Dalhousie Lake, Lanark Highlands Township

 

Gulls Rock, Dalhousie Lake

Dalhousie is another one of those large Lanark County lakes that I have been slow to explore due to its size and the level of development. But it’s part of the Mississippi River. So in my quest to paddle the whole Mississippi, it was time for a trip to the big lake.

Dalhousie Lake (9.5km track)

Aerial view (Google Earth)

The west end of Dalhousie Lake of Lavant Mills Road has the best canoe/kayak launch area in Lanark County – a beautiful sandy beach! Dalhousie Lake is 5km long and would be at least 14km to circumnavigate the shoreline.  The lake is pretty dull from a landscape point of view.  It doesn’t have any deep bays, channels, or marshes. Also, the lake has no islands except one prominent rock outcrop. There’s development around the lake except for a stretch on the NW corner. 

West end public beach

Beautiful day!

The NW shore was the direction I was headed as I left the beach. It was a beautiful paddle on this undeveloped shore (2km) until I reached the deepest bay of Dalhousie Lake (Browns Bay). Browns Bay is full of homes and cottages, including the rocky peninsula. In the bay, I came across a man-made floating nesting platform occupied by a pair of Loons.  

Common Loons

Man-made Loon nesting platform

I did make a stop on the peninsula’s point for a short break and then continued paddling the north shore. After 1.5km from the peninsula, I came to Gulls Rock. That’s an interesting rock formation sticking out of the lake – one of a kind on Dalhousie Lake. I was able to park the Widgeon kayak in some shallow water and scramble on some rock ledge for lunch and a great view of the lake. A gull was flying above me in circles, and after a while, I discovered a nest on the rocks with only one egg. 

Gull's nest (Herring or Ring-billed Gull)

Widgeon kayak on the Rocks!

Besides the Loons and the gull, I made ten other nature observations and posted them to iNaturalist.  Click HERE.

After lunch, I paddled across the lake to the south shore (Buzzard Bay) and started for home. It was a quiet paddle without too much to see. There’s a small creek and marsh towards the SW corner of the lake, and a Great Blue Heron lingered there. After passing the inlet to the lake from Stump Lake (JHigh Falls), I landed back at the large public beach.

Inlet from High Falls (Stump Lake)

On this calm and quiet day, I did enjoy the west end of Dalhousie Lake. Next year, I’ll try to paddle the east end of the lake to complete this section of the Mississippi River.

Common Merganser family (proud Mom)

GB Heron eating a little fish

Mississippi River above Pakenham

 

This spring (May 25), I finally paddled the last stretch of the lower Mississippi River. Pakenham beach is the only public access to this long section of the river. The paddle from Pakenham to the Blakeney rapids and back is about 17km. So, at a leisurely pace, that’s about a 4-hour paddle plus time for breaks & lunch. The Pakenham beach is at the end of Margaret Street and is a great canoe/kayak launching spot with lots of parking. 

Paddling track (17 km)

The paddle upriver from Pakenham is boring until you pass the trailer camper park (about 2km). Soon after the trailer park, you come to the mouth of Glen Creek (west side). I failed to find an entry on May 25; maybe I’d have better luck earlier in the spring. On Google Earth, a creek also appears to enter the Mississippi on the east side across from Glenn Creek?

Mississippi River view (May 25, 2021)

Indian Creek culvert (or echo chamber)

Just 0.5km upriver from Glen Creek is the larger Indian Creek (west side). Indian Creek comes into the Mississippi River through a massive culvert under Highway 29.  It’s fun to paddle under highway 29 and play around with the culvert’s echo effects! Indian Creek wasn’t navigable past the culvert.  Again, maybe it would be better earlier in the spring. Near the mouth of Indian Creek, I observed (and photographed) my first  Musk Turtle. The Eastern Musk Turtle is probably the least common in Mississippi Mills.

Eastern Musk Turtle

Great Blue Heron

About halfway between Indian Creek and the Blakeney rapids, I made one brief stop on a small rocky island close to the west shore of the Mississippi River. I didn’t stay long – my visit disturbed a pair of Spotted Sandpipers in the area. The last 2km to Blakeney rapids is more isolated and feels somewhat remote. After checking out the various channels (rapids), I landed at the white-water kayak put-out for my lunch break. The 8km paddle back to Pakenham was good with one or two brief stops.

Spotted Sandpiper

Eastern Kingbird

When you want a long paddle or have a full day exploring the river, this route is a pretty good choice close to home (Almonte).

For all my iNaturalist postings for this paddle, click HERE.

Bennett Lake, Tay Valley Township

 

On May 19th, in my effort to paddle some of the larger lakes of Lanark County, I headed to Bennett Lake in the Township of Tay Valley. Bennett Lake is a long narrow lake and part of the Fall River watershed. If you include Fagan Lake to the south, the total paddling distance from the NE to the SW is about 15km. Today, my planned trip was from the Ennis Cottage launch point to Fagan Lake and back (16km). Most of the lake is surrounded by private land, so access points are limited.  The popular launch for small boats is at the Ennis Cottage site for a small fee. 

