solopaddler Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Years back I paddled solo down the Allanwater River north east of Armstrong Ontario. My second day on the river I paddled through a forest fire, in one spot both sides of the river were blazing. Most of the river I was able to hop in and line my loaded canoe down through the rough water avoiding the fire. However at one point that was not possible as the rapids were too deep and rough. I put on long pants, long sleeved shirt, gloves, then jumped in the river to soak all of my clothes. I had to portage almost a full kilometer through burning forest with no real trail. About ever 10' it seemed there was another smoldering spruce tree fallen across my path at waist height. My first load with canoe and pack number one wasn't too bad as the canoe was sheltering my upper body. When I arrived at the end all of my clothes were bone dry and my gloves had a tinge of brown to them as the back of my hands were exposed to the heat carrying the canoe. Worst was my poor canoe - the gel coat was beginning to bubble and blister from the heat. Heading back up for my second load was tough without the protection of the canoe but I made it there and back. The first photo is a shot looking upstream at the fire after I had paddled through it. The second shot is from my campsite on the north shore of Wabakimi Lake in the early evening as the fire approached the south shore of the lake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallie Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Wow thats insane! I wouldnt get much sleep that night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted January 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Wow thats insane! I wouldnt get much sleep that night! Totally safe on the north shore of the lake. I sat up most of the night watching the forest burn, it was quite the show. At one point early in the evening I saw two woodland caribou then a moose swim from the mainland over to an island. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wormdunker Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 That's a scary scenario! You are a trooper! Catch any fish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steelheadphycho Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 I can not imagine what that would be like. Thanks for sharing this unique memory! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted January 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 That's a scary scenario! You are a trooper! Catch any fish? It was part of a 3 month trip and I ate fish pretty much everyday, so yeah there were a few fish caught! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beavertail Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 What a life experience! At least the bugs wouldn't be bothering you on the portage. Thanks for the cool little story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.brock Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Crazy! The Center of the Universe is supposedly known for crazy stuff like that. Any outposts/ lodges get burnt in that one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted January 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Crazy! The Center of the Universe is supposedly known for crazy stuff like that. Any outposts/ lodges get burnt in that one? Yeah, I think an outpost camp on the south shore was destroyed by fire. Pretty sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeytier Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Amazing story, Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
can u fish Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 Amazing story Mike 3 months alone in the wilderness it seems you were pretty adventurous at a young age. Cheers Mitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 That reminds me of Guthrie lake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted January 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 That reminds me of Guthrie lake Now there's a good story, and one DEFINITELY not fit for public consumption. Don't think I've ever seen you move that fast before or since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatnFly Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 Now there's a good story, and one DEFINITELY not fit for public consumption. Don't think I've ever seen you move that fast before or since. well now you have to tell it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted January 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 well now you have to tell it! Not a chance LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Caster Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 That's a survival situation most of us will never encounter!. A neat experience in hindsight (and third party perspective) but in the moment I bet you were forced to balance your adrenaline rush with desperate and logical decisions.... Somehow it probably came natural to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adempsey Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 That's just crazy! Why couldn't you wait it out? Were you an a tight schedule? Not a chance LOL! Is that a story that involves the superior gender? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted January 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 That's a survival situation most of us will never encounter!. A neat experience in hindsight (and third party perspective) but in the moment I bet you were forced to balance your adrenaline rush with desperate and logical decisions.... Somehow it probably came natural to you. Not really quite that Spock-like. More just do what you gotta do and do it fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted January 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 That's just crazy! Why couldn't you wait it out? Were you an a tight schedule? Is that a story that involves the superior gender? I couldn't wait it out because once I got down the river far enough both banks were burning. I could've went back upstream with extreme difficulty but it made more sense to head downstream to Wabakimi Lake. And no, that story involves Bill and fire LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 I'm pleading the 5th! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4x4bassin Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 Thanks for sharing that Mike . I'm sure that would get the nerves up and blood flowing !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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