Canoeing and Painting in the Wild - Day Three, August 17

Fast Moving Clouds, Mekewap Lake

6" x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2013
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/nicki-ault/fast-moving-clouds-mekewap-lake/167185
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Day Three brought another beautiful morning. Unfortunately I did not sleep well, this time not because of storms but because I had a funny tummy all night.

After breakfast our CanoeSki guide, Cliff, consulted Vern for the best destination for another day of painting. Vern suggested we go to Mekewap Lake which would involve another short paddle and portage leading us to this entirely fresh water, spring-fed lake. Vern said that at one time this lake was called Clearwater Lake but at some point along the way it had changed to Mekewap Lake. We were all quite curious and since not many people have the opportunity in their lifetime to see a purely spring-fed lake, it was a no-brainer that we should go there. My concern was that because I was not feeling 100% I might drag the group down and be a hindrance on a great day. In the end everyone had my back so I went even though I felt bad for being the weakest link.

As we worked our way around Sulphide Lake to find the bay where the portage was, we had to get through a narrow passage blocked by a beaver dam! Unexpected obstacles are a part of canoeing, opportunities to learn are around every corner. The portage sight was a bit hard to find and when we got there the mosquitoes were rabid in this part of the forest. The good news was that no trees came down! Most of the portage was uphill, so it seems that Mekewap Lake sat at a slightly higher altitude than the other lakes we had crossed.

As soon as Erica and I pushed off in our canoe her cell phone rang! It was the first real signal she got in the three days, maybe because of the higher altitude. Anyway, it was great timing because she was able to wish her daughter a happy birthday.

The photos don't do the lake justice; the colour of the water was rather odd, an aqua blue of sorts and very clear. The lake was small and cold and the best part was a little tiny island with a handful of trees on it. That is where we went to have our picnic lunch and paint for the afternoon.

photo © Erica Bird

Randi, Erica and Jane

more brave swimming with leeches sans Nicki

my painting spot for the day

me painting

photo © Erica Bird

I loved this little island and I imagined how romantic it might be to camp there for a night, especially if the ants miraculously disappeared.

photo © Cliff Speer

When we got back to home base we all decided to paint a bit more. I worked on a painting of the island by looking at my camera screen. We also had a lovely meal with Vern and two of his guests who were helping him with a few jobs around the camp. Vern told wonderful stories about meeting his wife and about how the Studer homestead was established 1936 by his father during the gold rush. I found it all quite interesting and was in awe of his memory at the age of eighty-eight.

photo © Erica Bird

photo © Erica Bird

the generator shut down early but Erica wanted to keep painting-
where there is a will there is a way!

Time had gone by way too quickly. In the morning we would be packing up and heading back to civilization.

NOTE: all photos © Nicki Ault unless otherwise stated

Canoeing and Painting in the Wild - Day Two, August 16

Quiet Place on Sulphide Lake

6" x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2013
sold
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/nicki-ault/quiet-place-sulphide-lake/167178

 On The Shadow Side Of Pine

6" x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2013
sold

We woke to a glorious morning at the Studer fishing camp on Day Two. We were a bit uncertain how things would look when we went outside because it stormed the entire night. Although I didn't sleep well, I listened to the storm and appreciated every board and beam that made the shelter that protected us. The immediate concern, again, was forest fires, but Vern was on top of it and was in constant contact with the RCMP. With that we began to plan our day. 

Randi and Jane

photo © Cliff Speer

Erica and me

photo © Cliff Speer

Cliff, our guide and the founder of CanoeSki Discovery Adventures, consulted with Vern who showed on the map a remote campsite location on Sulphide Lake just around the corner... and then some. We packed up our painting supplies, filtered some lake water for drinking (thank you Jane), got a picnic lunch sorted out (thanks Cliff and Lori), and set sail. 

Right off the bat my paddle buddy, Erica, and I spotted a little dead tree. Now she knows I have an affinity for these burnt-looking beauties, so what does she do? She steers me over so I can get a picture. Nice. 

I have spent a lot of time in the Boreal forest, spending my summers in Waskesiu. I never grow tired of seeing a beautiful moss bed or an elk or a breathtaking sunset. I am moved every time and I am usually more excited than my children. I feel honoured to experience these things and I feel like they are a gift. It is not unusual for me to be moved to tears by nature. The small catch is that Waskesiu is a town-site and even when you leave the most populated area you will likely be sharing the road or the forest with someone else. This is one of the things that struck me most about this trip and made it such an incredible experience. We had the forest and the waterways to ourselves; we passed no one else in a boat or canoe, we didn't have to share the base camp or any of the little picnic stops we found. It was somewhat surreal to be that alone in nature, but glorious and liberating too. It was quiet, so heavenly quiet. And for four days it was ours.

photo bomb!

