2021 Trip 3: Driftwood...river exploring

Back to our perennial favourite, Driftwood PP. After two weeks of reservation roulette back in the spring, we finally secured a waterfront site for a nice stretch of time.

On the way we stopped at the Antrim Truck Stop to grab a couple of homemade turkey sandwiches and some bakery treats for the week. This place makes the best turkey sandwich, so it is pretty much a given that we will be stopping anytime we pass by. Rolled into the park in the early afternoon and ended up needing a bite of our sandwiches while we waited for the trailer ahead of us to fill their zillion gallon fresh water tank!

Backed in and set the Alto parallel to the shoreline to take full advantage of the view up the river. Nice big site, and we got as close as we could to the tree line, which sort of marks the front edge of each site. Having a spot on the shoreline is fabulous, and we are now so spoiled that we would not camp here unless we get a site on the water.

All the sites are occupied, and there are some big crews of families enjoying the outdoors and the beach. No shortage of swim trunks and beach towels hanging on lines strung between trees, a sure sign of summer fun.

After we got set up we had a quick refreshing swim, then a bit later we had surprise visitors…Rolf and Sigrid, fellow Alto owners, who were camped just up the way. They were out for a little walk, spotted us and said hello. We had a nice visit, the last time we saw them was at last year’s Bonnechere AltoGather. They have been out camping for a bit, and after Driftwood, they were heading to Bonnechere PP for a few days.

Saturday was a great day, so we got the kayaks in the water and went out for our first paddle on the Ottawa River.  We headed up river, paddling easily with the wind behind us.  The wind sort of swirls through the bay, and you do need to keep an eye on the sky and the wind, as it can quickly change to nasty. There did seem to be a front rolling in, so we decided at one point it might be best to head back. Of course the wind shifted and we were now paddling a little harder against the waves.

Lounged around a bit in the afternoon, and by that time there was definitely a system moving in. Our new neighbours pulled in with a VW EuroVan, that appeared to be excellent condition. We chatted with them about their VW, then let them finish setting up. Being a small van, they were also able to park sideways on the site to take advantage of the view.

We had made loose plans with Rolf & Sigrid to join us for a fire in the evening, but with the forecast of rain, we decided to touch base with them and change the visit to the afternoon. So Dale wandered over to chat, and they were just about to head out to pick wild blueberries. They dropped in when they got back, and treated us with a nice container of fresh picked blueberries, which made for a very tasty dessert a few nights later. We gave them a quick demo fire with the Solo Stove, and had another nice visit.

The rain started around 5pm, but not hard enough to drive us inside. We BBQ’d, then ate under the awning. After dinner it did started to rain hard so we squared things away and headed in. 

The rain continued all night, and at one point it pounded down heavy. Thankfully there was very little wind to the storm, but it came down hard. 

The next morning it had cleared, but it was mostly a dull day…one of those where some downloaded newspapers and magazines are your best friends. By the afternoon the sun came out just enough for a nice swim.

serious lounging by everyone

Dale's new MacAusland's wool blanket from PEI

Once again, under the awning was the best place to fire up the Q, and salmon with arugula quinoa salad was on the camp menu this evening. An easy meal that was tasty.

smoke haze from northern Ontario fires impacted the sunset colours

Cool overnight, but was great for sleeping. The clouds had travelled further down the river and left clear skies in their wake. The wind had picked up, which is normal for Driftwood, but it was warm, and just enough to shoo away the mosquitoes and those damn annoying stable flies. As whitecaps were visible it was too choppy for kayaking, and so it became a day of lounging around outside, catching a few rays, and then something frosty to keep hydrated!

baby pine cones

not good paddling...but great for hanging out

The constant sun allowed me to chase the rays with our new portable solar panels, as the battery was down below 90% from having so little sun the day before. By the end of the day the battery was back to full charge, as well as all our devices. These panels are turning out to be a great addition when trailering off grid.

Chatted to a couple about the Alto, who are now in a tent trailer and are looking for something a little warmer and drier for their retirement travels. They seemed quite enthused, until the inevitable question about price came up. The sticker shock jaw drop on both of them was very visible. Altos have climbed in price the past number of years, and certainly part of that increase is to cover the cost of the now standard Truma furnaces and big front window. As well, some high end options like the caravan mover can easily add thousands to the price and throw in manufacturing cost increases each year, and that overall cost will climb.  

Fired up the Q for a shore dinner, had a nice visit and a tour of the VW next door from our neighbours, and that was the day.

great sunset view...even from inside

Clouds rolled in and brought a bit of rain overnight. 

rain clouds drifting by closely

Seriously overcast in the morning, but that made it all the easier to leave the park and head into Deep River for a few supplies. On the way back we took a little side trip to the Joachims Dam, wandered out on the steel grid bridge, which was a tad creepy to walk on, then crossed the bridge and drove into the little Quebec town known locally as ‘Swisha’. It was like a step back in time, all the building were old and very outdoorsy looking. There was a Lodge and a big outfitters shop. The whole place had a very Adirondacks vibe.

