Temagami in August 2008

[irishfield]

The sun made a rare appearance on August 3rd and Leah said.." why don't we see if we can find TJ's camp in Matachewan". So we blasted off in our transporter and headed North. A bit of scouting around and we found Camp Jiggy Jiggy from the air. Circled it about 5 times hoping to wake the "beast"...and to find a landing path.

 

 

A eventless approach over the rapids downstream from camp and landing onto the moving water of the Montreal River. Taxied up to TJ's dock hoping someone would run out and move the boat.. but no apparent life. I jumped out quick.... moved their rods that were sticking out and tied off to the side of TJ's boat.

 

 

We called out and called out for TJ but nobody appeared to be around. Knew someone had to be around as the music was still going in the camp. Leah and I had a picnic lunch we'd brought along and left TJ a couple beers and a note after waiting about 2 hours for someone to appear. We loaded back into the airplane and blasted off upstream climbing out over the village of Matachewan and headed back to Temagami... crusing thru Smoothwater/Lady Evelyn on our way scouting lakes for future trips as we went. On approach to land in Temagami we had a seagull flutter in front of the windshield 900 feet AGL and I told Leah to cover her face. I thought it was coming thru the windshield. Luckily it drifted left, but I got it with my wing causing a bit of damage and a blood covered wing. I watched the bird spiral to earth... landing right in the bow of a boat heading up the lake!

 

 

August 4th was Leah and mines 26th wedding anniversary. And being the sweetheart she is she told me to go off and play with the other women (my airplane). So I took off to Side Rock Lake (on the side of Devils Mountain) to hunt stocked brookies with my fly rod. Found a nice spot to get the plane tied up, dawned my (leaking ) waders and tried to russle up supper. I had the buggers swimming around my feet everywhere I stepped in 2 to 5 inch size.. but couldn't tie into something worth keeping.

 

 

Clamped the camera to a tree for a shot just before departing... and yes this time it was in my waterproof case!! Clipped a tree going out in about the exact same spot as the seagull. Two strikes... what's gonna be number three? It was a loon on slide out when landing in front of our cottage. Not sure if I got it or it dived just in time.

 

 

The following weekend Dano and his honey Fern came up to visit us Thur night 'till late Sunday afternoon. Friday we took them way up to Whitefish Bay and worked our way back downrigging.

 

 

Fern had a MONSTER on that she couldn't budge. Tried lifting and reeling down and we even cleared the other lines so we could stop the boat. She faught it for a good 15 minutes and it was GONE!

 

 

Dano into one next and working on bringing it in.

 

 

Hold it out a little further bud! LOL

 

 

I think he's hooked..... Shortly after this shot a harmless looking overcast came in from the South and just as it was about half way over the NE Arm of Temagami a HUGE lightning bolt came out of it beyond town and the boom was immediate and we almost jumped out of the boat. Said to Dan.. "you had enough" and he was already reeling in. Then he said "your riggers don't work". Blew the positive stop/+ ion boards out of my brand new Cannon 10HS's. Took them to Bay Distributors at Noon the following Friday and George Bishop had them repaired with new boards (under warrantee) at 8am Monday am. Worked the weekend to get them back to me! THANKS George!

 

 

Want something done right... ya gotta do it yourself. Me hunting down my power steering issue that Lund/Mercury were useless to help with. Yes.. I fixed it!

 

 

Leah out for a paddle.

 

 

And me fixing the bottom log in our crib dock.

 

 

Next to the lake was Leah's father. Again we headed up the North Arm and got into some action in Devil Bay. They even let me reel one in.

 

 

And Leah with another wee lad. Great to see the reproduction happening on the lake.

 

 

A Marganzer (sp) with 22 babies in tow, across from our dock.

 

 

Next day we headed down into the South East Arm and I got the first line down and had just picked up the second rod to start putting it out. Asked Leah's dad if he wanted to get that while I loaded up the second rigger! First rod had gone off within a minute and a half. It put up a good fight as well...

 

 

A pretty respectible fish that we released for another day. My general policy has become if they arrive at the boat DOA we keep... if they're kicking they get released.

 

 

Leah in the middle of one of many 3 to 4 hour phone calls with Bly. Again thanks Carole for helping her through a tough summer...but I'm still gonna razz you about the long calls!

 

 

With the weather so crappy Leah could rarely go out to fish with me and fishing alone is boring... so I had a drop curtain custom made for our boat. Leah calls it the "Pope boat" now! But it does it's job and gets her stripped down to a tank top when it's only 10 degrees... I mean keeps her warm!

 

 

Got the deck chairs all stained and the railing all done.

