Participants: Geoffrey, Joanne, Neil, Kate, John, Bill, Georgina, and Charles

Initial trip planning went well with only one emergency meeting as two of three lists got misplaced. Atta go, George. It takes a fair amount of planning to organize food and equipment.

On the 23^rd, group traveled to a cottage on Byng Inlet and stayed the night. On the way to the cottage we saw a deer. We also had a rabbit hop out in front of the van. Unfortunately the rabbit thumped across the underside of the truck. Geoff saw a bear while we were going into the cottage. We (Kate, Neil, Geoff & Joanne) were short on gas and subsequently saw the sunset over Honey Harbour.

Thursday, June 24^th

Geoff made a great breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage and toast. Oatmeal was Kate’s breakfast. Two pots of coffee helped to get the adults going.

The ladies, primarily, sorted out the mound of food into the bins. The menu was resorted again. How many times now?

The group loaded up and headed to the park with Neil bemoaning no Tim’s on the way.

We arrived at the park 11:40 and after forty-five minutes or so, had our permits and were out of there.

We entered at George Lake after seeing a fox pass us by on the beach. A relatively tame woodpecker was rapping near the path to the beach. Around the first bend the view is spectacular. Massive white rocks (small mountains), pine trees, and the occasional large dark rock. White, pink and yellow quartz stones abound. The water is crystal clear. As we learned, this is due to acid rain. In fact, OSA Lake is "dead" but starting to regenerate.

The 80 m portage between George and Freeland Lake is a piece of cake. Lunch at the end of portage was delicious and very welcome – cheese, crackers, Baba Ganoush, apples. A hitchhiker declined to go with us.

We paddled down Freeland Lake and saw an otter. The 455 m portage into Killarney Lake was a harder portage. We have lots of loose stuff requiring multiple trips to get it all through. All were willing to help and we moved along well.

Decision time arrived after this portage. Another 455 M portage into OSA Lake or a pull through (undefined) with a 130 M portage later. The pull through was a beaver dam and was very simple. The bow person stepped out of the canoe onto a convenient rock, swung the canoe and offloaded the stern person. A small push and the bow person got back in.

We arrived at our site 5pm-ish. The weather has been overcast but a great travel day. We put the tents up quickly and the boys went for a swim. We are at campsite #28 and it is large, level, and shaded. We have no fire grill. Kate and John went out paddling looking for a grill but had no luck.

Dinner was steak, carrots and instant mashed potatoes, followed by caramel pudding cake cooked in Geoff's outback oven. This little oven is awesome, and provided us with dessert most nights.

We had a campfire to burn garbage, sealed our food in barrels, and we all sacked out, tired.

 Friday

The weather is windy, sunny and beautiful. The wind is very strong and blew down our kitchen canopy. We had planned a day trip but decided to stay put. The waves were up and were breaking.

John and Charlie found a spot for diving. Bill and Georgie, then Geoff and Joanne walked around our island. Everyone but Joanne and Kate went for a swim.

Breakfast was french toast and bagels. Lunch was minestrone soup, and bagels with Baba Ganoush. We have taken ice blocks rather than cubes and they seem to be lasting well. Supper was spaghetti, wine and chocolate pudding cake. All day we snacked and relaxed. Kate and Neil's stove (an Optimus) decided it was too hot and blew the safety valve and burned up the tank of fuel. Nobody was hurt but we were all surprised. Later it wouldn't start.

We all heard the big bear come by our tents. He (Big Bill) was looking at the moon. Two squirrels tried and succeeded in waking up Georgie and Bill. Elephants walk quieter. An unusual bird sings at night only.

Saturday

We had a relaxing start to the day. Bill and Georgie were first up and made the coffee for the rest of us. When we went to make more we discovered we are out of propane. And our naptha fuel is reduced! The wind yesterday caused us to consume a lot of fuel. Due to Geoff's good planning we have enough fuel left. Kate and Neil's stove still won't start. Although we brought three stoves with us, a fire grill would be appreciated.

John and Charlie went out again looking for a grill and were successful. They got treated to a hero's breakfast of six pancakes each.

The adults left for a paddle to the end of the lake. Once there we walked (most of us) over the portage to Muriel Lake and took pictures. Lunch was left behind. It was tomatoes, crackers and salami, and was enjoyed even more for the wait. The four adults who wished had a lime cocktail.

Dinner is to be hearty vegetable and beef soup, baked carrots and onions, grilled cheese sandwiches, sun dried tomato and basil bread, and brownies. Kate wanted to wear her dinner and succeeded. The wine jug was polished off… No! We did not finish it. It lasts and lasts.

We have seen lots of butterflies on this trip.

Sunday

Bill is up first again. Geoff and Georgie are not up again. Breakfast was oatmeal and re-hydrated canned fruit, and cream of wheat for some. The fruit is a pleasant surprise. It is the same quality as in the original can.

Camp is packed up. A couple of squirrels yacked at us - we didn't feed them. We left at 10:00 and worked our way back.

John has lost his life jacket - it apparently has blown away. It was last seen on a rock and is nowhere to be seen on our island.