The dull day continued, but not enough to keep us inside. The clouds disappeared in the late afternoon, and soon afterwards our friends Greg & Susan dropped by. They have a new Helio trailer, and by pure coincidence, our reservations overlapped a few days. The Helio is another of those small Quebec based trailer manufacturers. It is fibreglass construction, very solid, with excellent fit and finishes. Like the Alto, the company follows a build strategy to use no materials that can rot…a common problem with other trailers. 

We fired up the Q with chimichurri flank steak on the menu, and watched to sun go down from the picnic table. 

Greg & Susan

summer!

We then got a good fire going in the Solo Stove and lounged around. The two women on the site next to us, who remembered us from a prior trip to Driftwood, joined us at our fire. With their kids hanging out in their tent, they got to enjoy some adult time with us. Lots of good conversations and laughter rounded out the day.

Wednesday morning brought a few pillowy clouds and lots of sun. A perfect day for a paddle, and after poking around a bit in the morning, we got on the water around noon. The river was surprisingly flat, and what started out as a casual paddle ended up being a epic afternoon.

Although we have had the interest, we have never paddled across the Ottawa into the mouth of the Dumoine River. It is two kilometres across, and has always seemed that the waves and wind never cooperated to get us over there. We paddled along the shoreline and soon realized that with the water being calm, it was the day to do the crossing.  We picked a spot to aim our bows at, and headed across. Soon we were at the mouth and headed up river. The Dumoine is a famous wilderness river in Canada, and one of the few major rivers that remains un-dammed. It originates 130 kilometres north, and drains a vast watershed, which guarantees a strong steady current. Steep banks of rock cliffs rise 500 to 600 feet from the water, and the river has thirty-nine falls and rapids along its route. The mouth of the river where it empties the Ottawa, was once the location of an important trading post.

Along the mouth of the river we spotted Greg & Susan in their canoe along the other side, and after a quick chat, we decided to head further up the river. Our campsite neighbour, who has paddled the entire Dumoine, had told us there was a set of falls a short distance up the river, so that became our destination. As we went, the river narrowed slightly and the banks steepened. one soon felt totally out in the wilderness, lots of dense pine trees and rock faces lining the way. We continued to paddle and a passing kayaker told us the falls were around the bend, so the goal was within reach.

We could feel the current increasing against our kayaks, and the paddling felt uphill. Soon we heard the sound of the falls, and then we were there. Perhaps not spectacular, but there was a fair drop to the falls, and a few whitewater canoes were playing in the current at the bottom. We floated around a bit and watched, then headed back.

Just around the corner was a smooth cropping of rocks in the middle of the flow, and Susan suggested that it would be a great spot for a swim. This was exactly what we needed…it got us out of the boats, stretched our legs, gave our sore bums a break, and the crisp water revitalized our energy. A couple of cold beers soon appeared…definitely good planning there, and it soon turned into an idyllic Canadian wilderness moment. 

great photo Susan!

Newly energized, we headed back to the mouth of the river. A bit  down the river, Susan spied a rope swing out over the water, and two brave souls were soon airborne and heading towards a cooling splashdown.

Arriving at the Ottawa, the waves had come up, and the paddle back across the river to our campground was a bit more challenging. We picked a line and made our way home. We calculated afterwards that our journey covered about 15 kilometres round trip. 

What started as a simple jaunt out in the kayaks turned into an awesome afternoon that will not soon be forgotten by any of us.

We rehashed our adventure over a tasty BBQ at Greg & Susan’s site, a few cold beers, and some s’mores over the fire. A perfect end to an absolutely perfect afternoon.

Our timing for our paddle had been perfect as well, as it rained a bit overnight, and we woke to some seriously overcast skies. One of those days where some much needed lounging would be totally guilt free thanks to the weather. And that is just how the day panned out, slow and easy going.  As we were leaving the next day we did pack away a few things and loaded up the kayaks…we had no desire to head out for another paddle. Greg & Susan dropped by for a quick visit, but our plans for a fire were soon dashed by a dark thunderstorm that made its way across the sky, leaving rain and a light show in its wake.

Overnight the rain had mostly stopped, but the ‘Driftwood Gods’ followed it with unrelenting howling winds. Having been to that particular dance before, we had the site well battened down, and it was a good thing we did. Between the wind and the waves, there was a steady roar. Curiosity got the best of me, so I got up to have a little look. The awning was holding up well, and nothing tucked below it had blown away, so I figured it was not as bad as some previous winds we have encountered here. With the low clouds, it was black as ink outside, dark, dark, dark, nary a spot of light anywhere. Creepy enough to head back to the warmth of the bed.

The wind was coming in heavy over the water, and it looked like it was going to be a gloomy day. Our time was over, so we finished packing up and were on the road by noon. This trip was a much needed relaxation, and gave us some time to recharge the batteries. We got in a fabulous paddle with friends, had some tasty meals, lots of fires and conversations. 

A wonderful week all around.