& Feeds Meech Lake Wildlife

Believe it or not… We actually had a good time…

Seven canoe & two kayak loads of YCCC’ers gathered last night (May 21st) to donate blood to the rightful inhabitants of Meech Lake.  We must be commended on our volunteer efforts (like true YCCC’ers!) as the local fauna greeted us at the P12 Parking lot, escorted us hungrily to the boat launch, and hounded us bloodthirstily out onto the calm ripples of Meech Lake. A shadowing cloud followed in our breeze-wakes until a sudden gust of wind erased our shadows & we were left in almost peace.  A few black dots persisted in the windless havens of our canoe-bellies to chew on our ankles, so I stopped to don thicker socks.

Aaaah… Canadian Canoeists are a hardy bunch… with lots of winter-thickened blood to boost the spring bug population (‘tis the season!) to buzzing hordes capable of mounting an assault to wither the courage (and sanity) of most outsiders.

Knowing better than to approach the shoreline again, we paddled into the wind and rafted up to drift downwind as we pulled out our picnic snacks and dinners to munch on after lifting our head nets to introduce ourselves to new members. We shared a few stories, a few wisdoms* and egged on (thigh-slapping drumbeats and all) the only soul brave enough to not only feed the bugs, but to actually treat us to a sort-of-modest strip-tease before enduring – with a smile (grim grin?) – a one-minute, six-second front crawl chase after the drifting cluster of boats.

A stiff breeze discouraged the clouds for most of the evening and a pretty sunset followed us back to the boat launch where the local populace again formed a welcoming committee reminiscent of running the gauntlet. We all have the scars today to prove it too.

HEY! – we wanna hear some colourful bragging from the hardy bunch who canoed this past weekend to endure the howling wintery gales and tinkling ice forming in their water bottles!  I bet you didn’t get chewed on by blackflies though…

Aaaah… Canadian canoeists are a hardy bunch…

* The Wisdom of the Evening was:  Plastic is choking Mother Earth – Pleeease do your Very Best to avoid using it at all… Or at the very least, recycle the darn stuff!