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How long is Long Lake?

ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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How long is Long Lake?
on: May 19, 2019, 02:13:16 AM
It seems that the people of Halifax were busy while I was in Ottawa- I was driving a friend of mine home last week and I noticed that there was a whole new provincial park set up since before I left.  Naturally, I had to check it out.  For those interested in seeing where I went, here is the map:

https://www.google.com/maps/search/long+lake+map/@44.6234048,-63.6581036,14z/data=!3m1!4b1

And, here is the map that is provided on the trail:



I'm not sure if this really qualifies as a hike through the woods, as the trail is finished much better than the roads in this city, and is almost as wide.  While it's not terribly challenging for someone looking for a walk in the woods, I am glad to see that parks are being made accessible to all. 



Of course, I still wanted more, so I took a few detours down some less official trails, at least until the bugs started to get to me, which they did.  I smurfing hate bugs, especially the black flies that always seem to swarm me whenever I go in the woods.



I found some really great views, and I enjoyed myself quite a bit.  It's great to have places like this so close- I can literally be there in ten or fifteen minutes from my house, depending on traffic.





Naturally, as I looked out over the lake all I could think of was how much I would like to kayak here.  Hiking is great and all, but paddling is much better.  :D



As I have said in previous adventure threads, this whole area is rock, and there are random hunks of granite pretty well everywhere.





They are literally everywhere, and really make for a cool walk, because I just find them fascinating.  These rocks have been sitting there long before the earliest primates even climbed a tree, let alone climbed down out of them.  If only they could talk, although I have the feeling they'd take forever to tell a story!  :P



Many of the rocks also like to hang out in the water, and I really can't blame them- although this early in the season, it's a bit too cold for me still!



About the only down side to this place (other than the bugs!) is that you are well aware that you are in the city- you can hear the highway and see the apartment buildings through the trees.  I am sure that when the trees grow new leaves this will be a lot nicer, but until then it does tarnish the experience a little bit.



But, it's worth it to have a place like this so handy and so pretty.



It took me about an hour to walk around the loop, and that included stopping to take photos and exploring some of the side trails, usually just to access the water.  The trail is nice, and circumnavigates the smaller Witherod Lake, and only goes along the shore of Long Lake for a bit.

There are other trails I will explore in the future, but I really enjoyed this walk and I will absolutely do it again!

End of Long Lake Part 1. 

Def
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nz Offline zoidberg

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #1 on: May 19, 2019, 02:16:18 AM
Awesome, what a cool spot.   :tu:   :like:


us Offline Barry Rowland

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #2 on: May 19, 2019, 02:28:54 AM
That's beautiful Def!
Barry


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #3 on: May 19, 2019, 03:19:35 AM
After yesterday's hike I decided that today I would get the boat out.  The weather hadn't improved any, and in fact, they were calling for rain showers.  I figured since I was likely going to get wet anyway, so I might as well head out to the ocean and do some surfing in my newest kayak.  I have talked about how great it was for surfing in the past, and I was looking forward to doing it properly in ocean waves ever since I got it. 

In the end though, I decided that it was still probably a bit too early in the season to be getting wet, so instead I decided to try Long Lake.  As you will find out, that kind of bit me in the arse!



Not far from the entrance I went to yesterday is another entrance with a boat launch area.  Nice little spot, but very little parking, and even less when you are pulling a trailer.  Fortunately, no one else was there when I arrived, and I had the whole tiny parking lot to myself.



It's not the best boat launch in the world, but it's not the worst either.  I'd prefer to see a dock there, and maybe there is usually, but it hasn't been installed for the season.  But, it isn't there right now, so I launched off gravel.



Given that there is an actual boat rental place there, I am assuming there is more infrastructure because kayaks can be difficult to get into and out of.  Even after all the years of boating I have behind me, I still insist there is no way to gracefully get in or out of a boat, and in fact, I almost flipped my boat getting in!   :ahhh



But hey, who cares?  A bad day kayaking is better than a good day doing... well.... pretty much anything else.



And, as it turned out, this was not a bad day, but certainly a challenging one!  Once I got out to the open water I realized the wind was a lot worse than I thought it was, and I was paddling right into it.  I couldn't get any decent pics of the waves crashing over the bow because I was trying to keep the boat straight and moving- as soon as I put the paddle down I would start moving backwards, and worse, sideways.  A kayak is super stable when going into the waves, or with them, but not so much side on.



I was very thankful that I wore my skirt today, or I'd have been swamped almost immediately. 





I tried taking photos of the splashes, but it was hard while also trying to keep the boat moving- trust me, even though the photos are kind of boring, it was anything but.  You can see some of the roughness, or rather the aftermath, but trust me, it was a lot rougher than that!



