Share this post15-2 & a Pair is 4: A Canoe Trip to Cribbage Ignominy Sweetened by a Taste of Paradisetempleman.substack.comCopy linkFacebookEmailNoteOther15-2 & a Pair is 4: A Canoe Trip to Cribbage Ignominy Sweetened by a Taste of ParadiseThe many defeats I suffered last week in crib melted against the remarkably untrammelled beauty of the French River coast of Georgian BayBill TemplemanAug 21, 2023Share this post15-2 & a Pair is 4: A Canoe Trip to Cribbage Ignominy Sweetened by a Taste of Paradisetempleman.substack.comCopy linkFacebookEmailNoteOtherShareTo reach the open waters of Georgian Bay we had to run or portage several small rapids.2 days of paddling took us from Hartley Bay to the coast. The coast is a labyrinth of channels, bays, islands and shoals. Few other campers, and almost no other boaters.No wi-fi & spotty cell coverage. Being disconnected for a week was a blessing. Instead, we explored the coast, talked, cooked, read & played cribbage, wherein I managed to win one game with a 24-point hand. Joy is where you find it….Instead of moving camp every night we stayed put & explored the coast on day trips. This lighthouse is at the western tip of the Bustard Islands. The crossing is a deceptive 4 km; it took us about 45 minutes of paddling from the coast across the very calm water. The crossing looks easy, but winds can maroon boaters on the islands for days.One consequence of being out of dependable cell range was that my daily online time shrank to almost nil. The world limped on without my digital dithering quite well.Another consequence of being out on the land & beyond access to electricity is that we followed the sun’s schedule. Evenings were shorter but mornings lasted forever.This section of the Georgian Bay coast is within the French River Provincial Park, so there are designated campsites. The absence of trash was striking and the abundance of blueberries was wonderful. While paddling out we saw two bears gorging away on the berries; they ignored us.Dawn over the main channel of the French River on August 19th, 2023. So good to know that a temporary escape into timeless wilderness is still possible in Ontario, at least for now.Thanks for reading Bill’s Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.SubscribePreviousNext