Jordan Harbour, ON (Day Trip) August 2013

Always wanted to explore this area by kayak.  Can be seen driving by on the QEW on the way to Niagara, but never able to figure out where to launch.  Recently opened conservation area has non-motorized boat launch and canoe/kayak rentals.  Short drive from home - nice way to spend a sunny day!

Juvenile green heron on shore.

A replica of the Grande Hermine, shipwrecked on the Lake Ontario side of harbour.

Heron fluffing it's feathers.

Beats commuting to work!  Paddling under GO Train bridge.

Byng Island Conservation Area, ON (Trip # 14) July 2013

Located on the Grand River across from Dunnville, just north of where the Grand opens into Lake Erie.  Nice campground and easy access to the river for kayaking.

Morning paddle on the Grand River.

Nest of young swallows under bridge over Grand River.

Paddling in the bulrushes along the Grand River.

Cycling by a field along the Trans-Canada Trail.

Purple monarda along Trans-Canada trail.

Arrowhead PP, ON (Trip # 13) July 2013

Nice little park just north of Huntsville, on the western border of Algonquin PP.  Only a couple of hours drive from home.  No black flies but still mosquito season.  Had the dog with us so took turns going out in the kayaks.

View of forming Ox Bow in the Big East River from Big Bend Lookout.

Paddling on the Little East River.

Moose cow foraging on the Little East River.

Summer wildflowers along the roadside.

Bon Echo PP, ON (Trip # 12) June 2013

 
 
 
 
Week before school is out and there is lots of room in the campground.  Mosquitos are brutal however.  Loved kayaking on Lake Mazinaw.




Kayaking alongside 100 m high Mazinaw rock.

Lichen growing on the Rock.

One of over 260 Aboriginal pictographs on the Rock, only accessible from the water.

Young woodpecker calling for dinner.

Dinner has arrived.

Purple irises along shoreline of lake.

Deer feeding along trail.

North Bend SP, WVa (Trip # 11) June 2013

 

Love West Virginia - reminds me of northern Ontario without the bugs!  June was a great time to go - no problem getting a campsite as school is not out yet, but the weather is great.

Irises in Tomlinson Run State Park on the northern tip of West Virginia.

There's more than one Toronto!

Trail in North Bend State Park, WVa.

 

Paddling the North Fork Hughes River - artificially dammed to prevent flooding downstream in Cairo during heavy storms.

Fritillary butterfly along Rail Trail.

Black ratsnake along North Bend Rail Trail.

Sweet pea along the North Fork Hughes River.

Along the back roads of West Virginia.

Flickers in North Bend State Park.

 

Toxic caterpillar of the Buck Moth.

Butterfly weed along the North Bend Rail Trail.

Double rainbow over the campground after a tornado watch.

 

Luna moth on the restroom screen.

Biking in the tunnels of the North Bend Rail Trail.

View of the North Fork Hughes River from the boat launch.

Hocking Hills SP, OH & Cypress Swamps, southern IL (Trip # 10) May 2013

Our first Road Scholar trip - 3 nights at the cypress swamps of southern Illinois along the Cache River (south of St. Louis).  Based out of the Giant City State Park, we stayed in individual cabins and ate our meals in the main lodge.  This was a great experience, and has us seriously considering longer Road Scholar experiences (see trip # 16).




On the drive down, we travelled through Amish country in Ohio.

Stopped off at Hocking Hills State Park in southern Ohio to do some hiking on the way.  Beautiful waterfalls and river eroded rock walls.

 

More from Hocking Hills SP.

More from Hocking Hills SP.

More from Hocking Hills SP.

Hiking through the rock formations of Giant City State Park.

Kayaking through the duckweed matted swamps with the cypress forest in the background.

 

Our Road Scholar leader serenading us with some of his own tunes.

 

Cricket in a cave.

 

Florida Keys & the Everglades (Trip # 9) March 2013

Time to escape the cold and snow of southern Ontario for a month on Big Pine Key.  Also took some time to visit the Everglades and look for a place to spend next year (Bonita Springs).  It was very windy in the Keys, which limited our kayaking.  Also unable to find doggie daycare, so we either took turns biking and kayaking, or found dog friendly activities (mostly hiking).

Too many pictures to post here, so put together a youtube video with appropriate music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwSqFvQJ2iQ&feature=youtube_gdata

 

 

Endangered key deer in the lot beside our rental on Big Pine Key - so tiny and so tame!