Great May 24

[ctranter]

My typical May 24 weekend usually consist of this: Open the cottage, find out there are huge trees blocking the road so walk in ~2k, be swarmed by black clouds of blackflies and mosquitoes, discover that the dock has been distributed all over the lake after the ice out, clear out bird/mammal nests from various crevasses in and around the cottage, and finally fall asleep to the gentle humm of mosqutio's in the pitch black.

 

Words barely describe how happy I am that this was not the case for 2010.

 

My weekend began early on Friday. After a self-proclaimed "perfect pack", we were ready to roll before lunch. The rest of the family wouldn't arrive until the evening so we decided to stop at a local dock along the way for some fishing and sun.

 

The girls were prepared with a well stocked mobile library of celebrity literature. My girlfriend Ada and my niece Kayla watched on, hoping to see some big fish.

 

 

Fishing was slow at first with eager rock bass going after jerkbaits that were longer than the fish.

 

 

After watching helplessly as a PB pike turned away 4 feet from the shore, I made sure the next one would count. Unfortunately, it was only a baby.

 

 

The plan was to head to our cottage on Saturday morning to open it up, but to stay the weekend with some friends on Big Whitefish Lake instead. The opportunity to fish a different body of water (on a nicer boat too!) was hard to pass up. On the way to our destination we saw a moose relaxing in a swamp by the side of the road. My cottage is one of two properties on a small secluded lake (no power, no running water, true Canadian cottaging). We see enough wildlife that the odd moose is no longer such a thrill. However, we found it funny that the "summer-house" cottagers we stayed with had never seen a moose before I snapped a few pics before he vanished into the jungle.

 

On Saturday morning we arrived at our own cottage, relieved to find only a single, hand-movable tree on the road. Everything else was in good shape, including the dock.

 

Saturday night produced a gorgeous sunset that tickled my photographic side

 

 

A little later on, with the sun lower on the horizon:

 

 

Sunday was a little cloudy in the morning, but it cleared by lunchtime. We cooled off in the lake, and practiced doing the breaststroke while holding a beer. After literally everyone else turned in for a nap, I tried my luck for some pike off the rock. I tied my line, tossed it over the side, rinsed my dirt off my hands in the water, and looked back 2 seconds later for a bonus OOS smallie. I snapped a quick pic, and it was back in the water within seconds.

 

I actually caught a decent ~25" pike later on, but my cameragirl/girlfriend was MIA

 

Once people woke up, we head out on an afternoon geocache to a place called Monteith Mansion. It's a half-finished luxurious house, or at least it was in 1965. I didn't do any serious research but I heard someone built it to try to be completely off the radar, but it was too ambitious and he ran out of money. I lead the team through the bush with the GPS guiding the way. Later we found out that a well kept road exists, and I accepted my failure as a guide. This is the view from the outside:

 

 

The cache was a pretty easy find. We took a cute butterfly for Kayla, and left a small scarab bead from my travels to Egypt. This was definitely our most hardcore cache this far, forcing us to dangle some pretty risky obstacles:

 

 

The inside was filled to the roof with unused building materials.

 

 

We headed back just in time for another perfect sunset. Sunday night was calmer, and 100% clear. I love how this next pic captures the tranquil beauty of Muskoka.

 

 

Once it was dark we had some fun with slow shutter speeds and fireworks.

 

 

This one is a little too blurry (damn my lost tripod!), but I like the timing of it.

 

 

My brother, Tim, experimented with some air caligraphy (it's funny because that how his writing looks on paper). I think he just made a new display pic.

 

 

"A burnin' ring of fire":

 

 

We turned in for night to watch a movie, but after all the door-opening and general cottage traffic, many mosquito's now shared our living space. It was up to me to go on the hunt and practice my backhand at the same time. This is just the pile that was next to my chair (I think I counted 30 here)

 

 

Overall the surprisingly midsummer-like weather lured me away from the boat, keeping me within short distance from the beer fridge. Regardless we did get out to troll Sunday night, catching nothing but with little ill-effect. I got a chance to break the seal on my first baitcaster, got a hard lesson from the little birdie inside my reel that wanted to have a bigger cage, and finally got the hang of it to land the combo's first pike. I am really excited to use Live Target hard plastic lures more and in different water. I love the attention to detail, especially the florescent perch. It's a real beauty in the water. PS: if anyone knows where I can find a small Canadian flag sticker that will stick to my rod let me know!

 

I hope you enjoyed the pics! Next time I hope to post some new PB's. I can't wait to get my trailer in road shape to hit up some more familiar bodies of water.

Edited May 25, 2010 by ctranter

[Jacques]

Fun Report -- really interesting to hear about the geocaching. Some of the folks here don't take too kindly to posting OOS pics, but hopefully this good bit of reading should ease off the grumpy gusses.

 

Again, great read, look forward to more!

[MJL]

Great report Chris...Really digging the long exposures and the moose was super cool

 

Thanks for sharing

[splashhopper]

that looked like a fun way to enjoy the weekend with your girlfriend, and your CHAPERONE

 

Thanks for the adventure too.

[fish-miester]

awesome report!

[bbog]

Did you pickup the geocoin?

[ctranter]

Did you pickup the geocoin?

 

I did actually! I tracked it from Florida, at first I was going to relocate it to a cache in High Park that has given me headaches, but I think I might take it for a hike to Algonquin instead. I think trackable items are really cool, I had no idea it had changed that many hands.

 

Do all geocoins have little piggies on them?

[Rich Clemens]

Those are indeed some great pics.

[Joey]

Very cool report and pics.

 

Joey

[ehg]

Great report and very nice pictures. Congrats on the fish and making it possible for your kids to experience the wonders of Ontario

 

 

 

Did you pickup the geocoin?

 

HaHa, about a year ago my daughter found a cache when were muggles.

Now i have 5 or 6 planted in west Toronto(Wychwood Barns, Christie Pits,etc).

 

Keep living the good life!

Edited May 25, 2010 by ehg

[solopaddler]

Cool report, thanks for taking the time.

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Great report. Lots of fish, nature shots and a story about the big one that got away. Too bad about that building project. It looks like it had potential.

Edited May 25, 2010 by Johnny Bass

[discophish]

Aren't you supposed to be playing hockey? Hehe.

 

Great report and awesome pictures to capture the traditional long weekend experience.

 

Try offering the moose a granola bar. If you're lucky, it will come right up to your window for a better photo op. Try it next time. Just watch out, it may start licking your face