Kakabeka Falls
Sunday - 20 June 2004 - Kenora, Ontario, Canada:
We had a nice day! But, it was a big driving day - 350 miles! We
had a late start too, as DT went for a long run before we left and the
Oregonians camped next to us were fishing at the pond and the lady was
reeling in one huge fish after another! We had to watch! Right outside of
Thunder Bay is
Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park on the
Kaministiqua River - the "Niagara Falls of the North".
Kakabeka Falls
Kakabeka Falls
The Kaministiqua River below the falls
Your correspondent enjoying nature
After hiking around the falls - both sides - we left the
Trans-Canadian Highway and took the "M.O.M. (Manitoba, Ontario,
Minnesota) Loop" south on Highway 11 to Ft. Francis... making it
the "long way" to Kenora. This area is in the
Arctic Watershed - all waters flow north to the Arctic Ocean. We
entered the Central Time Zone. The drive wasn't one of the best of the past
week, but we must have passed two hundred lakes, and I am not exaggerating.
The roadside signs changed from French and English, to only English today.
All along the highway are stone towers - stacked a foot-tall to resemble a
human figure. These markers are Inukshuk, left by the First
Nation to ensure our safe passage through their lands and to remind us of
our dependence on each other.
The road was in terrible condition and we had an awful cross-wind most of
the day. We bumped and thumped so much a warning light kept coming on
telling us our entry steps were out. They weren't - just a loose wire, but
annoying to my Driver. Finally, about 20 miles outside of Ft. Francis, the
road became smooth and he only had to fight the crosswind! We continued past
lakes, ponds, streams, rivers and bogs. We saw one moose today!
We stopped near the U.S. border to re-supply at Ft. Francis. That sounds
quite rustic, doesn't it? Actually I went into the Safeway for a few
groceries while DT and Lisa chatted as she wished him a Happy Father's Day
from Singing Beach outside of Boston. It was the only time we had cellular
service all day.
Finally, we came into the Lake of the Woods area. Lake of
the Woods is actually hundreds of lakes all attached by little canals,
streams and channels. We saw pelicans and Lake Delaney! We
pulled over to a campsite, Longbow Lake Campground, just
outside of Kenora. This is a big area for fishing and the pub in town was
busy with the "sea plane set" - people who fly-in for the weekend in their
private float planes.
View from our campground over Lake of the Woods
I was able to get enough of a satellite signal from behind
the trees to catch a TV signal, but we are without internet tonight! Our
dish has a difficult time finding the satellite because it is now sitting
just over the horizon - we are too far north! Though we had lovely, warm sun
all day with our wind, it is dark and rainy here tonight.
RV Park:
Longbow Lake Campground - across the street from the main campground in
a new, over-flow, area.
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