Bennett Lake (16km track)

Google Earth view

As you can see from the photo below, it would have been hard to have a more beautiful spring day for a paddle on a large lake. As I started on Bennett Lake, it was clear blue sky and flat water everywhere! Even though the lake is relatively developed, it was tranquil in May.  I don’t remember seeing anybody on the lake all day. 

Morning on Bennett Lake

It was a great paddle to Fagan Lake while enjoying the scenery and wildlife (Loon, GB Heron, etc.). An enjoyable part of the paddle is the narrow channel and wetland between Bennett and Fagan Lakes. In the channel, the Fall River enters from the south. It’s about 6km to reach the town of Maberly via a narrow wetland stretch of the Fall River. It would be fun to paddle into that stretch of the Fall River (by canoe). I need to investigate if it’s possible to start downriver on the Fall River from Maberly.

On the way back to Ennis Cottage, I made a lunch & rest stop on one of the many small islands on Bennett Lake. From there, it was a straight paddle back to the launch point and home. Bennett Lake is OK, and I should come back for a paddle into the northeast arm of the lake. That portion of the lake is more wetlands, so it doesn’t appear to be as developed.

For my iNaturalist Bennett Lake sightings, click HERE.

The Mississippi River above Blakeney

 

Painted Turtles and one Map Turtle sharing a log

For a paddle close to home (Almonte), the Mississippi from Blakeney to the rapids has become one of my favourite routes. This one-way route is about 7km return, but you can add a bit by going up the Indian River if the water levels are high enough. I paddled this route in the spring of 2020 and again this spring.  On both trips, the highlight was the abundance of turtle sightings (Painted and Map Turtles).

Tracks (2020 in green, & 2121 in red)

Google Earth view

From the launch point in Blakeney, it’s about 1.3km to the mouth of the Indian River. If able to, it’s worthwhile paddling into the Indian River to check for turtles, birds, etc. Upriver from Blakeney, the Mississippi starts to get more interesting as you get to the big bend in the river (past the long shoal). You have a shoal, back channel, islands, rock walls, and rapids to explore here. I did try to get through the back channel in 2020. It wasn’t wholly navigable but worth exploring from both ends. 

Mississippi River (14ft Widgeon kayak)

In 2020 and 2021, I found quite a few turtles on logs behind the sizeable middle island. I always expect to see Painted Turtles on the Mississippi River, but this was my first time observing Map Turtles.  Map Turtles are common on the bigger Ottawa River. They are known to inhabit the lower Mississippi (at least as far as Almonte).

Painted Turtle, 2020

Map Turtle, 2021

At the rapids, there’s a significant rock ledge and wall on the east side of the river that would be interesting to explore later in the summer when the water levels are lower and calmer!

Rock ledge & wall  (east side of rapids)

I should try to make a yearly spring trip to Map Turtle Island (my name) with the intention of keeping stats of nature sightings (especially turtles) for that stretch of the Mississippi River.

Canada Goose egg nest, 2021	Solitary Sandpiper
Great Blue Heron (Can you find it?)	Parked on Goose Island

Palmerston Lake, North Frontenac

 

The day after I visited beautiful & clear Canonto Lake, I headed out again to check out its companion lake – Palmerston. Palmerston Lake is a bit longer than Canonto Lake and broader in some sections. Palmerston is in two parts, with a narrow section around the village of Ompah. I launched at the north end of the lake on this trip between the two lakes (MVCA's Palmerston-Canonto Conservation Area).

Palmerston Lake and track (12.5km)

Google Earth view

After the easy launch at the large Conservation parking area, I followed the north shore towards the long NE bay (aka Marl Bay). This corner of the lake is relatively developed, including a large cottage on Barnes Island. Marl Bay is 1.5km long with mostly wetland shoreline; therefore, there's no development. On this beautiful calm morning, I didn't see an abundance of wildlife, but I did spot a few Painted Turtles and a Great Blue Heron in the long narrow bay.

Painted Turtles

Great Blue Heron

At the mouth of Marl Bay, there's a small creek that connects north to Summit Lake. By canoe, it would be fun to try and paddle this creek to Summit Lake when the water is high (e.g. early spring). If you could reach Summit Lake, you would be able to get into Wolfe Lake.

Marl Bay

Near end of Marl Bay

Once I got back to following the north shore of Palmerston Lake, I started looking for a good lunch spot. Luckily, I waited a bit and came across a high rock outcrop – probably a local favourite spot for a swim, etc. It's a little challenging to land there by kayak but worth the effort. I scrambled to the top and had a great view of the lake while eating my lunch.

The lunch/swim rock outcrop

After a long break, I went further to the narrows, turned around, and started the 3km paddle back to the launch/access point. Next time, I will begin at Ompah and explore the upper part of the lake – especially the north shore bays and islands.

My lunch view

Parking at the rock outcrop