Canada 2023

We had a great family camping trip this year. This picture was taken in an area called the Carolinas. 

The water level was down, and we decided we could use the deck for the Clam (which we use as our tent)!!!

This is a picture of the deck after we took the Clam off when we were leaving. That's why the water spot is there. But notice that the deck has turned 180 degrees from its original location! The pointy end at the front should be directly opposite, where it was contoured to the shape of the cove. 

The deck also was no longer level after its rotation, so it sinks a bit, which you can see along the left side of the water spot. We placed the Clam as far from the depression as possible, but a couple feet of the front fell over it. No worries until the wind shifted, the water rose, and it rained one night straight at the front door, which had just a screen, no panel. I didn't realize we had an extra panel we could have used until we were packing to go. 

We got a little water inside when it rained HARD all night into the tent. But that was all, and we stayed totally dry in our cots, so we felt pretty lucky.

It's such a relief to be able to put the tent on the deck for several reasons:

• The cove is sheltered and our alternative, up on the top of the island on the windier side, is far more vulnerable to the wind
• It frees up that rocky area on the top of the island for things other than a tent
• Our stuff is less exposed to the elements. When we're on the rocks on the top of the island, the gross roach bugs get in more easily and sometimes get in our belongings. EEEEWWW!
• The floor is way more level, even in its current state, than the rocks on the top of the island. That makes it easier to set up tables and organize our things.

But also, the views are amazing. You're right on the water. It was really awesome when the deck wasn't flipped, because then our picnic table was set up right on the water, too.

Pretty nice, eh?

We set our kitchen, pantry, and table up in our usual non-deck area. It works nicely. I do have to be careful when I'm preparing meals, hopping up and down on the rocks. The pantry is about two feet above the table area and my stove.

Kids in the kitchen.

Meals in the kitchen.

Views from the kitchen table.

Activities included 

• Swimming
• Fishing
• Kayaking
• Lots of games, mostly Poison, some Crew in the evenings, and chess
• Reading
• BB golf
• Running into town for supplies
• Boat rides
• Fires and S'mores
• Exercising
• Hanging out together
• Building sculptures
• Enjoying the views
• Making meals and eating.

Here's the island as you're driving in from town.

Some views around the island.

The bathroom.

Here's a view of "town": Some marinas (now all owned by the same megacompany), a general store, some other businesses like construction companies, a gas station, and a restaurant.

The White Ingrate is not a great Canada dog. He doesn't cause problems, but he sleeps most of the day, and when he's awake, he's usually right at your feet trying, I can only surmise, to kill you. He also liked to dig, and he got dirty and also very, very, very smelly. However, he is a great boat dog. He loves speed and wind. He does cause trouble trying to get as far onto the edge as we'll let him. 

We saw some interesting wildlife.

• As usual, the song sparrows were singing throughout the day, mostly at 6:30 am and dusk, and flitting about the trees.
  
• There was a LOT of loon activity and communication. Most mornings and nights we heard them, and many days we saw them. One day there were four swimming about 4 feet in front of Scott and Thome.
  
• We saw a hummingbird a couple times.
  
• We saw an enormous toad that hopped out of the water when we were stepping onto the same rock to get into the kayaks.
  
• We saw mink--once on the island, once fishing, and once swimming in the water.
  
• We saw a harmless snake on the island
  
• We saw bald eagles a couple times. I saw one once when kayaking. I got pretty close while it was on a high branch and where I could see it very clearly. Scott was with me but wasn't close enough to get a good look or a photo.  And then when he and Thome were on the boat, they spotted one near town.

Click on images below to pop up the images for a clearer view.

Some folks were momentarily fooled into thinking the bald eagle had landed on our fire pit. (It was a log.)

We learned from the locals this year that we are the "tent people." We have always referred to ourselves as the "Beverly Hillbillies"—for fairly obvious reasons.