 

 

 

Tuesday night, on August the 19th, DanC called me from Thunder Bay to see if I was still on for Nipigon. I told him I'd had a call from Moosebunk a month or so earlier but didn't know the state of where things stood. At this point I had talked myself out of going because the weather had been so bad all summer to this point and couldn't even venture off the lake without weather changing. With Dan's phone call and telling me Bunk was already on the lake... it reignited the fire to go fish with them on Nipigon and the weather forecast looked good. Friday morning I took off in beautiful sunshine at 9am. Plan was to hit Marathon for fuel shortly after noon and onto Nipigon... hopefully by 2pm FRIDAY. At this point I'm over Smoothwater PPark approaching the highest point in Ontario. The Ishpatina Ridge 2350/2375' ASL.

 

 

The fire tower on the ridge.

 

 

Now that great weather forecast and a clear day report I got from Flight Service went to hell in a handbasket real fast just shy of Chapleau. Rain on the windshield and vis disappearing. Knew I should have stuck with plan A and stayed home... but heck.. I'm this far, lets see how far I can get.

 

 

Well with some dodging here and there I got within 58 miles of Marathon and EVERYTHING disappeared. I was already lower than I should have been and looked back thru my rear skylights and spotted a lake. Didn't have time to scout it for departure.. but knew I could land on it. And I did THREE times as I waited out a few squalls and took off... only to go back to it again and then again.

 

 

Only spot I could kinda get to shore on the lake. Rock between the floats and holding the ropes. Shoreline was a bog and I couldn't go anywhere or set up camp. Also had no cell service and I'd told Leah I'd call her from Marathon. She knows enough to give me a few hours leaway, being a pilot herself, but overnight and I'm gonna have a herc blasting around looking for me.... so off I plugged to Marathon. I won't write about it here and incriminate myself... lets just say TCanada might pull my licence for how I got there... but got there I did at about 2PM.

 

 

Fueled my airplane and waited and waited and waited for the fog bank to clear...thanks to the south wind across Lake Superior. Almost got to sneak out around 8PM... but it didn't leave me enough daylight to find the lads on Nipigon, so I spent the night sleeping on the airport terminal floor.

 

 

 

Next morning still fogged in and from 6am on I kept asking the helicopter pilot, that was shuttling drilling equipment only 7 miles, if I could go yet? Finally about 9am he said if you can scud to the shoreline of Superior you can go West... so I did!

 

 

Almost there... big hydro dam on the lake just East of Nipigon.

 

 

I arrive over Nipigon to see 4 and 5 foot swells. Circled a few times while I decided what to do. I had an "out" lake to the East that would require finding a spot for the plane and treaking thru the bush for a mile with the compass..but didn't really like that idea. I scouted the lake somemore..found where the wind was howling from and nosed the airplane into it... stretching out the landing to the far side of the south end of the lake holding it off until I was almost out of lake. Stopped with about 400 feet of lake left in a calm bay and noticed three tents. Couldn't be.. way over here... supposed to be camping over by the launch and I had a google earth print out from space of where I needed to go. Unfortunately it was thru those 3/4/5 foot waves for about 2 miles. I should have just tied to shore...but I went for it. Almost cost me my airplane more than once with the wing hitting the water... but I made it to the shelter cove where I was to met DanC. Apparently Bunk saw me circling and just as I made the dock DanC and Bunk showed in Dan's boat... and said... "did you see where we were camping on the other side of the lake"!

 

 

So off we went and I taxied back across the lake... at least this time into the wind and got the airplane secured to the shoreline in a nice sheltered bay (the same one I landed in!). We unloaded the plane and got my brand new tent set up (THANKS DAN!) and off we went fishing.

 

 

Dan's best friend. Never seen such a well behaving/smart animal.

 

 

Speck Master with FISH ON !

 

 

Beauty Dan!

 

 

Brunch time! Thanks Drew!

 

 

 

Drew with a nice speck.

 

 

Me with a respectable pike.

 

 

A couple more specks for Dan.

 

 

 

Trolling for more!

 

 

Pat/Rich/Drew/myself/DanC

 

 

Couldn't have had a better beaching spot.

 

 

Another fisty speck for me on Sunday evening.

 

 

 

Beautiful sunset on Lake Nipigon.

 

 

Sunrise Monday morning and it's time for me to check out...unfortunately. But I know my nephews have already arrived at the lake and it's time to teach them some more about fishing.

 

 

 

Monday, thank God, was a beautiful day. I couldn't handle another like Friday. Off to Marathon for fuel again (bridges are just West of Marathon on Hwy 17) and then off to Temagami.

 

 

Where I had two boys just waiting for Uncle Wayne so they could hit the docks to fish.

 

 

 

 

Finally got around to taking my sister-in-law up to join the mile high club. First ride I've gave her in the airplane since I had my licence. (only been 19 years LOL)

 

 

Boys tubing.

