Magnetawan River loop (2016)

  I started my trip at the Bennetts Bay marina, on Wahwashkesh Lake. Being a long week-end the parking was full. Cars were parked down the road and I wasn't sure what to do. As I was driving around I see a car pulling out of a parking spot. I took it right away amazed at my good luck.
  The wind was supposed to blow from the East (forecast) and it did, so after battling a headwind for a while I had a nice tailwind most of the time for 2 days.
  In record time I reached Trout Lake after portaging the 2280m ATV road. I stopped on an island for lunch, the exact spot I was camped on 5 years ago. Since I had enough time I pressed on. I passed 2 occupied camp sites, this must be the busiest week-end of the summer. Finally I stopped at a campsite close to Eagle Rock. Across the river was a dock with a float plane parked beside.

  I must have some kind of bear phobia at night and the close proximity of other people made me feel safer. Still it doesn't prevent me from going out in the bush, even alone as was the case this time. What stops me are the bugs in peak season, and this wasn't the case. I got few bites but not too bad. Deer flies, horse flies, stable flies and mosquitoes, all had a desire to bite me. The worst were the mosquitoes on the Bear Lake portage.
  First night I actually slept very good, I didn't feel like getting out of the bed (sleeping bag/pad). Weather was good, I ate and by 8 a.m. I left the camp.
  The rocky shallows had enough water to allow me to line the canoe right through. Last time I had to portage since there was no water.

  I stopped for lunch at Seesee Lake and I met a family that told me about a free campsite on Lone Tree Lake. Before setting camp on the nice peninsula I checked the N site, with the adjacent beach. The beach was nice but the camp site didn't impress me.

  Third day I was aiming for Bolger Lake where I stopped for lunch. On the way I had a break at a beach on Miskokway Lake.

  After battling a headwind most of the day I saw the wind switching during my 1 hour lunch. So I jumped in my canoe and aided by the western wind I reached Maple Lake by 7 p.m.
  The camp site (N side) was OK, not bad at all. In the bush there were 2 squirrels quarreling continuously. This will prove to be reassuring later on.
  Every night I was going to sleep early, by 10 p.m. sound asleep. At 2 a.m., a noise made by a big animal in the bush woke me up. Then I heard some crunching noise. I thought that maybe a bear got my food bag but then there was no metal noise ( I had my pot and hobo stove inside it).
  I remembered reading about deer eating charcoal to detox and I think this was the case. I made some noise, light up my lantern and slowly the noise (deer) went away. By 3 a.m. I was back to sleep, squirrels still quarreling.
  Last day it took me under 2h to get to the dock at the end of Indian Narrows Rd. saving me about 2km of paddling and some motor boat traffic.
  I was content, happy with the outcome of the trip. This route has some really nice spots along the way, I will definitely go back.

Happy trails!