. Yesterday, I got out to Muir Lake for a shakedown cruise in my new (to me) boat.

The gate to the boat launch was still locked (fishing season does not open until May 1) but it was only 200 feet to carry down to the beach. It looks like they have replaced the interpretative signage on the pathway.

The water was clean and it was very sunny. Some wind picked up later in the paddle.

An osprey dove and caught a fish right in front of me. I managed to snag a couple of shots of it flying away to eat its lunch.

 Lots of evidence of beaver activity but no sign of them out and about.

There were lots of birds, though. I spotted this heron fishing.

And then there were lots of loons, mergansers, mallards, geese, and a couple of other I couldn't see well enough to identify. No eagles today but there were snow geese flying over.

A lovely paddle and hats off to the dad in the inflatable dingy paddling his kid back to shore in one of the stiffest breezes I've ever paddled in. That guy did an amazing job of grinding up wind!

2022 wrap-up

This brings us to the end of the 2022 paddling season. I managed to get in 62 paddles this year (last paddles was right before Hallowe'en), including hitting 18 new lakes. We had really lovely trips to Waskesui (in Saskatchewan) and Lac La Biche.

I'm not sure what 2023 holds. I'm hopeful we'll get some additional time to explore the mountains and maybe head into the SE portion of British Columbia for a bit.

North Saskatchewan, Laurier to Dawson

In early October, we took a trip through Edmonton on the North Saskatchewan to enjoy the fall colours. This was also my 50th paddle of the year and, perhaps, our last (depending on what the weather does).

We put in at Laurier after lunch and the the launch and the river were hopping. 

Both the water and the leaves were great, although we ran into some headwinds as we made our way to the Groat bridge.

After that, it was pretty clear sailing. The water was shallow from the Groat to the Waterdale bridges.

I know the high level bridge is large but it always surprises me just how large the piers are.

The Edmonton Queen was moored back at its usual spot after two winters up by Fort Edmonton having its hull repaired.

We eventually pulled out at the Dawson launch (which was also busy). 

Overall, a very pretty run down the river at the height of the autumn colour. If that is the end of the season, I think we had a good one.

Lac Ste. Anne, West Cove Launch

At the end of September, I put in at the West Cove boat launch on Lac Ste Anne off Range Road 43 (green arrow). It looks like there is another launch a mile to the east, on what would be Range Road 42 but is called Boat Launch Road (pink arrow). Both give access to the second west-most basin of the lake (see below).

My plan was to paddle up one side of the long island (Farming Island) and down the other if the lake was calm. If not, I was going to go to the west side of the lake. It was quite rainy when I left town but the clouds cleared as I got there and the lake was glassy calm. 

There was no one at the boat launch (although there were a few cars in the lot). Launch has a small cement ramp, a gravely beach, a dock, garbage, and a pit toilet. There was just a tiny bit of blue-green algae in the water (looked like someone had sprinkled dill weed or grass clippings). The beach was shallow so I got in dry footed.

I went of the beach and crossed about 500m to the island and then went up the west side, Mostly a reedy shore.

The amount of algae increased the further I got into the lake and it was pretty green in places.

I worked by way to the north end of the island and the paddled across to the the Alexis First Nation shore.

There was a big beaver lodge here. I then paddled back to the island,

I noticed this sandy beach and grassy spot on the northern tip. This is probably the best spot for accessing the island that I saw.

I then went back down the east side of the island and, with the sun behind me and the smooth water, the colours were crazy pretty.

Maybe about 6km round trip. The picture below is the boat launch from the water.

A great paddle and probably one of my top three paddles of the summer.