 

 

And still trying for the big one.

 

 

I need a nap after that one. September will come tomorrow I guess.

Edited October 7, 2008 by DanC

[danc]

Wonderful reports Wayne. Looks like you had a busy and eventful summer for sure. Also, it's nice to read yet another perspective of our little adventure. I'll be looking for the September report.

[HTHM]

Not being a pilot....but isn't it against TC regs to land on floats and wheels on the same day? Some nice flying!

[Moosebunk]

That was my favorite one Wayne. The deck; and cottage for that matter, is looking great with all the renos.

 

All us boys enjoyed your company on Nipigon for sure. It's pretty crazy what you went through to get there.

[irishfield]

Not being a pilot....but isn't it against TC regs to land on floats and wheels on the same day? Some nice flying!

 

Only if you forget to bring said wheels up to land in the water! LOL

 

Definitely no reg against landing floats and wheels on the same day.

[highdrifter]

Sweet report Wayne! You sure have some nice toys.

 

And a big yowsah on that Nipigon trip. Nice to know you've been broadening your horizons outside of Temagami this summer. Those brookies are sweet.

 

by the way, Ithapatha Ridge.. Not familiar with that one. Could it have been Ishpatina?

 

cheers

HD

[BillM]

Wayne, who was flying when you were taking pics? :D

 

The scenery is awesome, I can't imagine what it's like to "Pick a lake and fish"

 

Nice report bud!

[corvette1]

nice trip wayne even with the bad weather congrats

[Uncle Buck]

Great reports Wayne...

 

honestly this is the first time i've seen a berts track on a dock... Hardcore Buddy, Hardcore!!!

 

[irishfield]

LOL Goran!! Theres's a rock shoal off the swim ladder and I always get hung up on it. Holder is to put the rod in while I untie the boat to retrieve!

 

Highdrifter... I'll have to look at my map... you're probably right on the spelling. Either way... it's the highest point in Ontario.. about 35/40 miles from the town of Temagami. Maple Mountain is the 2nd highest point in Ontario.. about a 100 feet lower than the ridge.

 

Note: Looked it up and you are absolutely correct Highdrifter! Thanks for the correction! I fixed it on my original post.

Edited October 7, 2008 by irishfield

[mepps]

Great report, there were some beauty specks!

[Cast-Away]

You have been a busy (leasure) guy Wayne! Do you know anyone that can fix the dents in your wing? (LOL)

 

We rent a cottage on 12 Mile Bay as you know from a guy that now flies his own plane up from Breslau all of the time. He put a hydralic turntable in between his docks that is really sweat! He can pivot the plane around single handedly. Here is a pic:

 

[Tomcat]

Great report Wayne - thanks for sharing.

[johnnyb]

Okay, not that the renos and tree removal weren't impressive -- August's report is my favourite so far!

[tinbanger]

awesome report Wayne , glad you lived thru the summer

[2 tone z71]

dammm Wayne your a busy boy,thanks for sharing

[highdrifter]

LOL Goran!! Theres's a rock shoal off the swim ladder and I always get hung up on it. Holder is to put the rod in while I untie the boat to retrieve!

 

Highdrifter... I'll have to look at my map... you're probably right on the spelling. Either way... it's the highest point in Ontario.. about 35/40 miles from the town of Temagami. Maple Mountain is the 2nd highest point in Ontario.. about a 100 feet lower than the ridge.

 

Note: Looked it up and you are absolutely correct Highdrifter! Thanks for the correction! I fixed it on my original post.

 

No problem Wayne! It must have been spectacular from the air..

 

Have a great fall.

 

HD

[Roy]

Great stories, great pictures...what a charmed life you live. More power to ya Bud.

[fishindevil]

Wow...thats trip to the mighty nipigon was a quite an adventure wayne !!!. ..lots of great scenery & airplane pics too...glad you got some awesome brookie fishin in with the boys !!!! thanks for sharing wayne,your cottage sure looks nice man....cheers

[solopaddler]

Fantastic pictures and story Wayne.

Your flight to Marathon sounded a bit dicey though.

Would your potential trouble with TCanada be due to flying low over Pukaskwa?

(just a guess)

[Joey]

Another stellar report Wayne. I was a little frightened for you on the plane ride up there, but since you were writing the report, I knew you'd make it

 

September's next right

 

Joey

[irishfield]

Yep.. not much to it Joey.. but it's up already.

[lew]

Sounds like a few very interesting moments in the plane Wayne.

 

Getting grounded with the rain, dipping your tips in the waves & then topping it off with schmucking the seagull.

 

Good to see you made it home in 1 piece bud !!

[Wild]

Best adventure ever! thanks for the inspiration Wayne this gives a bonus perspective the Nippising trip and I can't wait to get up there myself.