I went on my first canoe trip on the 19th July and it was an amazing experience but a lot of hard work. We were in the water by 2.30ish on the 19th and out by 12pm on the 22nd in that time we had set up camp 3 times, canoed a total of 40km as well as a portage which was 3km and some little ones as well.

There was a fire ban all three nights so we couldnt make a fire which was a shame so we had to cook over a little stove. Although all the meals tasted amazing, even things I wouldnt normally eat tasted so good on trip. I may try some of the things again if I ever had my own fire. I was also a little suprised when the water we had to drink for the four days was the lake water, although by the end of the trip I was used to the taste of it and having to wait 15 mins for the purifying tablet to work.

On the first day I was just getting used to actually using the oars and just rowing the canoe. When we got to the campsite it was not what I was expecting. It was litually a tiny clearing in the forest which had a fire pit, just big enough for our four tents, nothing like what I had been used to in England.

On the second day I sterned the boat which I liked a lot better as I could control where we were going. Our first portage was supposed to be about 2km but in the end it turned out to be more like 3km. We also had to do it in stages as we had about 10 backpacks and 5 canoes to carry. I managed to help portage one of the canoes with the kids swapping in and out about 1/4 of the way which I was impressed about as I had never tried carrying a canoe with my neck before, which is the proper way to carry them I learnt. I was so impressed with everybody over the portage as it was hardwork but nobody complained, we just got on with it and were finished in about 2 hours, which was good going. However I was a little freaked out as I could hear a snake hissing at us as we were going through the forest.

When we found a campsite on the second night it was beautiful and we spend time chilling out and I learnt something which the campers all do with string like material which is called boondoggle here, although I dont even know why its called that or even if Ive spelt it right. So I made my first square boondoggle and it now has pride of place on my first aid kit. We decided to wake up for the sunrise at 5.30, which in hindsight was a little too early as the sun didnt get over the trees until we were having breakfast at 7.30ish, though I am glad we did as it was a beautful sight and I doubt something I will see like that again as I woke up to mist rising from the lake.

Rowing on the 3rd day got hardwork as the wind got up and so did the waves as a storm appeared to be starting. We later found out, by people who were canoeing behind us that there were also snakes on the side of the bank where we stopped to rest for a minute. I was glad I didnt see them or it would have made the whole thing about 10 times worse. By the time we got to a campsite on that day we were all so tired we just fell asleep as we had all used up all our energy fighting to go straight and forwards with the canoes. After this day I had places on my back and arms which hurt which I didnt know even existed and cuts and bruises as well.

After a good nights sleep I think we all were feeling more refreshed by the last day and seeing beavers as we were eating breakfast picked up spirts as well. Throughout the trip, when it was calm and not windy we were averaging 4km per hour however on the last day we were averaging a lot more and were flying. This day also had the most amazing sceneary I think I saw on the whole trip and one of my highlights was going through a whole lake of lilys, I wish I could have had my camera with me to take pictures of all the things I saw on this day, although I dont think a photograph would have been able to capture it right. When we finally got to the dock I had such a sense of achievement as 40km with the amount of wind on the 3rd day was a hard first canoe trip, though I would deffo do it again. Possibly stopping somewhere to shower this time as the showers was the one thing I missed the most which suprised me as I thought I would miss technology the most.