Teresa and I had long contemplated a camping trip using our sea kayaks. Both of us were geologists in a previous life and we’d done a few short canoe trips in Algonquin Park over the years so we were quite comfortable being “in the bush”. But it had been a few years since our last canoe trip, we were getting older, and kayaks in canoe country can be challenging given that they aren’t designed for portaging!
Perhaps our wanderlust was Covid-driven, as we were six months into the pandemic of 2020. Perhaps it was because our daughter was old enough to be left alone at home. Perhaps it was because we had some extra time on our hands. Likely it was a combination of all three factors. With the idea seeded, I started my research for suitable kayak routes in Ontario. Out came Kevin Callan’s book “Top 50 Best Canoe Routes of Ontario”, which I’d bought several years ago in anticipation of my retirement. There, right in plain view, was a route that seemed to tick all the boxes: The Old Voyageur Channel in French River Provincial Park. Novice route? Check. Minimal portaging? Check. Five days in length? Check. Stunning Georgian Bay Scenery? Check. It was settled. The Old Voyageur Channel would be our first backcountry kayaking adventure.
With the route set, I beavered away learning as much as I could about our trip by reading other paddlers’ accounts and by watching Youtube videos. Everyone raved about the beauty of the Old Voyageur Channel (which, incidentally, made up only one of our five tripping days). They also mentioned some occasionally tricky navigation, unpredictable weather on Georgian Bay and the relatively relaxed nature of the route (owing no doubt to the limited portaging). I downloaded and printed several different route maps, bought the necessary topo coverage and made sure I had lots of batteries for the GPS. We’d be paddling around 80 km over five days. Assuming we wouldn’t be windbound for any of this time (realistically only an issue while on Georgian Bay), even as novice kayak trippers the distance seemed quite manageable.
We continued our planning. Only a backcountry permit is required in the park, which I acquired online. This relieved the pressure of getting to a designated campsite each afternoon and given the time of year (a week after Labour Day) we weren’t anticipating too much competition for sites. Being a little older and a little wiser (cautious?) we carefully assembled our gear, adding a few things we didn’t have, and planning our meals. Our Delta 12.10’s are considered “recreational” kayaks and are a bit short for tripping, with no skeg or rudder so we knew we’d be asking a lot of them on this adventure. Also, unlike canoe trips, where most gear for two people can be hauled in a large pack and a food barrel, loading kayaks requires a bit more finesse. Lots of odds and ends need to be squeezed into the fore and aft waterproof compartments and every spare bit of space is utilized. We did a “dry run” pack the day before the trip and were relieved that everything fit. We were, however, dismayed by the weight (around 35 kg) of our fully-laden kayaks. We’d previously only ever used them for day trips with nothing more than a lunch and a couple of beach towels thrown in. How would these heavier kayaks handle? Would we struggle to travel at a decent speed? Would they be tippy? We would soon find out.
Sunday morning greeted us with overcast skies. We were on the road from Oakville by 5:30 am because we needed to put in a full day of paddling to get to the campsite we’d earmarked for that night. As we headed north up Hwy. 400 we were greeted with torrential rain which seemed more than a little foreboding. But as we turned off the highway and made our way down the 20 km gravel road to Hartley Bay Marina, the weather brightened up a bit (that could be a shadow if you look at it just so…). We paid our fees, drove our SUV down the very steep ramp to the water, unloaded our gear and stowed everything away in the kayaks. Despite the blustery, overcast weather, the temperature was a pleasant 18 degrees. After backing the SUV up the ramp and parking it, we were ready to head out.
We were told to make sure that when packing the kayaks they needed to be balanced front to back and side to side. Bobbing around in the marina, Teresa and I sized up each others’ kayaks and gave the thumbs up. We headed west along Hartley Bay where there was a bit of end-of-season residual boat traffic (note: nobody slows down for kayaks) for about 3 km before turning southwest into Wanapitei Bay and our first taste of Georgian Bay weather. Once we got the hang of things the kayaks handled well and we moved at a decent pace.
