Delano Lake, Algonquin Provincial Park - solo canoe trip

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Delano Lake, Algonquin Provincial Park http://myselfreliance.com/category/freedom/

Delano Lake, just south east of Hilliard Lake in Algonquin Park, is a pretty little spring-fed lake that drains into Cache Lake to the north. I had high expectations of seeing abundant wildlife in this area, and the feeder creek and marsh located next to the exit portage had ideal moose conditions, but today it wasn't meant to be. Fresh moose tracks on the Hilliard portage and a lone loon were the only signs of life during my brief presence this morning.

I reached Delano early on this first day of a three day solo canoe trip, before noon, under ideal weather conditions after completing the dry and relatively easy 350m portage from Hilliard. The small 0.9km x 0.3km lake was vacant as expected, and I was tempted to paddle north to the one lonely campsite to check it out. Because the canoe route travelling south between Cache and Bonnechere Lake enters and exits the west end, the one isolated campsite at the north east end of the lake sees very little traffic and is very private.

But, because I had a long way to go today, I paddled 400m straight south to the steep 965m portage into South Canisbay Lake. The wind was light from the south and the small size of the lake meant wind and waves would rarely be a concern here.

Knowing that Delano Lake has a small but healthy population of Lake Trout and the single campsite would virtually guarantee I would have the lake to myself, I mentally added it to my list of lakes to return to for a future spring fishing trip.

In the meantime, I had a steep, rocky portage to South Canisbay Lake to negotiate, one of many enroute to McGarvey Lake where I'd be spending my first night.

Tags: iMovie,Algonquin Provincial Park (Protected Site),lakes,canoeing,fishing,Camping

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