When we forget our stories, then we forget our dreams. When we forget our dreams, then we lose our spirit.
Maori saying
Maori saying
Algonquin
For the past eleven years, my sons and I have made an annual trip to Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario for an extended weekend of canoeing and camping. The first few years, this was part of a youth group weekend - an adventure/experience for young teens that was typically beyond their typical camping experience. We venture out more than 20km beyond "civilization" and back over a three day period. The youths who came along typically came back enriched and with a better appreciation of nature and conservationism.
Eventually we extended the trip by a day. I have to admit, the first year - being out in the wild, where animals are wilder, and the comforts and conveniences of home are not there, I was intimidated at first. I was not prepared psychologically for it. The next year was so much easier, and every year since has been more and more enjoyable. We've improved our equipment, our techniques and our paddling to the point where we are enjoying the experience more than we are working at it (I recall coming back after the first year feeling like I had been run over by a moose instead of watching one).
Algonquin time is my favorite time of the year now. I combine almost everything that I enjoy out of life into one trip. I enjoy my kids - and I get to spend some real quality time with them. I enjoy the sights, the sounds and the smells of being outdoors in the woods - Algonquin is perfect for that. I enjoy wildlife, and there is usually plenty (the sound, at 2 am. of a pack of wolves howling no more than a few hundred meters away is exhilarating!). I enjoy camping... And I enjoy photography - and there's always lots to photograph in Algonquin.
Here is a collection of my favorite photos and moments over the years (some may be repeated from other pages), and a collection of the videos we've produced to remember the trips by:
Eventually we extended the trip by a day. I have to admit, the first year - being out in the wild, where animals are wilder, and the comforts and conveniences of home are not there, I was intimidated at first. I was not prepared psychologically for it. The next year was so much easier, and every year since has been more and more enjoyable. We've improved our equipment, our techniques and our paddling to the point where we are enjoying the experience more than we are working at it (I recall coming back after the first year feeling like I had been run over by a moose instead of watching one).
Algonquin time is my favorite time of the year now. I combine almost everything that I enjoy out of life into one trip. I enjoy my kids - and I get to spend some real quality time with them. I enjoy the sights, the sounds and the smells of being outdoors in the woods - Algonquin is perfect for that. I enjoy wildlife, and there is usually plenty (the sound, at 2 am. of a pack of wolves howling no more than a few hundred meters away is exhilarating!). I enjoy camping... And I enjoy photography - and there's always lots to photograph in Algonquin.
Here is a collection of my favorite photos and moments over the years (some may be repeated from other pages), and a collection of the videos we've produced to remember the trips by:
Traditional Group photos:
What a Canoe feels like... (2018)
2007 - as part of Royal City Demolay event.
it should be noted that this entire video was shot with a 5MP KODAK camera.
2008: again as part of Royal City Demolay
2009: we began to get a bit more sophisticated and production-oriented (and less camera shy)
Sorry Folks, even though this is a not-for profit video - Mr. Bob Seeger doesn't want you to hear a clip of his song "Like a Rock" unless YOU pay HIM for it.
I've had to remove this video from YouTube. When I have time, I will re-edit the video so that it doesn't feature any of Mr. Seeger's work and re-post it - with someone else's music (of course giving them full credit for the music).
Thanks...
I've had to remove this video from YouTube. When I have time, I will re-edit the video so that it doesn't feature any of Mr. Seeger's work and re-post it - with someone else's music (of course giving them full credit for the music).
Thanks...
2010: going for the academy awards
2010 - we even made a music video - lots of fun
And some more fun....
And 2013, after 2 years of no videos...
Eventually I stopped creating full videos, but rather just made up some 'shorts' such as this one in which we did a timelapse of a camp breakdown. This was a ton of fun to do.
Clearly this guy was trying to distract me. I had previously seen a loon and baby, and as I got onto this portion of the lake the next day, he made a beeline directly at me and then started circling the boat. You can hear the other adult in the background. I did not stay too long, because it is most definitely not a good idea to stress any animal in this way. What a beautiful serenade though...