The wind was HOWLING up the bay, almost directly into our faces. At times it felt like we were going backwards despite paddling our hearts out. We made our way over to the West side of the bay where we sought refuge from the wind behind a chain of islands. Skipping from one island to another, we were sheltered from the whitecaps that were marching up the bay. It was still tough sledding but at least we were making some progress. It helped that this was Day One and that we had a bit of adrenaline on tap since we were learning on the fly and everything was new and exciting. As we made our way to the lee side of one small island, we unknowingly snuck up on a family of four river otters frolicking in the water and staying out of the wind. Surprised by our appearance from out of nowhere, they were quick to scamper up the shore and seek refuge on land.
We powered along in challenging conditions for another 2 km before arriving at Ox Bay, which forms a confluence of several channels. We found a campsite out of the wind and chowed down on chicken parm sandwiches left over from our daughter’s 17th birthday party the night before. We’d unwittingly just beaten a couple of other canoes to the campsite (which I assume they wanted to use for the night) but they graciously waited a little way down the shoreline while we ate and recharged.
Satiated, we headed west along the French River’s Western Channel. This is a substantial, 200 m wide waterway that leads into Crombie Bay, home to a cluster of campsites. My research had indicated that these sites weren’t very private so we’d committed earlier to power down the channel to a couple of other sites. Given the time of year, I felt our chances of snagging one of the better sites were good. Despite heading due west, our earlier southwest headwind seemed every bit as strong after lunch as before. The skies remained ominous all afternoon but mercifully, the rain held off. After almost 7 km of head down paddling, we turned southwest again, sticking close to the western shore of the channel and finding some calmer conditions. Just after we made the turn southwest, we checked out the first of two possible campsites. By now we were pretty beat but this island campsite, 732, didn’t cut it. So we sucked it up and paddled another 1.5 km to campsite 707. This one was way better, with a nice put-in area in a small sheltered bay. Beaching our kayaks, we quickly established where everybody pitches their tents and found the thunderbox. By this time the wind was dying down, which was great, but it also brought out enough mosquitoes to be annoying. We certainly hadn’t considered the bugs this time of year! There was a bench near the firepit that we used as a table for heating up our chili (the smallest things feel like luxuries when camping!). We made a little fire (easy to get going but hard to keep going) but were so tired that we hit the sack by 8 pm.
We were greeted on Day Two by a spectacular early Fall day. The air was still and mist was rising from the river. With calmer waters and clear skies, we were eager to get on with the day. After a few cups of tea and some instant oatmeal, we packed up camp and continued southwest along the Western Channel towards Robinson Bay and the entrance to the showcase of our trip, the Old Voyageur Channel. We paddled along the Western Channel for 4 km and took in the increasingly stunning scenery, consisting of lots of rock outcroppings along the water’s edge capped by majestic White Pines. After the previous day’s slog, we were rewarded with a nice tailwind as we paddled down the river. As we entered Robinson Bay, I cross-referenced our position with a couple of maps and the GPS, since I’d read that there are several possible routes to take as the channel splits into a number of fingers and finding the right entrance can be tricky. It felt good to dust off the navigational skills from my days as a field geologist as I pored over the maps. After a few minutes of pondering various options, we pointed our kayaks towards a fairly well-disguised entrance to what almost certainly was the Old Voyageur Channel. We were on our way.
Over the years I’ve had the privilege of working and playing in many parts of Canada. This stretch of river stacks up as some of the most scenic I’ve come across and we had the whole place to ourselves! Very narrow in spots, with many smooth, large boulders dotting the water. With the sun beaming down, sparkling off the glassy water and with just a whiff of tailwind, we slowly made our way through the aptly named Rock Circus and played in a few swifts. What an absolutely stunning part of the world! I can’t say enough about the beauty of this stretch of river.
As we made our way down the channel we saw a small rapid but didn’t think much about it. Instead, we bared left and ended up going into a bay and a dead end just south of the Petite Faucille Rapids. After taking in the scenery in the bay, we realized the error of our ways and headed back up to the rapids, which are really a ledge with a 1 m drop. We weren’t even tempted to give it a go but fortunately the “portage” was only 20 m long, short enough to manhandle the kayaks over without taking any gear out. It is a really lovely spot to chill for a few minutes, which we did. After taking a couple of obligatory photos, we hopped back into our kayaks for more amazing paddling and gorgeous northern Ontario landscapes.