This photo may not look like much, but this is exactly the reason I needed to keep in constant control of the boat- this is a rock, just below the surface. and if I hit it, it can cause my boat to violently stop, tip over or turn sideways so the wind can flip me.  This one isn't so bad because you can at least see them by the effect they have on the water.  Others aren't as obvious- as I learned yet again today!   :ahhh



Rocks like this one you don't see until you are on top of them, and by then it can be too late.  But, you really aren't having fun if there isn't an element of danger, so naturally I am having the time of my life.  Of course, with all of the splashing I am also completely soaked so I kept going.  :D



It wasn't all brutal like that though- this is a small cove on the sheltered side of Goat Island where I stopped to catch my breath.  It was a nice little spot, and if you are looking at the map I posted above, this is about 1/3 of the way up the lake.  I also find these "submarine docks" as I call them really fascinating.  It's the kind of thing where the rocks sort of create a natural docking area, that reminds me of the old WWII German submarine bases that you see in movies.



I headed back out from the safety of Goat Island into the open water and the waves again, and again enjoyed myself greatly.  I considered turning around because the wind was pretty rough, and this being the second paddle of the season I was wearing out pretty quickly!



But where is the fun in knocking out early?  I pressed on, and before I knew it I was at the next island, shich doesn't seem to have a name, despite being larger than Goat Island.  I seriously considered turning back at that point, knowing the wind would be at my back and I'd have an easy time surfing the waves home instead of fighting them.



But then I remembered the map, and realized that passing the second island meant that I was about 2/3's of the way to the end of the lake, and that's just too close to the end to give up!



I'm glad because I ended up doing the entire lake, and seeing some really cool things- like this old lock station:



After exploring the far end of the lake a bit, and both enjoying the relative shelter from the wind and cursing the black flies that came along with being sheltered from the wind, I decided it was time to start heading back.  I was looking forward to this part, because the waves had gotten bigger, the wind had shifted slightly and gotten stronger, and I knew I was in for a fun ride back. 



The sun also started to come out a bit, which was fantastic, because as I said, I was completely soaked.  It was just as hard to take photos of me surfing as it was when I was crashing into the waves, but that didn't stop me trying.  In fact, this part ended up being almost as hard as going into the waves, because I was actually on a 30 degree angle to the waves for the most part- if I'd gone in line with them, they'd have driven me onto the rocks, and you don't need to be a boater to realize that can be a very bad thing.



That's when I spotted this neat little cove with a cool waterfall that I had to look at a little closer.



I went right in and got a good look at the waterfall before I realized just how much of a predicament I was in.





The high winds were pushing me in, the current was pushing me out, and there was a lot of rocks right below the surface that threatened to capsize my boat.  In this spot a capsize would be a very bad thing, as the water was shallow and I am likely to break whatever bit of me hits rock.  I have little practical experience in broken collarbones, but I feel as if that would make it difficult to paddle back.   :facepalm:





The paddle home was just as much fun as I expected.  I made great time surfing home although the water was over the bow an awful lot.  I really wished I had brought my GoPro today as it was a lot more exciting than the pics show!



You get an idea of how rough the water was by how much water I had to drain out of the boat, despite wearing a spray skirt.

It was a great time, and I am sure I will be back there to paddle, at least as often as I go back there to hike.  I will need to figure out some way to keep the damn bugs off me, as they were so thick I inhaled at least one, and I am sure they are eating my lungs from the inside and laying eggs in me.   :facepalm:

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


nz Offline zoidberg

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #4 on: May 19, 2019, 03:34:00 AM
I have little practical experience in broken collarbones, but I feel as if that would make it difficult to paddle back.   :facepalm:

Aye you would've been up the creek.   :facepalm:   Mine is getting better, I can use a chainsaw again now.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #5 on: May 19, 2019, 03:40:25 AM
That's good to hear!  Chainsaws are too much fun to let them sit there unused.

I really like the idea of not breaking a wrist, arm, collarbone etc while kayaking.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


spam Offline comis

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #6 on: May 19, 2019, 08:20:17 AM

What a wonderful spot to enjoy all by yourself :tu:

No wonder you said, a bad day at kayaking is better than a good day at whatever...the best kind of danger is always the kind you could survive and live to joke about it.


Maybe a headnet next time would help?  I remembered I was at Moab for an early sunrise photo, and there were so much mosquito that morning it was unreal.  I was lucky to be wearing a hat and it kept the head net off of my face.  There must be at least 5-10 mosquito on my head net at any given point of time, and another 10-20 swirling around me.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #7 on: May 19, 2019, 03:13:23 PM
I've thought about that.  Hell, I'd paddle in a beekeeper suit if I could!

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


spam Offline comis

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #8 on: May 19, 2019, 03:23:12 PM
I've thought about that.  Hell, I'd paddle in a beekeeper suit if I could!

