Algonquin Treks & Images: Day 16

Heart of the Park - Kiosk to Opeongo - Algonquin Park Canoe Trip Report

Merchant Lake

two nights -- two sunsets -- busy portage

Day 16 - AUGUST 25 – Big Trout to Merchant

5+ km paddle to portage

1840m into Merchant

Day 17 – AUGUST 26 - Rest Day on Merchant

click on any photo for full view

Sunset on Merchant Lake

Merchant Lake Campsite

Campsite Rating:

Water Access: very shallow -- sandy beach
Tent Sites: two maybe three tent sites
Fire Pit - small and exposed to the wind -- Norm rearranged the rocks
Firewood: lots of firewood
Kybo - satisfactory :)
Swimming - Shallow water sandy bottom for 100 meters or so then deeper
Scenery - pretty

View from the Merchant Lake campsite

We left our campsite on Big Trout around 9:30 a.m. It started out as a lovely calm morning with beautiful light. We paddled between the mainland and the islands and as we headed east toward the 1840 into Merchant the wind started to pick up. A few rollers were gathering but we were almost to the lily pond. At first the channel was hard to detect, then 6 canoes with German visitors emerged from the reeds. They seemed very happy to see us! We would soon find out why.

The narrow river that winds its way to the portage meanders greatly and the low water means a loaded canoe will bottom out many times on the bends. Sometimes the bottom was sand and sometimes it was deep bog. It seemed to take us a really long time to get to the portage. The portage seemed much further along than we expected.

The sun was hot and we could hear the wind in the trees but not feel it. When we finally approached the portage there were many rocks and again we had to get out and walk the last bit.

We met a young couple who were at the starting stages of a circle route from Big Trout to Hogan to Big Crow. Some long portages ahead of them! We hadn't talked to many people in the last 15 days so Norman enjoyed chatting as we loaded up for our first carry.

We remember the portage as feeling long with boardwalks over the wet areas and a couple of long ups and downs but nothing really difficult. We passed several other paddling groups. I had the dogs on leashes which is really hard, even with light barrels.

At the other end of the port Merchant greeted us with bright sunshine glancing sharply off huge waves. The waves crashed over an extremely large ancient tree trunk wedged between boulders at the put in. We could see where people had made small eroding trails trying to navigate around the obstacles.

We had a rest and lunch, waited for the portage to clear of people, and then set to work getting the boat in the water and the packs balanced on the tree trunk's wide girth. We actually did very well -- the last couple of weeks had made us stronger and settled us into a thoughtful routine.

Originally we planned to head south on Merchant to one of the campsites along the west shore. But the waves were rolling in the opposite direction so on a whim we decided to investigate a campsite at the top of the lake. We did not find the one marked at the 1130 portage -- we couldn't even see a portage sign. Further along we were blown into a beautiful sandy beach where we found home for the next two days.

It was a hot sun and the on-shore wind was welcome. We were delighted to find a table complete with cup hooks. There was an unused small fire pit, no other forms of furniture, and a wonderful sheltered spot to set up the tent.

I really liked this site. Swimming was awful as you had to walk out far to get to the deeper water. Getting water without sand in it was difficult too. But, there is a long and winding beach that sets this site apart from all the others we stayed on. We could go for long walks with our cameras, explore a wetland to the east of our site, find all kinds of animal tracks including a small bear and many deer. And being down at this end of the lake meant total privacy.

When we left the lake two days later we stopped in at one of the west-shore sites, third down from the portage. It was large with lots of furniture and a huge fire pit nicely built. The landing to the site was great and also provided a good spot to swim. There was a stashed Ministry boat. It was a great place but I still prefer our little site with the sprawling beach.

The pictures tell the rest of the story!