Northern Lakes - WCHA represented at Oxongue Silent Boat Rally

The Northern Lakes Chapter was represented at an annual paddling event held in the Muskoka region of Ontario. The Oxtongue Silent Boat Rally, hosted by the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation, involved a pleasant 4 km paddle up the lower Oxtongue River to picturesque Marsh's Falls and back to the public beach at Dwight. 

The event was well attended with a roughly even mix of paddlers in kayaks and canoeists with a few wooden canoes in the mix.

After the 9 am launch from the beach, paddlers headed out onto the lake towards the mouth of the Oxtongue River. As part of the event, each boat was given a checklist of flora and fauna to spot along with a laminated pictorial guide to assist. Though not a race, many were eager to sprint ahead and begin identifying items on the checklist as it increased one's chance of winning some prizes.

Event organizer, Mark McLean, who also happens to be an expert naturalist assisted folks in identify particular species while also answering questions regarding the region. Mark was paddling a 13 foot  canoe originally built by local trapper and builder, Clarence Bouges.

Earlier on the beach, I was able to take a few shots of the interior to note some of the construction details. The seat had a different lacing pattern and the hand carved carrying yoke was thick and wide to offer plenty of shoulder support.

There are two cottages discretely tucked onto the riverside on the Lower Oxtongue. After this point the Foundation has acquired 170 acres of land bordering the river and is managing the land as a nature reserve. Hiking trails have been sustainably created and old canoe portages cleared thanks to the hard work of local volunteers.

Folks took turns playing near the rushing waters of Marsh's Falls where there was once a bustling sawmill.  Some very large trees have been washed down  the river have now snagged between the up and lower falls of the cascade.

Back at the beach, participants were provided with a delicious lunch and folks compared notes from their checklists. It was also a chance to get closeup and check out some of the watercraft.

The Annual Silent Boat rally is typically held on the Saturday of the August Civic Long Weekend. Hopefully local members will consider adding this to their calendar for next year so more wooden canoes can participate. Plans are in the works for a future collaboration / group paddle with the Northern Lakes Chapter on another date which would include a paddle to the falls and/or a hike along their newly constructed trail network. 

For more information on this neat paddling destination, the association has put together a fantastic guide (*.pdf format) which can be downloaded at this link HERE.

The foundation has also prepared a beautifully filmed video showcasing the natural beauty of this paddling gem.