Paddle from Charles Daley Park

Tuesday, July 15 – 2008
11:00 – 14:45
Start: 08:00
Roads: Dry / Clear
Visibility: 24km
Temp: +29C
Area: Charles Daley Park
Vehicle: Blue GMC Suburban
Weather: A Few Clouds
Trail Conditions: Dry
Hikers: Wolf, Tori, Lupis, Merlin, Morgana
Plan: Paddle to some of the islands in 16 Mike Creek
GPS: 43 09.98N by 79 19.88W

08:00 Woke up early and backed the backpack with all our gear placed inside garbage bags to keep them relativly waterproof in the event of a tip-over with all the dogs in the old aluminum sportsman canoe we have. I hitched the truck up to the trailer and attached the canoe with two red tie-down ratchet straps. I packed our life jackets and paddles. Tori got up, dressed and made herself ready wearing only a black string bikini. I had a black shirt and black nylon pants.

08:30 We packed Lupis and the little ones into the truck and headed out on the highway.

08:50 We arrived at a nearly empty Charles Daley Park, put the canoe in the water and headed out on the large pong. We made our way under a narrow, rocky area under the Queen Elizabeth Highway and saw a large Blue Heron perched on some of the rocks. The paddle went smoothly as the water was smooth as glass. The edges around the pond were full of algae and floating green much, but as the water got deeper and we moved away from shore, it dissipated. The water in this waterway was thick and green, with zero visibility beneath the surface.

09:50 A small island came into view and we headed starboard around the island to the windward side.

10:00 We ran the canoe aground on the beach and got everyone off. The paddle went well and although this was Merlin and Morganas first time in a canoe, they stayed still. We climbed up the hill and the dogs were lucky enough to be off-leash as they couldn’t go anywhere on this small island. The desolation of this area caused Tori to question whether or not she even required her small black bikini.

We spent some time with Morgana throwing the ball off the small island into the water for her to recover several times which she really loved. We came across two large Canada Goose eggs on the island and were careful not to disturb them. The eggs were very dirty and covered in ants, possibly abandoned.

12:15 We had some freeze-dried Chicken Polynesian food and some Rice crackers. We had some food for the dogs to enjoy while we ate.

13:09 A mother and her three children arrived in a red fiberglass canoe to check on the egg nest while we were here. We decided to pack-up and head back to the truck.

13:20 We stowed up our gear and Paddling into the wind for the return trip, we headed back to our launch point at Charles Daley park.

14:00 We arrived back at the park to find dozens of people there enjoying the nice weather, including some attractive, heavily tanned bikini bodies!

14:10 We stowed our bags in the truck and put the canoe on the trailer and headed for home after a great day in the 16-mile creek.

14:45 Arrived home safe and sound to put away the trailer and canoe.