Guigon Travels

An early morning after a late night generally does not suit me well, but I think I managed not to bite any heads off or offend anyone – or I’ve got selective memory on the issue. If the latter, I apologize.

Went to Eddy’s to load up the vehicles around 7:30. Still didn’t end up on the road until around 9:30. I would say it was an uneventful morning, but that would be a lie. It started raining around Midnight last night and didn’t stop. It was pouring buckets, gusting wind, and general nastiness all the way into the mountains. My lead foot did not prevail this day. Even if it had, it wouldn’t really have helped because of what looked like avalanche clearing just outside of Revelstoke and other construction delays. Somehow we still managed to make it to Sicamous by 3:00 PST (4:00 MST), an hour before we were supposed to check in for the boat. Eddy and Marie went looking for the farmers market, I think Dave and Heather went with them, while Dan, the kids, and I went for lunch at a little place called Blondie’s Café.

John and Leah arrived just in time for the boat orientation at 4:00. Captain John and Lieutenant Dan went through the orientation while the rest of us were directed to our parking spot where we waited. While waiting, some of us went for a walk and discovered at the Twin Anchors Houseboating Vacations not only the washrooms but also a lovely little store and a seafood restaurant. After the boys went through the orientation, the shuttle quads arrived to take away our luggage. Jessica, Anna, and I went ahead to the boat to do the inventory checklist with our host. It got a little chaotic for a bit while Dan and John were finalizing paperwork, we were doing the inventory, and luggage and people started arriving, but we managed it and soon were settled on J Cruiser. A host captain drove the boat for us out of the harbour and then left us to it, departing on a zodiac.

The first evening went along swimmingly until we realized it was time to find our first port for the night. It took a bit to find a suitable ‘beach’, in this case a rocky shoreline, and it was getting dark by the time we got there. Being our first time beaching this three-storey monstrosity, it was a challenge, not so much getting it on the beach as keeping it straight so as to tie it to the shore properly. But we did achieve success, in the dark, and all was good.

The endless line…

On our way out the marina

Prepping the bar Marie and Leah

Captain John and Assistant Cassie

Captain John

Our first full day on the water! We started by having a swim off the back of the docked boat, the kids using the water slides and water guns while the rest of us just swam around using inflatable craft, water noodles, and PFDs. The water was cold at the first dunk, but warmed up quickly. Compared to home (i.e. Back Bay or Long Lake), it wasn’t even really cold, just a little surprise. Dan, Jessica, Jarod, Leah, and I built an inukshuk on the beach to mark our visit – we named him Captain Kuppenbender. We ‘chilled’ like that for a bit then got everybody back on the boat and headed out on the lake towards another arm. We didn’t really plan much, but got through the Cinnemousin Narrows and randomly decided to drift to starboard into the ??? arm. We slowed to a crawl for a bit so the guys could troll out the aft (no luck catching anything) but eventually realized we didn’t really know how far we had gotten. We had to refer to GoogleEarth’s satellite view on Leah’s phone to figure out where we were. Once we did we decided on a place to aim for. We landed at Cottonwood Beach in time to put the BBQ beer can chicken on and to watch the Riders play the Stampeders. Of course Eddy and Dave had a bet going: if the Riders won Dave would serve Eddy drinks all day Sunday, if the Stampeders won Eddy would serve Dave. Well, the Stamps won, so…

Dave was the master of the BBQ beer can chicken and it is a well deserved title. It was sooooooo good! Half the chicken was rubbed with a rosemary-thyme-lime rub, the other half with a paprika rub. Both were fantastic. Served with potatoes and vegetables. Mm-mm-mm.

While the food was cooking the kids did some more swimming while Dan, Jessica, and I built another inukshuk to mark our new spot. The beach this time was less rocky and more sand/gravelly, but on each side were really interesting and varied rocks and boulders. We also found a little spiderman action figure amongst the boulders, which we decided to place on our inukshuk’s shoulders and hence the name of our inukshuk is Peter Cottonwood.

I spent some time on the beach with Anna cleaning pebbles (the sand/gravel of the beach) until supper was ready. After supper games of cribbage ensued for a time while the kids watched some space dog movie. Jessica and I tried to make peanut butter cookies (we had brought a massive 1kg jar of peanut butter, so there’s plenty to use). The oven didn’t really work the way we were used to though (it was gas, we’re used to electric), so half the cookies were half cooked well after they should have been fully cooked. Disappointing, but the cookies were still eaten. I think we’re going to try some freezer cookies tomorrow.

Aline Beach

Captain Kuppenbender Jarod, Adelle, Dan, Jessica

Aft Swimming Adam, Sam, Cassie, Anna, Heather, Marie

Jarod Skipping Rocks Yeah, he skipped so many rocks his shoulder hurt the next day…

More Swimming Adelle, Dave, Eddy

Lieutenant Dan

The Floating Store

The Floating Bar

Lieutenant Dan and Captain John

Go Riders! Go Stamps! No, Go Riders! No, Stamps! Marie, Eddy, Dave

The J Cruiser

Lookit those webs!

Peter Cottonwood

The Thinking Dan…and Jarod

Cassie and her Silver Find

Our Rocky (and mismatched) Canada Adam, Sam, Anna, Cassie, Dan, Jarod, Jessica

SeeSaw Anna and Adam (or maybe Sam)

Panoramic view of the narrows

Our first Canasta game Bloody horseshoes skipped the third generation…

Day two. Woke up to a little smoke in the air, which became progressively worse throughout the day. Not debilitating, but present. It was our day for cooking today. I made Frankie’s breakfast muffins, which appeared to be a hit. We played some scrabble, made some freezer cookies (actually, all the freezer cookies), and then made spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic ciabatta bread for supper.

Dan lieutenanted us from Cottonwood Beach to Daniel’s Store on the northeast end of Seymour Arm, where we briefly beached to get more ice and garbage bags. We freaked some beach goers a little bit when we made to look like we were going to beach at the beach itself, but we actually beached further up, closer to the store. We sailed further into the arm and ended up overnighting at Bughouse Bay, which is really at the furthest point east on the entire lake. The area was much sandier than our previous stops, and just around the corner where we parked the sand really was sand rather than pebbles. In the other direction to that sandy area was a grassy area within which we built Bughouse Squidward the inukshuk. I love Squidward’s head; to me it looks more like a crystal skull or alien head, but majority rules on the naming of our inukshuks. I’m hoping that being placed within the grassy area it won’t be disturbed by other campers.

The swimming was wonderful and I think most of us ended up in the water at some point. Card games ensued followed by early bedtimes for most. I finally won at Canasta against Jessica.

The kids

Eddy and Gwelda

A game of Tarabish

Cassie learning how to fish

Us

The Guigon Brothers

Bughouse Squidward

Norwegian Elk Hound

Rainbow People

Cousins

Dave and Eddy made scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast this morning while we planned our estimated route for the day. A little further around the north corner of where we parked at Bughouse Bay there is a sulphur stream where the rocks were much more consistently shaped. We decided to build another inukshuk there with more normal looking rocks. This one we named Bughouse Pi. We also met an adorable Norwegian Elk Hound at the neighbour’s site.

It was still really smoky outside, but we considered going to Algas Falls for a hike before continuing on to Horseshoe Bay. Few expressed any interested in such a venture, though, so we just cruised instead. I managed to decidedly beat Jessica at Scrabble and break 250 points in the doing. I do not recommend trying to play cards on the outside deck while cruising though. The smoke lifted just enough to appreciate the ‘cabins’ lining the shores the closer we got to Horseshoe Bay. I say cabin loosely; these were magnificent homes of the type we’d normally see in Yellowknife’s well-to-do areas.

When we arrived at Horsehoe Bay there was one other small houseboat there. Two others arrived after we beached. The bay is quite lovely, with both pebbled and sandy areas, and the point was a lovely shale. On our walk out to the point we noticed others had attempted to make inukshuks; they were adequate. We found a flatish spot on the shale point, searched for appropriate pieces of rock, and built an inukshuk visible from a further distance. We named him Horseshoe Inukshoe after the bay. He watches over the channel, keeping an eye on things.

Eddy, Dave, and others BBQ’d a steak, potato, and corn cob supper to die for. Heather and I cleaned up afterwards. We ran out of dishwasher detergent, though, so we’ll have to finish tomorrow after we stop at the store. We’ve actually run out of a few things already, so stopping at the store is approprose.

Another card game of four-person crib, enhanced with glasses of margueritas, was entertaining. I was partnered with Gwelda and we are a rocking team! Get a little liquor in Gwelda though and she says the funniest things. Apparently alcohol makes her deaf. That’s okay, it makes me forget how to do math, and makes Norman forget which pegs are his; Leah seemed pretty normal…John was entertained. Trivial Pursuit Bet You Know It version was next on the agenda. Some of those question are ridiculously easy; some are ridiculously hard. Literally luck of the draw which you’ll get.

Ducks

Bughouse Pi

Gwelda and Norman

Daniel’s Store

Horseshoe Inukshoe

Horseshoe Inukshoe on the Point

Duck

Anna Banana acted like a robot and was easily maneuverable throughout the day.

Sam is delusional. So says Anna and Adam.

Jessica is tired.

Jarod is adequate (remember, his new favourite word).

Eddy finally managed to sleep in.

Norman was up fishing at 6:00 a.m.

John and Leah were up at…I have no idea what time, but well before 8:00 a.m. when I got up.

Breakfast was fend for yourself. PB&J for me, PB for Anna. Others had cereal.

Yahtzee was the game of choice for the kids this morning.

Rainbow bodypainting ensued. Sam named himself Rainbow Man.

Dice was introduced; Jessica apparently did not receive the lucky dice Lafrance gene, but Dave the newcomer certainly received beginners luck. Sang some ghostbusters.

Relaxing sail down the northwest arm of the lake, loop around Copper Island (still not sure where the cliffs are…), then back towards Cinnemousin Narrows.

Parked near one other houseboat just before the narrows themselves; within a couple hours we were joined by two more houseboats. One was fine, the second appeared filled primarily with children, and the third was just plain noisy and inconsiderate.

Swimming was fantastic. Played water football with Jessica, Thomas, Dave, Anna, and alternatively with Sam and Adam. Good times.

John and Leah made the most wonderful pizzas on the BBQs I have ever had. Unfortunately, Jessica and I failed to properly account for how many pizzas would need to be made and only purchased three packages of yeast, but John and Leah prevailed and made biscuit pizza dough to make up the difference and it was really good!

The stores we’ve stopped at have not carried dishwasher detergent and we have officially run out. An internet search provided us with an adequate solution in using two or three drops of dish soap covered in salt to keep the suds down. It works well enough. Booya for the Internet.

A game of Cranium ended the evening; Cassie, Dan, and I somehow managed to win.

The inukshuk will be built tomorrow before we depart.

Slept in a little this morning.
Eddy and Dave made Swedish Pancakes and sausages for breakfast.
Made a mini-inukshuk; his name is Little Moe, because his head is shaped like The Simpson’s Moe Sizlak’s silhouette.
Anna told me that the people south of us woke her up at Midnight. There was much complaining from many persons of the same problem this morning. Who swims and jumps off a three-story boat at Midnight, let alone allow children to do so unsupervised??? Grumble, grumble, grumble.
A game of Heads’ Up seemed to cheer everyone up. A few others went to have a nap, now that the neighbours are gone.
Jessica set out the cookies we baked the other day; they lasted longer than the first third which disappeared before they were finished baking.
We left the narrows late in the morning, making our way towards Four Mile Creek in Antsey Arm. The men tried trolling again for a bit, but it didn’t take long to give that up in exchange for getting to the creek faster.
As we approached the creek area inaudible groans ensued; it appeared we had caught up with our neighbours from last night. I’m pretty sure there were multiple psychic pleadings to Lieutenant Dan to keep going further. He must have heard. There was a second boat of the same size as the first in the same little cove, not beached, that Dan thought to pass by on the land side. They must have gotten worried that we were trying to take their spot on the beach because instead of being smart boaters they gunned it to get between us and land, cruising right in front of us. Not a smart thing to do with two large, barely maneuverable boats. They don’t exactly turn on a dime. All well though, and we moved on away from the ignorant.
We found the creek. Then we passed the creek thinking it wasn’t the right one; too small. Then we did an about face (causing minor seasickness in one or two) when we realized the small creek must be Four Mile Creek. We beached next to it and while the creek was much smaller than we anticipated the area is absolutely beautiful. Rocky, gravelly, and sandy shore. Pleasant creek, which clearly would have been larger had there been more snowfall last winter. A walk in the woods revealed a wonderful fairyland worthy of many photographs, including family pictures.
An inukshuk was built. His name is Theon. Any GoT fan who cares to zoom in on Theon’s photo will understand the reference. (Yes, I am rolling my eyes and shaking my head as I write this).
Swimming was cold but felt oh, so good. Jarod actually came in the water today; bonus! Dave’s boss (?) and his family found us on their waverunners, which were a hit with the kids…both little and big. You could hear Anna and Cassie’s screaming laughter a mile away and Thomas lost his ball cap.
Eddy pulled out the lawn games: Ladder Golf, Lacrosse, and Lawn Darts. Jarod and I proceeded to win at Ladder Golf against Eddy and Marie and Dave and Thomas, but honestly not by much.
Norman, Gwelda, John, Leah, and I played some crib. Norman and Leah took turns playing as John’s partner. We had to play three games for Gwelda and I to beat John’s team tonight, but we did. Hmph.
A little bit of hot tubbing with the adults in the dark before bed and that was our day. Looks like we’re going to spend most of the day here tomorrow before heading back into the main arm.

