Our Family's' camping history in Algonquin Park dates back to the late 1960's
Back Then ... Dann's parents would pack the family car with food, some beers and homemade wine for them and ginger beer for the kids, all the necessary camping gear and a few tents; later the family outfit evolved to include a couple of different tent trailer models. We survived black bears at our campsite and fish hooks in our thumbs, we poked rainwater through the sides of canvas tents and joyously paddled the family canoes ... the brilliantly shiny, excruciatingly noisy, searingly hot and tremendously sticky aluminium Grumman and we learned to appreciate the stable, camo-wrapped, sportsman friendly Coleman. Favourite spots were the Kearney Lake or Pog Lake campgrounds. Dad recognized, early on, the passion his kids had for the outdoors. He ' knew somebody who knew somebody ' and was instrumental in getting both Dann and Tom hired on as interior canoe rangers; each for several seasons. Lianne worked at the Canoe Lake Portage Store and later, Tom went on to work as a conservation officer in the park.
So far we have tallied 31 different trips made, over an almost 50 year period; as day, extended weekend or multi-day back-country adventures. We have skied and snowshoed during the winter months; canoed, fished, backpacked, hiked and cycled from spring throughout autumn. This, will mark our 32nd time here.
A Historical Photo ... my oldest (not many survived; after editing, this old analogue barely did)
A typical early 1970's interior canoe ranger camp. Back-country gear then ... tea in a billy can, canvas pup tent with a tarp over to keep the rain off, rubber rain ponchos, blue jeans, braided nylon rope for clothesline.
