We spent 2 days paddling & portage across a series of lakes at Kejimkujik National Park in September. This was a special trip as it was the first time we’ve attempted this kind a multi-day paddle and an overnight in the backcountry. Our goal was to travel a partial route taken by the tent dwellers to Peskowesk Lake and to spend the overnight at the Yurt. It is the same structure we stayed at back in an earlier adventure, but they moved it 10 km down the road past Eel Weir.
The Hardwood Carry – Day 1
Our trip started at Eel Weir, this was a toss up as the paddle distance from Merrymakedge beach, but with winds gusting, we thought the water would be a little clamer than trying to cross larger portion of the lake. After trying to navigate around the rocks, we paddled all the way to Portage E, otherwise known as the Big Hardwood Carry. This was the toughest portage as it’s mostly uphill. Being newbies with portage, we wondered why we didn’t have a cart to pull our kayaks. Our goal was Portage G, where the Yurt was. It was a tough paddle, the wind was making waves and our inexperience showed. Once we finally arrived, we were happy to see the Yurt and start to relax and dry off.
Hop, Skip & a Jump – Day 2
The second day consisted of travelling up smaller lakes & portages back to Minards Bay and return to our starting point. The weather was much better, the sun was out, the wind was still gusty but got calmer during the day. We actually preferred the shorter portages up puzlle & cranberry lake.
We used an Ocean Kayak Caper & Necky looksha where we will do specific videos about the boats in a few weeks. We also took the time to place five geocaches as part of the series at the park. Check out the Yurt options at the park, the trip goes a lot better when you have the comfort of the Yurt after a day of paddling.
Check out all of the activities at Kejimkujik National Park Check out the Garmin Adventure, and download the track, waypoints & photos Check out our playlist to view the related videos about this trip!
Kayak Review – Necky Looksha & Ocean Kayak Caper
Special thanks to Trail Shop in Halifax for assisting us with the kayaks. They offer rentals and provide all the safety equipment.
Music: