After all the rain on Sunday, Monday morning dawned bright and clear. Without setting an alarm or intending to rise early, I awoke at 5:30. By six, I’d had my breakfast and given Annabelle her usual morning treats. Marilyn wouldn’t be up for hours yet, so what better opportunity to get the canoe in the river?
I had scouted out the best approach to the water the evening before (after the rain stopped). I also cleared away a ton of twigs and dead branches, so it was a simple matter to tie on my life vest, throw the paddles and fishing gear in the canoe, and drag it down the trail through the woods. The tall grass and slippery dead leaves made it an easy task. I don’t know if bringing it back up will be quite so easy, but I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.
At the time, the river was like a huge sheet of glass and it wasn’t long before I was gliding out into open water. First step before I got out too far was to turn the canoe around and survey the shore so I could identify my point of entry upon my return. The shore looks much the same all the way along, so knowing where to return to was important. Then I headed off. Before long, I decided to throw a lure in the water and see what I was dealing with. I soon found out. That part of the river, at least, is full of seaweed. (Do you still call it seaweed in a river? River weed?) Suffice it to say after several casts, all I had caught was long stringy, slimy lengths of green stuff.
Anyway, I gave up on the fishing for the time being and proceeded upstream to explore. There are a few houses along the shore and at one point on the other side, I could see the steeple of a church. But now the wind was picking up, and the surface was no longer glass like. I soon found out that one person in a canoe doesn’t make it sit low in the water, thus the canoe suddenly becomes a sail in the crosswind. No worries, thinks I. By now I was probably about a kilometer up river and decided I had gone far enough for the first day. With some degree of difficulty, I worked my way back downstream to my landing. One would think paddling downstream would be a good thing, but this is not a very fast-flowing river, and the wind had other ideas.
Eventually I made it back to the start point and got back on shore without falling in. I did, however, get wet feet out of the deal, but I was prepared for that eventuality. I was still back at the cottage in plenty of time to do some editing before Marilyn found her way out into the light of day.
Come supper time, after much research on the local cuisine, we decided to go for supper at the 1806 Restaurant which is in the Rodd Inn on the waterfront of the Miramichi River on the Chatham side, which coincidentally was right across from the location the fireworks would be set off that evening. We enjoyed a delicious fish and chip supper (a little pricey, but good) and even brought a couple of pieces of fish back to snack on the next day.
We inquired of a couple of hotel employees, the best place to view the fireworks, and were told the best spot would be the parking lot at the other end of the hotel. Since the start time was only two hours away, we decided to secure a good parking spot and beat the rush. That turned into a 2.5 wait, it was delayed for some reason. But there was a rush. Before ten o’clock, we were surrounded by vehicles and hordes of people vying for the best vantage points.
All in all, not a bad Canada Day. At least it didn’t rain.
Don’t get me started on paddling a river canoe against the wind with too few people on the oars. A kayak is easier but still a chore. Looks like a good spot to watch the fireworks. We went to bed at Old People’s bedtime, but the fireworks at 11 woke us up anyway, not to mention the locals setting theirs off at midnight, 1,2 3 you get the picture. Allan