Jim Rankin’s view of Ragged Lake in Algonquin Park, from his 16-foot Prospector canoe. Michelle Shephard paddles, while Parker, their Labradoodle, settles in behind her.
With the first paddle stroke, the city life of noise, screens and stress immediately dissipates, giving way to the call of the loon, the soothing lap of water on canoe hull and a kind of serenity that I’ve found nowhere else on earth.
That is, until Parker, our Labradoodle, decides quite some distance from the next portage that now’s a perfectly good time to find that ball, tucked somewhere within the bags of gear, food, drink and books, wedged between stern and bow of our 16-foot Prospector canoe.
No, we did not tip, but imagine an excited 50-pound fur face inspecting every nook and cranny of said Prospector.
But there was that one time when Parker — who joined me and my partner Michelle as a constant and rather unhelpful canoe-mate nine years ago — just fell overboard.
We were on Smoke Lake, a large and often windswept access lake to interior lakes in Ontario’s Algonquin Park, when Parker, wearing a life-jacket with a handle and an awkward rigid back, lost her balance, and sploosh!
Bu hikaye Toronto Star dergisinin July 17, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Toronto Star dergisinin July 17, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Scheffler closer to FedEx Cup prize
No. 1 seed builds seven-shot lead with five birdies over last seven holes at Tour Championship
Hair's fair game for CFL tacklers
'It's all good,' says Argos return specialist Grant, who has had dreadlocks since middle school
PEDAL TO THE MEDAL
O'Brien overcomes health struggles, adversity to seal track cycling bronze
As baby boomers age, cost of care grows too
C.D. Howe report finds health care could grow to 12.6% of GDP by 2067
Heartbroken locals say goodbye to beloved shops
Pape Village businesses told they must close for Ontario Line station
Tropical storm wreaks havoc with rains
At least three dead as Shanshan moves across island, raising fears of flooding and landslides
'My values have not changed'
Harris defends her policy changes during first sit-down interview of her campaign for president
Crown seeks 9 years in prison for duo
Judge urged to impose lengthy weapons ban on protesters who believed they were at war'
Waterspouts seen in Eastern Canada
Tornadoes on water are being reported more often this year
Journalists guilty in sedition case
Duo was charged under colonial-era law increasingly used to silence dissidents