Def


 :pok: :pok: :pok: :D


You know the saying--Live your life like it is Halloween everyday...


us Offline Aloha

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #9 on: May 19, 2019, 03:33:02 PM
Another great looking place.  We are much the same in respect to being an all you can eat buffet for whatever bugs are in the area :rofl:.  Want to keep bugs off you?  GO outdoors with me  :dunno:.     
Esse Quam Videri


spam Offline comis

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #10 on: May 19, 2019, 03:36:43 PM
Another great looking place.  We are much the same in respect to being an all you can eat buffet for whatever bugs are in the area :rofl: .  Want to keep bugs off you?  GO outdoors with me  :dunno: .     

all you can eat  :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #11 on: May 19, 2019, 10:26:51 PM
As the weather was slightly better today, I went back and did it again.



Today I was on a bit of a mission though- if you look at the map you will see near the left most tip that there is a stream that connects Long Lake to Second Chain Lake and First Chain Lake.  I was interested in trying to get to the Chain Lakes, so I figured I would go and have a closer look.



Not that I need much of an excuse to go out kayaking, but it's always nice to have one!  I also brought the GoPro, which guaranteed that the weather would be slightly more cooperative and less exciting than it was yesterday!  :D



I made a beeline across the lake to where I knew the mouth of the stream was supposed to be- all of the above photos were from the way home, because I didn't even stop to take photos on the way out.  The wind was a bit heavy, but less than it was yesterday.  As I have mentioned before, this boat is pretty dramatic, so there's still lots of splashing and I got pretty wet yet again.



I finally got to the spot that I thought was the right one, and found this old bridge or something- dead end.  Even though there was water flowing into the lake through it, there was no way to get up it, and I wasn't going to try and portage through that dark entryway!   :ahhh



I went to the other inlet that could be the stream I am looking for, and it was better, but still not navigable.  Again, I didn't bother to try to portage up it, mostly because I was too lazy to get out of the kayak.  There is a parking lot at the other end, so if I feel up to it I might head there tomorrow and try hiking it.



I took a lot more photos on the way back, including making sure to go back to the waterfall I found yesterday, because, well, I like waterfalls.





I also took a closer look at the giant rock at the mouth of this little cove- I thought it was cool yesterday, so I had a better look today.



My first thought was that this would be an excellent rock for jumping off in the hot summer, until I realized the water beneath it was only about 18 inches deep.  So.... never mind.   :ahhh



Another thing I thought was cool was this little tree, growing out of.... nothing.  There isn't even a crack in the rock, so this little tree is subsisting on whatever earth or nutrients has built up in this tiny ledge.  Two things sprung into my mind as I looked at this little tree- the first was Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park saying "Life... uh... uh... finds a way."  this little tree certainly did find a way, and I wish it all the best. 



The other thought was a meme I had seen where the first picture was a rose and the caption read "oh no, the ph of this soil is slightly off!  I'm going to die!" and the second image was a dandelion growing on a sidewalk and the caption reads "concrete!  $%^& yeah!"

I continued on my way home, and I managed to surf a little bit, but nothing sustained for more than a couple of seconds.  The wind just wasn't there like it was yesterday. 



When I made it back to the boat launch I beached myself on the harsh gravel and got out.  As I stood next to my boat I noticed that the launch was so steep that the stern of my boat was underwater, which kind of amused me- enough that I took the above photo anyway.  Then I picked my boat up and realized that I had made a serious mistake.

Yesterday's photo:



I hadn't replaced the scupper plug (little black drain plug) properly after yesterday, and the few minutes it was under water caused it to start filling up, which meant it weighed a ton when I picked it up!   :facepalm:

Even worse, I had put my Maxpedition Sitka in the rear (only) hold, which was now full of water.  Fortunately I had put it in the big read dry bag that I got as a bonus with this boat, but I have never really tested this dry bag- at least until now.

Fortunately the dry bag did exactly what it was supposed to and my Sitka, granola bars, emergency soup mix and hot chocolate mix all survived!  :D

All in all, another good day.   :tu:

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline SteveC

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #12 on: May 19, 2019, 10:49:21 PM
Looks like you made the best of the weekend !       :cheers: :tu:


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #13 on: May 20, 2019, 11:55:36 PM
What the heck, let's make it four for four!



As you can see, the stream is a bit pathetic all the way up- this is close to the main road, and doesn't seem deep enough to put a kayak in.  And the parts that are a bit wider are a bit too shallow to consider it.



Even if I could get the boat free floating in there I need some depth to paddle, and that just isn't going to happen here.



A kayak can get into some very shallow spots, but this is pushing it- and as you get closer to the lake it gets a little more challenging.



That's gonna leave a mark....  :facepalm:



Even if you could sneak through, you aren't going to be very happy on the other side!   :ahhh



Ok, enough of that :bdh:, I figured by now I was pretty wet so I might as well do a bit more exploring.  There is a trail that goes around the far side of the lake then loops back to where I started, and I figured I would give that a try.  After all, the rain is pissing down so hard at least the bugs aren't bothering me today!