After a short, 1 km stretch of paddling, we came to La Dalle rapids which, even we easily navigated despite our novice abilities. These little stretches of fast but safe water are so much fun to run! Over the next kilometre we saw two sets of campers. There was no mystery as to why they chose to camp there. It was magnificent. Magnificent!
The Old Voyageur Channel then intersects the aptly named east-west oriented West Cross Channel. Again, very, very pretty along this stretch, with lots of little bays and islands to explore. Navigating in here, even with maps and a GPS, proved to be a bit of a challenge, as it is really easy to get turned around. At one point, we were looking for a small rapid to continue heading east. We spent quite a bit of time paddling down dead ends before concluding that the only way to go was up a rapid, which we hadn’t expected. Fortunately we were able to go around the rapid to the south and pull the kayaks over a beaver dam. Once we’d done this and paddled a bit, things opened up and we regained confidence that we were heading the right way.
Traveling another kilometre, we arrived at a series of small rapids that spill into the West Cross Channel. Just to the west of the Lily Chutes is campsite 803, where we elected to have our hot dogs and bask in the early Fall sunshine. We then continued heading east to the Devil’s Door Rapids, which, with the water levels seasonally low, we ran with ease. After this, I made my first big navigational goof by heading quite far south along the Bad River Channel instead of just traversing over to the mouth of a small creek. We certainly could have headed out into Georgian Bay via the Bad River Channel but, unsure of the wind conditions (turns out they were fine), we wanted to stick to the safety of the creek, which is known as the East Cross Channel. This little creek meanders in an east-southeast direction for 3 km before exiting into a really gorgeous back bay on Georgian Bay proper. From there, we enjoyed calm conditions as we made our way another 3 km eastward, past Whitefish Bay and Sand Bay. Finally, after a fairly long paddling day, we arrived at campsite 719, the farthest east site, that, weather permitting, would set us up for an early morning dash to the Bustard Islands.
Our campsite was right on the southern tip of the east side of Sand Bay. It had a nice sheltered area to take out our kayaks. This was quite a large and rocky campsite that would suit our needs just fine. We treated ourselves to marinated flank steak followed by a tipple of bourbon. Once again, dog tired, we retreated to our tents quite early and made a half-hearted attempt to read before calling it a day.
After enduring a chilly night where the temperature dipped down to three degrees and I realized the limitations of my summer sleeping bag (Teresa, in her three-season bag, was snug as a bug in a rug), we were greeted the next morning by Georgian Bay’s (in)famous wind. First thing in the morning and it was blowing like crazy off the bay. The plan was to head 1.5 km north, up the Main Outlet, before turning east and crossing the outlet, where it was no more than 300 m wide, and then “island hopping” near shore, eastward to a large island that would provide the shortest stretch of open water to the Bustard Islands. We really wanted to get to the Bustards, an archipelago of more than 500 tiny islands that is a popular summer area for boaters and which looks stunningly scenic in photos.
We broke camp knowing that with the strong onshore wind, our relatively modest paddling skills would be tested first thing. Initially we were able to sneak between the western shore of the bay and a long island but eventually we had to pop out into the bay. We were greeted with whitecaps and 1 m swells that were barreling north, straight up the outlet. Aided by the intense tailwind, we “surfed” much of the way up the outlet, paddling only to occasionally course correct or to regain balance. We were traveling at about 7 knots with only minimal paddling. We were indeed challenged by the conditions but to our great relief, neither of us went for a swim. When we arrived at our crossing point, Teresa and I looked at each other and said “no way, Jose”. Even if we had gradually traversed down and then back up the channel rather than making a beeline across, we had exceeded our comfort zone. The swells were just too big. This, despite being decked out with spray skirts and despite kayaks being better-suited for these conditions than a canoe.
Although we knew there were multiple routes for exploring the French River Delta, we honestly thought our only issue could be getting out to the Bustards after we’d made our way east along Georgian Bay to the Eastern Outlet. We hadn’t counted on not being able to get over to the Eastern Outlet. We had a look at the maps and determined that going north on the Main Outlet would only require one short, 300 m portage around Dalles Rapids. It was an easy decision to change our route. Back into our comfort zone we went.
