A "cottage" weekend. Our term for a Friday & Saturday night away. Where some will hop in the car and head to the lake, we hitch up the cottage and head out. We went to Sharbot Lake, a close hour and a bit drive, and were soon set up on one of our favourite sites. We really like the sites that have direct access to the water, making a quick cooling dip or beer by the shore that much easier.
Full house this weekend, not surprising given the weather has been fabulous. We had an early evening swim, which was wonderfully refreshing. We sat out until the stars came out, then called it a day.
Our kayaks were not with us this weekend, but we had a desire to get on the water just the same. We planned to rent a canoe for a few hours, so we threw in our life jackets and I took along my old school wood paddle. That paddle has seen many a mile through Algonquin Park, and is very comfortable to use. Hard not to keep it around, even if now it only touches water a few times a decade!
Saturday was another great weather day, and once coffee and breakfast were taken care of, we headed to the Park Store to rent a canoe. Paperwork taken care of, we got the key and walked to the beach. The rental canoes are very scow like, but based on the abuse they need to take, there are generally no Kevlar models on offer. It did its job admirably, gliding us around the lake in a peaceful, relaxing manner. Just like riding a bike, the J stroke came back effortlessly, as did a few other little paddling tricks learned so many years ago. As nice as it was, it did not come near to equalling the enjoyment we both get from our kayaks. It was though, a rare treat.
Helen & Paul have a cottage close to the Park, so they came over in the afternoon for a visit and dinner. The bugs were cooperative, and allowed us to sit outside and enjoy the nice temps. We made chicken quesedilas on the Q, and they were quite tasty with some of Dale's guacamole on the side. A nice evening.
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| a comfy little set up |
Around six in the morning we heard the pitter patter of raindrops on the roof. As much as we enjoy that sound, and it would have been very easy to just roll over and go back to sleep, the thought of packing up soaked chairs and a ground mat was not very appealing. I headed out and threw a few things in the back of the car, where they remained until we actually did pack up.
The rain was off and on, and never really that heavy. We gathered our gear up between showers, then when it got brighter, we hitched up and were on our way. Our "cottage" weekend was simply that...some time in and on the water, some visiting and a few cold ones, and some tasty food on the Q. Exactly as planned.
Perfect!
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