[ig]http://gallery.multitool.org/var/resizes/Defventures/Long-Lake/Hike%20In%20The%20Rain%20%2831%29.jpg?m=1558377016[/img]

At this point the trail is pretty open and refined, so I figure this will be pretty easy going, and I am hoping that it goes to that neat waterfall that I was so amused by the last couple of days.  In case you didn't read the earlier posts, this is the one I am talking about:



I passed a few nice looking beaches that I spotted while kayaking, and seeing how easy they are to access by foot, I am not sure I will bother stopping on any of them in the summer.



As I get further along the trail it becomes less and less refined, which is not only fine with me, but even better because I like a trail less traveled- fortunately the weather today has ensured that there's little chance of it being crowded.  :D



The amusing thing is, that it was so wet while I was out that apparently my phone activated while I was walking and I sent messages to people on Facebook Markeplace asking if I could buy things, I attempted a video chat with Micah, and I texted a few friends with absolute gobbledegook.  If you got a weird message from me today, that's probably why, and I apologize!

 Eventually I come out by the stream where the small waterfall is, and I am really happy to see it from above.

[/img]http://gallery.multitool.org/var/resizes/Defventures/Long-Lake/Hike%20In%20The%20Rain%20%2822%29.jpg?m=1558377013[/img]

As with many things, the different perspective of hiking versus paddling kind of made the waterfall seem a bit pathetic, but, I was able to see further upstream, and what I saw absolutely blew my mind.





















For someone like me that is fascinated by the movement of water (Chaos theory rules!) this was an absolute paradise, and I pretty well stopped caring about being completely soaked- water had long since broken through my jacket, and my sweater and shirt were both soaked, and my pants were so wet I was having a hard time keeping them up, but that really didn't matter much to me.

The small waterfalls and lots of rapids really caught my eye, and I was glad that the trail followed the river for a bit.  I kept gaining altitude as the trail went up, but at no point was I prepared for this.



It was all I could do to stop myself from climbing down and diving in that pool- I can pretty well guarantee you that my snorkel mask and I will be back to explore and enjoy this thoroughly!  I will say that with my balance issues, the wet and the rocks at the bottom all conspired to keep me from trying to cross that bridge!



Eventually the trail split off from the river and started to head back, although I will admit that I got a bit concerned about that.  It started off looking like this:



Then soon started to look like this:



I walked it for a while and started to wonder if I had missed the trail turn off somewhere and was now walking down a stream?   :facepalm:



I even managed to find a few bits where the mud was deeper than my boots, and I was glad I had just tied them a few minutes before or else I would have lost them! 



I must have really knobbly knees because my shins were the only dry part of me when I finally made it back to the Jeep!  :D

My consumer advice is, if you want to go to Long Lake, bring a kayak.  If you don't have a kayak, take the trail of St Margaret's Bay Road and avoid the fancy one off with the all new entrance off Dunbrack.  It's boring.  :D

I have really enjoyed my explorations of Long Lake, and I am looking forward to seeing how beautiful it is when all the leaves are back.

And maybe when the sun is out!   :ahhh

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline SteveC

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #14 on: May 21, 2019, 01:18:13 AM
 :like: :tu:


spam Offline comis

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #15 on: May 21, 2019, 09:43:05 AM
 :like:  Looks like a good time, road less travelled :tu:


mc Offline Gerhard Gerber

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #16 on: May 22, 2019, 08:49:22 AM
 :gimme:

I just had a thought.......photos always disappoint, mine do at least, but anyway nothing compares to being there........

Looking at those photos and considering.........that place must be stunning.  :cheers:

Thanks for taking us along Grant  :salute:


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #17 on: May 22, 2019, 11:52:35 AM
:gimme:

I just had a thought.......photos always disappoint, mine do at least, but anyway nothing compares to being there........

Looking at those photos and considering.........that place must be stunning.  :cheers:

Thanks for taking us along Grant  :salute:

Yeah, my photos do not do it justice in the least.  I am not much of a photographer, although film would never be able to give you the whole experience.  And, if you think it looks great now, wait until you see the pics I take when all of the leaves are back on the trees and it all becomes a nice, lush forest.   :woohoo:

I'm glad you enjoyed the photos- I promise, there will be more!  :D

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


mc Offline Gerhard Gerber

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Re: How long is Long Lake?
Reply #18 on: May 29, 2019, 12:06:18 PM
  And, if you think it looks great now, wait until you see the pics I take when all of the leaves are back on the trees and it all becomes a nice, lush forest.   

Absolutely not joking.......when I visit places like Cape Town in South Africa, about a week in I feel there's too much green. :salute:

Some of those photos make my expect a fairy will jump out from behind a rock  8)



 

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