We continued with our embarrassment of tailwind riches as we literally sailed up the Main Outlet. After about 4 km, the outlet turned east and before we knew it, we were at Little Dalles Rapids, just below the main rapids. Stronger paddlers may have been able to make it up this swift but we found the current too strong so we decided to line the kayaks up the west side, which was an event in itself because we basically didn’t know what we were doing. After getting past these rapids we paddled, hard, to the other side of the river to get to the 300 m long Dalles Rapids portage. As I mentioned at the outset, portaging kayaks sucks. We had to make three trips to get all our gear over: one for our equipment and one for each of our kayaks. Under these circumstances, doing some quick math reveals that a 300 m portage becomes a 1,500 m portage! Even though this was a well-used trail, it was still pretty lousy, with lots of uneven ground, boulders, ups and downs and mud. We came across two other canoe parties, each going the other way. Neither opted to try their luck at running the rapids. Having schlepped our gear and ourselves to the other side, we were rewarded with a beautiful view of Dalles Rapids which, even in September, had a high flow rate. No wonder the canoeists elected to portage around. As a reward for our efforts, we had a hot lunch near the rapids before setting off for the rest of the afternoon’s paddling.
We decided to paddle across Moosehorn Bay towards Canoe Channel rather than heading up the upper part of the Eastern Outlet. If we’d stuck to our original route it would have taken us along Canoe Channel. By doing this, we were able to get back on track. Given the lack of campsites on Canoe Channel we still had about 8 km of paddling to get to the site we’d picked out. The long paddle was worth it though. Campsite 642 was our second-best of the trip. Out of the wind, with a place to go for a quick dip to clean off the day’s grime and some cliffs across the small bay near the site. Dinner that night was pasta Carbonara (which turned out just “okay”).
Because we’d paddled quite hard the first three days, Day Four was more leisurely. The plan was to pack up, paddle three short kilometres east along Ox Bay to Pickerel Bay, drop off our gear and explore. I was able to get a weather forecast on my cell phone that indicated we needed to get an earlier start than planned if we were to beat some forecast rain. We headed up the last bit of Canoe Channel, turned east and headed to an area called The Elephants. Arriving at around 10 am, we found what must be the best campsite in the whole park, site 633. It had a good place for the kayaks and was notable for the huge rock outcrop that jutted out into Pickerel Bay. This had the potential to give us not only a great sunset but also a great sunrise! We put up the tent and tarp, stowed our gear to keep it dry, took what we needed for the rest of the day, and headed east along the Pickerel River.
The south side of the river was dotted with bays and inlets. We were hoping one would lead down a creek that we could explore but all we found were dead ends. It was still fun to explore this area. I then spotted a railway bridge on the map and that became the mission for the balance of the morning.
The day was dull and grey as we made our way along the river, which wasn’t too memorable. Having made it to the bridge, hunger set in so we turned right around and scouted a spot for lunch, which we found about two kilometres back towards camp.
Bellies full, we had a look at the map and found an extensive swamp on the north side of the river that looked interesting. At this point, the rain had held off so we were feeling pretty good about things. So we set off “up the creek” so to speak until we came to a beaver dam. Hauling the kayaks over this wasn’t too bad because we were able to paddle right up to the dam. However, there was another dam just above the first. This one required that we haul our kayaks over the bog in front of the dam, as there just wasn’t enough water for paddling. Thanks to Teresa’s efforts, she was able to get gimpy-kneed me up and over this far more substantial dam, after which it was relatively clear going into the swamp.
There was no mystery as to why the swamp was there. It was because of the beaver dams! But given that the swamp showed up on all the maps I had, it was clear that the dams and swamp had been around a long time. What had interested me on the map was it looked like there was an island in the middle of the swamp, with water all around its perimeter. Turns out the island was just mature bog and the only place where water still flowed was where it was deep, along the cliff-lined shoreline. The rain finally came but we soldiered on, thinking that we may be able to pop out at the west end of the swamp, which would have put us right behind camp. Alas, the going got tougher and morale sagged so we turned tail and headed back to whence we came.
