Souvenirs
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feature is our logo with a "I done did the Dumoine" © caption on your unique item.
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Paddlers's Corner
After winter break up, water levels on the rivers, may exceed their
high-water mark by several feet for a short period of time. The levels
gradually recede with normal spring rainfall and safe travel could commence
by the second or third week in May.
This may fluctuate with the amount of seasonal rainfall and spring run-off,
the volume and cold water temperatures may bump up the classifications
of a rapid up a higher degree of challenge and risk.
Fishing
The walleye fishing is incredible - Quebec fishing license is required
Code of the Wilderness
- All refuse should be packed OUT, keep in mind easier than packing them in.
Food can be burned in the fire but plastics and other stuff OUT.
- Fire pits should be built on bedrock or mineral soil, away from trees.
- Keep your fires small, conserving wood, attending it at all times.
- Collect firewood from the ground and along the shoreline, trees should
not be defaced.
- Do not leave anything in the fire pit.
- Respect the fire hazard or restrictions that make open fires illegal -
they are in place for everyone's safety.
- Always leave a campsite cleaner than you found it, place a stack of firewood
next to the fire pit for the next guests.
- Shallow holes should be dug for latrines and filled in later; nature does
not take care of this for us.
- Respect the need for others when sharing campsites and portages.
Hap Wilson
Quebec's Triple Play
Quebec's "Triple Play" is quickly becoming a legendary threesome
for today's adventure seekers. Almost everyone has heard of the Dumoine,
but ten years ago, who had heard of the Noire or Coulonge Rivers but a
few traditional paddlers hailing from camps such as Keewaydin on Lake
Temagami.
I am often asked how the three rivers compare with each other, in scenic
value, difficulty of terrain, length of portages, but all I can tell people
is that they have to try each one for themselves. Every river has its
own inherent characteristics that makes it special, soulful, entertaining
and alluring; triple play is unique because of the fact that they align
themselves within the same beautiful landscape, yet bequeath entirely
independent experiences. They are also easy to access by floatplane, and
a relatively short drive from Montreal, Ottawa or Toronto.
Why Fly In?
Having been an outfitter for nearly a decade, where access to interior
canoe routes by floatplane was an option, customers often remarked (without
knowing), "flying in was too expensive". Once we told them the
price, divided amongst the participants in their group, they were pleasantly
surprised at how affordable it was. In some instances, the cost of flying
in to a headwater lake was either cheaper or slightly more expensive than
a costly road shuttle. As a trip planner, I would impress upon clients
to "build-in" at least one option where flying in was a consideration.
Taking such things as prevailing wind direction into account, and how
many extra days it would take to paddle against a strong headwind to reach
the apex of the journey, a floatplane trip usually reduced the added work
and time spent struggling against the elements. There were other factors
to consider as well; like leaving your personal vehicle on a logging road;
wear and tear to think about; how many other people were using the same
access point; and, there was the time factor involved in jockeying cars
around that sometimes ate up a whole day.
So, after weighing all the possibilities, flying in made real sense.
For many of my customers it wouldn't be a wilderness trip without a ride
in a floatplane to kick things off. There is a spirited drama and romantic
excitement about flying in by bush plane; it adds that much more to the
adventure. You get in to where you want to be quickly, without fuss, without
crowds. And once the plane leaves you on the beach or rock outcrop, silence
prevailing, the thought of how much it cost to get there was inconsequential.
One of the primary reasons I recommend flying in to your destination
has to do with the fight to preserve wilderness. Some will argue that
planes disturb the natural balance of things, are noisy and invasive.
Agreeable to some extent, but the benefits to the environment far outweigh
the negative effects. Think about the boat shuttles used in Algonquin
Park, specifically on Opeongo and Canoe Lake, using environmentally unfriendly
outboard engines; think about invasive logging roads being opened to once
pristine lakes and rivers - canoeists support the proliferation of roads
simply by using them. During a time when most environmental agencies and
conservation groups are striving to create more "road less wilderness",
paddlers driving their vehicles right to the waters' edge on some logging
road sends a message to industry that we don't particularly want to deliver.