Our annual fall paddle this year will take place Sunday September 27, 2015. We will paddle beautiful Sharbot Lake. The west end of Sharbot Lake is like northern lakes, with rocky shores, islands, wetland coves, and bays. Join us for an interesting meander along shores, and around islands, interesting creeks and marshes, viewing rock formation, wild flowers. Bald eagles might be seen and there should be fabulous fall colours.
Car Pooling Arrangements: Eastern Lanark and area: meet at Union Hall at the corner of the Wolf Grove and County Road 29 for an 8:30 am departure. West Lanark: meet at Glen Tay Public School for a 9:15 am departure.
2014 Fall paddle; photo Brenda Boyd
Bring: Picnic lunch, water, binoculars, bug repellant, sunscreen, all essential safety equipment (mandatory): life jackets, bailer, heaving line & whistle.
Please note that you must pre-register for this event.
For registration and further information please contact Cliff Bennett at 613-256-5013 or . If you have a canoe and need a partner, or don’t have a canoe and would like to partner contact Cliff who will try to match you up.
In case of foul weather, this event will be cancelled. If in doubt on the morning of the paddle, call Cliff before 8 am to confirm.
This is an MVFN members only outing. We will canoe/kayak Canonto Lake, which is northwest of Lavant Station on County Rd. 16. This is a canoe journey which is not described in MVFN’s canoe journey’s guide.
Carpooling: For Eastern Lanark, meet at Union Hall for departure at 8:30 am. For Western Lanark: meet at Hwy 511 at Hopetown (by the cemetery) at 9:00 am
Bring: binoculars, lunch, bug spray, sun screen, life jackets (mandatory)
Please note: You must pre-register beforehand with Barb Chouinard at 613-233-6047 or 613-278-0271. All participants must sign a waiver. If you have a canoe/kayak and need a partner or want a partner but do not have a canoe or kayak, please contact Barb. Please also let us know if you have first aid or CPR training.
If weather is foul, this event will be cancelled. If in doubt, please contact Barb before 7:30 am on the day of the event.
Mississippi River from Appleton to Almonte MVFN Canoe/Kayak Outing
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Meet at 9 a.m. at the boat launch site in Appleton, on River Road just below the Appleton dam. We will canoe/kayak along the Mississippi River shoreline’s wet meadows and swamps. When we reach Almonte, we will stop at the Almonte beach where we can swim in the river. We will lock our canoes and go for lunch at the Barley Mow. We will paddle back to Appleton. Each way takes about 2 hours.
Bring: Lots of drinking water, binoculars, (we will be going to the Barley Mow for lunch), bug juice, life jackets (mandatory). Every vessel needs a safety kit (Bailer, floating throw-line, pea-less whistle & flashlight). An extra paddle is recommended per vessel.
If you have a canoe and need a partner, or don’t have a canoe and would like to partner, call Bob or Louise at 613-623-2358 or .
In case of severe weather, this event will be cancelled. If in doubt, call Bob or Louise no later than 8:00 A.M. For further information, please call 613-623-2358.
Please note: You must pre-register beforehand for this event. This is an MVFN members only event.
In spite of the extremely hot weather in July, Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists (MVFN) embarked on two very successful canoe/kayak journeys to enjoy the water and to see nature from the water. Slathered with plenty of sunscreen and accompanied always by a gentle breeze over the waters, the paddlers skirted the shorelines, creeks and wetlands in search of nature’s wonderments.
The first trip, organized by MVFN member Terry MacIver of Arnprior, was held on Stump Lake north of Elphin on Sunday, July 8. Twenty-six members in ten canoes and six kayaks put in at the public dock on County Rd 36 and circumnavigated the lake east to the High Falls Dam. Of interest were the many wetland plants in bloom along the wetland edges of the water at this time including beautiful blue pickerel weed, blue flags, one clump of jewel weed and good examples of flowering swamp milkweed. One highland cranberry bush was found along with red-osier dogwood.
The lake lived up to its name as ring-billed gulls occupied every stump showing above the water right across the lake. One hunting osprey was watched by the group but no catch was evident. Other birds listed were kingbird, kingfisher, swamp sparrow and song sparrow. A few boaters paddled up-river from the lake into the Mississippi River as far as the mouth to McLaren’s Snye but found only a tree swallow swooping serenely under the bridge.
Later in the month, on July 22, twenty-five members put in at the new Drummond/North Elmsley boat dock and launch site at Ferguson’s Falls. In nine canoes and seven kayaks, the group paddled up-river on the Mississippi along beautiful and lush soft maple wetland shores to a lunch break half way between County Rd. 15 and highway 511.
Organized and led by MVFN members Howard and Mary Robinson of Clayton, this trip concentrated on birds seen and heard in the wetland trees. Twenty-five species of birds were listed including woodducks and blue-winged teal, a pair of loons with one baby, pileated woodpecker, warbling and red-eyed vireos, one pied-billed grebe, great blue herons and a huge flock of young red-winged blackbirds. Many painted turtles were spotted sunning themselves on protruding logs and one rare Blandings turtle was seen.
The MVFN canoe/kayak program which is themed “Seeing Nature from the Water’s Edge”, continues in August, with trips planned for Sunday August 12th and Sunday August 26th. The overall canoe/kayak program is organized by MVFN Board member Bob Volks. For information call Bob at 613-256-7333 or e-mail .
