Nahanni Day 9 – Oxbow Lake Camp

The day dawned actually not bad – breakfast was scones and bacon, cowboy coffee and 7 grain cereal with fruit compote (OMG). It takes us about 90 minutes to get ourselves going in the morning, breaking camp, tents, rolling bags, stuffing barrels, jamming barrels into the canoes and mostly trying to figure out how the H we get everything in…….Today we played a game of catch the paddle to warm up and then the usual stretches. Then got on the water….

Time: 7 hours

Distance: 40 km

Elevation lost – 22m

Maximum speed 10 kph

Weather – compared to yesterday felt like magic but mostly overcast with glimpses of sun

Bug Meter – holding at 3/10

Nahanni Fact – in the early 70’s Hydro thought a dam would be good here but thanks to Trudeau the area was set aside and then designated a National Park Reserve.

Had lunch on a gravel bar and then pushed on. Came to a ‘sneak’ into Oxbow Lake – previously part of the river. What happens is that the river finds a more advantageous route and slowly erodes that route and then gravel banks form and the curve is cut off the river becoming a small lake. The sneak was a small stream that attached the lake to the main river.

Campsite is hidden at the end of the lake around a wide sweeping corner (you’d never find it if you didn’t know where it was). Set camp and the rain came on and off and on and off.

About to do cocoa and start the euchre game. Currently Perry and I are the standing champs. Perry’s become really good (thanks Sebastian and the gang). Perry also wants to shout out to Coze!

Dale is a grandpa again!!! SHOUTING out to Adrianne and Jamie – bouncing baby boy!!!!!

Boys aren’t shaving and we now are starting the Mike lookalike contest – I think today he looks like Chuck Norris but please let us know what you think!

Today’s Route

Playing Pass the Paddle

On the Water Again

Mike as Chuck Norris

At Break