A Family Photo

Little Moe

Little Moe

Proofing the Blog

Eagle’s Nest

Da Boat

A Holy Tree

Crystal Cool Creek

Playing in the Sand

The Creek

Pushing His Luck

Oooohhhh

Trees Everywhere

Cassie

Anna

Fairyland

Theon…

So, I wasn’t going to post anything after yesterday because it’s just the boring drive home, but it turned out to be a bit more noteworthy than expected.

Since I haven’t actually written yesterday’s post yet I will combine it with today’s.

Yesterday we all got up early and had our things packed and the boat ready to return, and were back at the bay by 9:30 am thinking if we got there early we’d be able to get on the road home sooner. Wrong. Turns out the biggest boats, the ones that need a pilot to bring them into the marina, get checked in last. We sat there coasting around the bay with our sister ship for four hours. We couldn’t cook anything and everything was packed, so around noon we made do with crackers, cheese, and tomatoes scavenged out of what food boxes weren’t already zip tied. Then it was another hour at the dock before we could actually get our belongings off the boat. To be fair, this is still probably the best system Twin Anchors could use for bringing all the boats in on the same day with enough time to prep them to go out again later in the day. Our pilot told us they had 22 boats to move that day and were expecting 29 boats next Friday.

We finally got on the road around 3:30 PST, which is 4:30 MST, with a roughly six hour drive ahead of us to Calgary. The original plan was to get to my mother’s in Edmonton that night, but with the unanticipated delays we knew that wasn’t going to work anymore. We still had to stop at Eddy’s and John’s places to drop off totes and pick up the stuff we brought the F150 for in the first place. We decided Red Deer would have to be the Friday night stop, then we would have a roughly 10-hour day to High Level Saturday followed by a relatively easy 7-hour day to Yellowknife Sunday.

We arrived in Red Deer at half past midnight, had a good sleep, got breakfast at The Donut Mill (thanks for that recommendation, Cassie :)), and then hit the road. The road hit back. Traffic was pretty congested on the QEII. South of the 32nd Street (avenue?) exit we were driving behind a fifth-wheeler that had bicycles on a rack on the back. Every time they hit a bump in the road the bicycles bounced. Jarod and I agreed we didn’t want to be driving behind that accident waiting to happen, so we moved into the passing lane and started passing, Dan right behind us. As I approached the mid-point of the trailer the guy starts moving into my lane! I had to swerve onto the shoulder to avoid getting pushed off the road and get past him. Once our hearts started beating again I looked in the rear view mirror to make sure Dan was still there and no, he and most of the other vehicles were slowed and stopped on the highway. Oh, hell. I pulled over under the 32nd street bridge, the trailer drove past me and kept going, and Jessica (who was in the truck with Dan) called to let me know they’re all right but got rear-ended when they had to slow down to let the trailer in. I circled my way back to them. Turns out the trailer dude was cut off by someone in the merging lane to his right, causing him to veer into my lane, and when Dan slowed down the car behind him was driving too close and slammed right into the back of the truck. The F150 was barely damaged — the bumper is bent and the licence plate was punctured obscuring the first number –but the car that hit it is a write off. The front end is smashed right in. One of the cars’s occupants roughed up his knee a little bit, but nobody required medical attention. A couple of witnesses left their contact information. Ambulance, tow truck, hazmat, and police arrived in pretty decent time. The car was loaded on the tow truck and we followed it and the police to the college grounds to fill out statements. We then brought the F150 to Canadian Tire to have it inspected for further highway driving worthiness. Other than noting the brakes could use replacing and the wheels needed balancing, the tech noted no damage that would prevent us from going home. And they didn’t even charge us for the inspection, either, which was really nice of them. From talking to a few people at various stages of waiting for things we learned that the area of the highway we got hit is known to be a problem, and the type of accident we had is common. The merging lanes have not been adapted properly to account for the significantly increased traffic. We were very lucky things didn’t turn out worse.

We managed to get back on the road just before 4:00. There was no way we were going to make it all the way to High Level as planned, though, so we agreed to end our day in Peace River, get a decent night’s sleep, and have a roughly 10-hour drive tomorrow. Nature couldn’t help but throw one more stressful situation at us first though. We stopped in Whitecourt for gas and munchies and as soon as we got back on the highway just outside of town we got hit with a wicked thunder storm. Could barely see through the rain, running water everywhere, wind gusting (which it had actually been doing most of the day); we ended up pulling over into a rest stop to wait it out because I was so uncomfortable. Within half an hour things let up and we were on our way again. We arrived in Peace (in one piece…hehe) around 10:00, checked in to Best Western, ordered a pizza, watched an episode of The Simpsons,and got some sleep.

Good night all. Hopefully this will be my last post for this trip…

Ford: 1

Chevy: 0