Second Chain Lake (Morningside)

In late May, I drove SE of Ponoka to try out the Chain Lakes. I put in on the southern lake and didn't get to the northern one. The Chain Lakes by Ponoka shouldn't be confused with the Chain Lakes Provincial Park and reservoir between Pincher Creek and Long View.

The easiest access is east off Highway 2 at the Morningside underpass onto Secondary Highway 604. This turn into Township Road 420 at Morningside. Just keep going east. It eventually turns to gravel and, if you start throwing a bow wave, you went too far. Access is through a Habitat preserve on the north side of the road and down a steep gravel road that has been catted out of the hillside.

At the bottom, there a boat launch, a big parking space about 30 feet up the hill from the water, two portapotties, and some garbage cans. Everything was in good repair when I was there.

The lake is down in a deep valley and has a bit of an alpine feel to it. There was no cell coverage in the parking lot but you could get a signal on the dock and on the water. The water was clear and clean. There were a lot of aquatic bugs and whatnot in the lake so it would be a bit gross for swimming, I think.

The lake is about 2.5km long and maybe 100m across. I went north of the boat launch and this is basically what you get the whole way.

The shoreline is all private owned and there is some docks and such. The north end is a bit of a swamp. Google maps suggests you can paddle through this to the northern lake. I'm not so sure. It was very reedy and log choked here. I did see a young bald eagle cruising the waterfowl, looking for breakfast.

The east side is more deciduous and prairie-lake like. Maybe a fire went down the eastern side 30 years ago? Anyhow, it was pretty enough. Lots of moose and deer poop and prints but no animals. 

The south end of the lake ends in reeds. The water seems to flow through to Magee Lake to the south, but I don't think you could paddle through the fens.

The only weedy part was the SW corner of the lake and this was "charming weedy" rather than "gross weedy".

Overall, a very nice lake. It took me just under 2 hours to paddle the whole shoreline at a very stately pace. It was maybe 6km around (maybe a touch less). I saw two boats out drift casting and otherwise it was empty.

Wakomao Lake

In late May, I drove up to Clyde to put in at Wakamao Lake (about 7 miles east of town on Highway 18). I've been eyeing this lake for awhile but only recently saw some good instructions about how to get on it. Access is a bit DIY. Parking is on the shoulder of hHghway 18, just west of the bridge (yellow boxes below).

Googlemaps doesn't convey the slope of the ditches very well. The southern box is a fairly gentle slope; the northern box is a steeper angle and you need to get to the bottom to park. I parked on the south side to check out the northern slope (steep but manageable), the parking space (firm the day I was there) and access point (really good) on foot and eventually just carried the boat a couple of hundred feet across the road rather than move my car. Highway traffic was light so it is no problem to get across.

The launch is a small, sandy beach that looks like the access point for ice fishing in the winter (tire ruts). The water is pretty yellowy-green so I opted to get in and out with dry feet. I would bet this is more of a spring paddle before the weeds get started. In places on the west side, the lake had a very swampy smell.

I made it half way up the lake along the west shore before I decided to turn around. Lots of birds and some beavers but otherwise pretty uninteresting.

There are a number of islands. Some are low and boggy while others have some height and trees. The lake is shallow at the edges and around the islands so it can require a bit of looking to find a place to take out dry footed.

The eastern side of the lake is hillier and has more trees and there were a lot of deer here. Some eating in the forest and at the edges of the fields. Others were frolicking in the water.

At the south end of the lake, there is a bridge that lets you access a slow, winding stream. This eventually becomes the Red Water River and dumps into the North Saskatchewan, but that would be a multi-day paddle, I'd bet.

To the east of the bridge is this tower. I'm told it was built for bird watching. I gives off a bit of a haunted lighthouse vibe, to be honest.

Just as I was about to pull out, this duck paddled right up to me, apparently unconcerned (or dozing?). It got within arms reach before it figured out I was a person and then it freaked out.

Overall, a nicer paddle that I would have guessed. Thanks to the folks on Facebook for the tips about accessing it.

Lac Ste. Anne, West Cove Launch

For Mother's Day, we took a trip to Lac Ste. Anne, using the West Cove boat launch. The launch was deserted and the water was super clean.

We paddled north to Farming Island, basically following the west shore of the island to the north side of the lake. The island looks like a glacial moraine (or maybe an esker).

It was smoking hot on the water at 10 am (like +24C) but a south wind picked up. 

We had a bit of a rough paddle back to the south shore down the east side of the island but it was a lovely trip. 

If I go back, I'd like to beach on the island and walk around bit. I think I read there are two geocaches on the island.

Since we were in the neighbourhood, we continued on to the Lu Carbyn Nature Sanctuary that is operated by the Edmonton and Area Land Trust. We've volunteered to count loons for them on one of the lakes here and thought we go get the lay of the land. No loons, but we saw three frogs, two trumpeter swans, and one large pile of cougar poop!

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!