A bit soggy, we arrived back at our rock star of a campsite, set up a clothesline to catch the breeze and hung out our wet clothing to dry. Teresa was fed up with cooking so I was voluntold it was my turn that night, so I concocted a vegetarian rice dish that tasted half decent thanks to copious amounts of soya sauce. I certainly noticed a craving for salt on this trip. I wonder if that’s a “thing”?
The weather broke and we were treated to a spectacular Georgian Bay sunset. Sitting out on the big outcrop that jutted into the bay, we finally found ourselves able to really relax and enjoy a bit of the evening. Of course, with the weather clearing, we were in for another 3 degree night but this time I was better prepared and had a restful sleep despite my skimpy sleeping bag. Teresa, once again, was snug and warm in her mummy bag.
The next morning, Day Five, we were greeted by an equally spectacular sunrise. We lingered a bit, taking photos and enjoying the view with our tea, before making one last breakfast, packing up and heading out back to Hartley Bay Marina.
The day was brilliantly sunny, with little wind and easy paddling. We traversed Ox Bay to its northwest corner, to a nice little pass known as Canoe Bay Channel. Very pretty. Then we popped back out to the east side of Wanapitei Bay and headed north towards Hartley Bay. The last 3 km east to Hartley Bay were so nice that we didn’t want the trip to end. We had the sun in our eyes and the wind at our backs. Life was good.
Arriving at the marina, lots of paddlers were heading out for an extended weekend. We had to wait our turn at the dock but eventually we got in, hauled our gear into the SUV and headed out. But rather than drive directly home, we made a short, 20 minute detour across to Orillia. After all, a northern adventure wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Webbers for burgers, fries and a milkshake.
Overall the trip was absolutely terrific. We would definitely revisit the area, probably at the same time of year. Normally the week after Labour Day can still be very summer-like in this part of Ontario with the added bonus that the crowds have dispersed with the restart of school. True to form, we barely saw a soul on our trip, but the weather made it feel very much like Fall. When we go back (not if), we will spend a couple of days camping and doing day trips in and around the Old Voyageur Channel area. That area is a slice of Northern Ontario heaven. In fact, we’ve already got our campsite picked out, but it’s a secret!
I found these resources helpful for planning our trip:
Tangram 
Beautiful pictures, great post 🙂
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Thanks Number One Fan!
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Forwarded to me by Cynthia. Spectacular photos and a great, detailed write-up of an amazing adventure! Really enjoyed it. Blog on…
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Thank-you. Very kind.
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“With the idea seeded, I started my research for suitable kayak routes in Ontario. Out came Kevin Callan’s book “Top 50 Best Canoe Routes of Ontario”, which I’d bought several years ago in anticipation of my retirement. There, right in plain view, was a route that seemed to tick all the boxes: The Old Voyageur Channel in French River Provincial Park. Novice route? Check. Minimal portaging? Check. Five days in length? Check. Stunning Georgian Bay Scenery? Check. It was settled. The Old Voyageur Channel would be our first backcountry kayaking adventure.”
Take all the credit for the route its okay. Its not like I did this trip and convinced you not to go to Algonquin…
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Actually, son, Kevin Callan can take credit for the route!
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David, what a great write-up…and your photos capture all the wow of a very scenic slice of Ontario.
You could widen your audience by starting a thread at the Canadian Canoe Routes website in the Ontario Trip Reports sub-forum so that any paddlers who have yet to consider the French river delta can see just what they’ve been missing. Of course, that might mean that your “secret” campsite will be occupied the next time you go!
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Thanks for the encouraging feedback! Yes, I will get a thread going over at CCR. That’s where I first found you! Great idea.
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I am sitting in my easy chair in lockdown #2, but feel like I have been on an excursion. Thanks David for a wonderful escape. You write in such a natural or conversation manner and the photographs help me to fully engage with what you are experiencing. Thank you. I truly enjoyed your Blog. More please!
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Thanks for your kind comment Lorene. I’m glad my Mom had the foresight to share it with someone who appreciates the North!
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