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Traditional Canoe Camping on the North Channel of the French River

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http://myselfreliance.com/mighty-french-river-ontario-canada/

After a thirty year absence, I finally returned to the 18 Mile Island section of the French River in Ontario for a solo, three-day circumnavigation. By planning my trip for mid-week (Tuesday to Thursday) in mid June, I almost had the entire river to myself, and it was glorious. Departing the docks at Loon's Landing on Dry Pine Bay near Highway 69 on Thursday morning, the anticipation was high. I wanted to revisit rapids and campsites that I had first seen with three buddies on a June trip back in 1987, and I wanted to re-experience the great fishing that the French River is known for.

Tags: french river,ontario,canada,fishing,canoeing,canoe trip,river,whitewater,my self reliance,self reliance,bushcraft,outdoorsman

Video Transcription

the first day of summer June 21st and I am upon North River for three days just east of 18-mile Bay and circumnavigating 18 Mile Island and I'm in the North Channel right now heading heading east got 40 kilometer went out of the Northwest at my back so I'm just drifting along here trolling haven't caught anything at sunny day cold front escapes through last night but bad cold front was 37 degrees with a humidex yesterday that a storm came through and the guy said the winds were wicked the dogs were blowing all over the place at loons landing great launch this one so he's calling for forty glamour air winds today which were getting but looks at 20 to 40 and then it's supposed to settle down tonight and I think stabilize for the next couple of days so next two days that look today I'm going not sure how many kilometers but I'm going upriver in the North channel all day today and then second dáil I'll keep going east upriver then I'll make the turn and start coming down the South channel so going back west downriver and likely upwind

I'll get halfway down the South channel back to the highway where I'm parked at loons landing and then and I'll see you'll probably have a short day on the third day

perfect weather by the looks of the 22 degrees today forecasted height then 25 then 27 I think and stable a few clouds obviously today

that's perfect these temperatures are perfect I'll have to take any clothes off so I and there's no bugs actually that cold front that came through it's only a few poor Taj's on this trip and they're all short just around waterfalls so not a lot of time and the boys other than at the campsite still really windy out here which is good because it's blowing me along so I don't mind it at all it's about three o'clock

hopefully three o'clock and I probably have three hours of paddling to where I want to go so anyway that's where I'm heading there

that's surprising still June with some blueberries here

comes the rain that wasn't forecast until today I left this morning actually was going for England room here so sleep it under the kid home we will see to protecting here my bivy sack is dry is that waterproof but the rest of the gear some of it I keep I keep dry so stuff that I need to keep your eyes this player been pretty wind Crusoe is really nothing coming back time might have a hard time keeping ago not very much on they're gonna have to see if I catch another fish or put all this away well that's only June getting blueberries and fish for their fish tacos for dinner and actually that's good because I didn't bring any other food so nice to get a little extra treat

About the Author

My Self Reliance

My Self Reliance

Shawn James Canadian outdoorsman, photographer, guide and self-reliance educator. Writer for Ontario Tourism. myselfreliance.com Outdoor adventures, including survival, bushcraft, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, snowshoeing, fishing and camping.

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