“When we became engaged in the fall of 1954 we began to plan a honeymoon canoe trip in Algonquin Park. Our first purchase was a pair of zip-together Woods sleeping bags, the second, a beautiful 15-foot red Peterborough canoe that cost $125. How were we going to transport the canoe on our small Austin convertible? One day we saw a convertible with an ingenious aluminum canoe rack, followed it into an office parking garage and asked the owner if he could make us one too. He did and on July 22, 1955, we were off.
“Our 12-day honeymoon trip up Opeongo Lake and on to Brent in a heat wave, was only the beginning of many years of trips in northern Ontario and Quebec, including some exciting times in white water.
“In 2004, 49 years after our honeymoon, we returned to the landing on Opeongo Lake. With the help of “sherpas” on the portage and a ride up the lake, we found our original campsite on the island in Happy Isle Lake. This time, the weather was awful with thunderstorms and rain for four days. We huddled under a tarp, read The Life of Pi and watched enormous green slugs climb up our packs. The sun didn’t shine until we were paddling out from a memorable second honeymoon.
“Our Peterborough canoe (often repaired and re-canvassed) is still in use, now by our children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. We still love it and each other.”
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