We paddled to our 130m portage and pull over in calm water and overcast sky. We headed over to Killarney Lake and saw three loons on the way. There are some nice cliffs on Killarney Lake.

We took the 455m to Freeland Lake. At the end of the portage we snacked up and headed onto Freeland Lake. Rain sprinkled. On Freeland Lake we hit the wildlife jackpot. Geoff and Joanne saw a fourteen-inch turtle. They did not ask him/her what kind it was. Bill and Georgie saw a heron. We all saw lilies most of which had bloomed in the three days since we had passed by them. On Freeland Lake you slog through lots of lilies.

On to George Lake after the puddle jumper 80m or 50m portage. Neil didn't take off his canoe shoes.

On George - Lake not lady - we encountered a strong wind against us most of the way. John and Charlie first, then Geoff and Joanne, chased down some loons. The loons seem almost tame and will let you paddle right up within three feet of them. The rest of us headed for home - well, for the beach launch area. John and Charlie were first to arrive back and unload their canoe. They were hoping for power to run their computer. They have been suffering withdrawal symptoms.

Once landed we packed up and went to our sites. We have decided to stay in the main campground for a couple of days. Some members of our group want easy camping. Directly after we set up the rain began. The weather has been most considerate.

Deciding to eat in town as we were sad with the rain, we headed in looking for the "heard of" excellent fish and chips at Herberts. As it was raining and Herberts only has outdoor sitting we went to an inn. They didn't do their dinner until 6:00 and it was 4:00. We have lost our time sense. The waitress suggested Killarney Bay Inn.

We went there and enjoyed an excellent repast. Geoff and Neil had the turkey dinner special (how appropriate), Kate and Georgie had clubhouse platters, Joanne had a cheeseburger, Bill had the prime rib special, John had cheeseburger and fries, and Charlie had chicken strips and fries and shakes. Blueberry pie with ice cream was dessert for Joanne, Charlie and John. At the inn we drank lots of coffee and saw a hummingbird.

Upon being tagged as tourists, Neil, Kate, Geoff, and Joanne were told there were five bears at the city dump. Being curious and feeling safe in our car, we headed over and saw the bears. They are big and were relatively docile, munching on garbage. Later, everyone returned and Kate took some pictures.

We headed off to our site to have campfire and companionship.

John and Charlie have been wonderful - pulling their weight and more. Totally awesome!!

Monday

Finally, Georgie was up first. Then Bill. Breakfast was pancakes with Geoff wanting eggs and having them. Kate did not have oatmeal for the first day. We cleaned up and went looking for "city" fun.

First we went to the Killarney Outfitters. Geoff and Kate bought some 'o' rings for Sigg bottles, Kate bought a Sealine 20 pack for daypack in later trips, as did Georgie for Charlie, who says (?) he doesn't like camping.

Onto the big burg of Killarney. We looked in a craft store where we traded $ for trinkets. Then we had a walk about and saw a beautiful garden at the Sportsman Inn, before heading to Herberts Fish and Chips. There we all had excellent fish and chips, sitting at shaded tables at the side of the picturesque harbour. George got attacked by the table umbrella before going back for seconds with Geoff, Joanne and Bill. Then Neil tried to sell Herberts a fan so he can write off the trip as a business expense. Oh, well.

Then off to the Killarney Lighthouse. We saw the airport first but no signs. Being persistent and having Geoff's good sense of direction we found the lighthouse road. There is a beautiful inlet with nice pink rocks and nasty snake.

Off again, this time to Wolf Outfitters - a major disappointment unless you wanted cartridges for Sigg water filters. We declined. Our experience with the Sigg water filter is that it only lasts for about four to five days and then we have to replace the cartridge.

We went back to Killarney Park to rearrange the ice cream goers and the nots. The goers went and had ice cream cones/milkshakes and picked up beer and tequila lime. The nots wives napped (beauty rest). The hubbies had a brew and a snort.

Back together, we relaxed and went for a swim. Stew with bannock for dinner, and in the evening fire and companionship. There is a fox who is being fed by the Friends of Killarney at the park entrance. It waltzed past our camp about 8:00 pm. Now we understand why we say a fox the first day.

Tuesday

It rained heavily in the night and a thunderstorm or two circled around and around. This morning everything is wet but the sun will come out later. The raccoons must have been quite frustrated last night. There was NO FOOD for them AGAIN last night so they decided to dump out Georgie's box of clean dishes and utensils. We have decided that in the future we will put everything we can away out of reach of all critters. There are bears near Killarney Park so we have been careful to put our food in our cars and have had no problems.

We packed up our wet stuff and pulled out for home at about 10:00 o'clock.

Our first stop was the French River Trading Post. A wonderful place to buy souvenirs and FUDGE!!

Then on we went to Tim Hortons in Parry Sound for lunch. Neil - next time don't pull into their parking lot with a trailer attached. Geoff had to detach and manually turn the canoe trailer!

Today is John's birthday. He is given a chocolate chip muffin in honour of the day, along with chocolate moose droppings and a mity lite!

Last stop on the way home was the first service center south of Barrie. Then on we went home to unload and begin dreaming of our next trip.

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