On our way to the painting spot we hugged the left shore, but a section on the opposite bank was calling us, so Erica masterfully steered us over so we could have a look. We ended up discovering one of the most beautiful sights of the entire trip...

I've been asked if I will paint this, but I don't know if I can do it justice. This is exactly the thing that makes me want to cry, it is so beautiful.

 Seems like a good time to try to get a signal

 photo © Cliff Speer

After a lovely paddle we found the remote campsite that Vern had suggested would be a great spot to set up for the afternoon to paint. 

The weather was perfect, hot even, and we put the thought of any potential storms out of our minds, so we could get down to the business of art making.

my painting spot in the shade

 me

photo © Erica Bird

 Erica and her excellent sketch

 

 Randi at her easel

 Jane working with water colours

The day was idyllic. I honestly don't know if it could have been improved upon. Oh wait... there was one thing. Remember I mentioned that it was hot? Well, why not go for a swim, Nicki? Seems like a simple solution, right? NO!!! No, it was NOT a simple solution for me. Why you ask? LEECHES!!! Even typing that word makes me want to cry. Nature can make me cry because it can be so utterly beautiful, but it can also make me cry because it occasionally involves leeches. I have a phobia of them and it is a legitimate phobia. I cannot deal with them. In my life I have bungy jumped, para-sailed, white water rafted, but I cannot deal with bloodsuckers. No can do.

 above two photos © Cliff Speer

So I stuck to the shade and the others enjoyed the refreshing lake and I didn't even have any regrets. I know my limits. You will notice in some photos that we wore whistles which is a safety guideline for canoeists in case of capsizing. Well, I informed everyone that I would be blowing that baby if I got a leech on me and they better come to my aid STAT! I am happy to report this was not necessary.

Anyhoo.

At some point in the afternoon we were treated to a fly-by! Vern took his airplane out for a spin and flew by our painting spot. I still can't get over the fact that he is eighty-eight.

Finally it was time to pack up and make our way back to base camp. The scenery on the way back was just as spectacular.

 

The creative mode would not let go, so while there was still sunlight we all kept working. 

 Olivia, Lori's daughter, created some beautiful work

 my two paintings from the afternoon

above three photos © Cliff Speer

Another delicious meal and a bit of wine finished the day on a high note, leaving us wanting more and looking forward to Day Three.

Moss and Rocks

6" x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2013

(painted in the evening from my camera screen)
sold
 http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/nicki-ault/moss-and-rocks/167182

 

Note: all photos © Nicki Ault unless otherwise stated

Canoeing and Painting in the Wild - Day One, August 15

On August 15, 2013 I embarked on a CanoeSki adventure... a canoeing and painting trip that would take me farther north in this province than I had ever been. I was definitely nervous, I had never canoed before; well, I did once many years ago when I was at a conference in Muskoka where I had to participate in a team-building exercise involving a race through an obstacle course. My part of the race was to canoe with a partner, a guy I didn't know, out onto the lake, around a buoy and back to shore. We did not do well. Mostly because of me. At some point while we spun in circles we discovered that we had more success paddling backwards, so that is how we finished our leg of the race! We had a weak start, but we finished strong... albeit backwards. But I digress.

I was quite certain that whomever I got as a canoe buddy on this trip would not likely want to paddle the whole thing in reverse, so I hoped my co-ordination was better after about fifteen years of general life experience under my belt. Thankfully it was.

After a five hour drive and a delightful picnic lunch at a nearby campground, we made our way to Lynx Lake in the La Ronge area. This was the site of our launch and departure. We saddled up the canoes and took flight, or something like that. My canoe buddy, Erica, was a friend from Saskatoon who had much more experience than I had in the paddling department and I had more experience than her in the painting department, so we decided to tutor each other when needed. She took on the role of steering the canoe while I provided all of the brute strength up front. :)

Our journey to base camp was approximately seven kilometres with two portages. As we approached the first portage at the end of Lynx Lake I turned to take a photo of Erica only to discover a really dramatic sky behind her. It seemed far away at the time.

With one portage complete we paddled across Duck Lake and continued to see more beautiful scenery. The landscape was so much more rocky than I was used to; Erica and I kept raving, "Oooooh, it's sooooo pretty!"

As we were waiting for our turn to approach the second portage, the dramatic sky was nearing... at a somewhat alarming rate. Right around the time I took the below photo we saw a rapid firing of forked lightening in the sky behind me. Time to get off the water!

 The rain began when we had half of our gear across the second portage. It started off slowly,

with soft, gentle drops, but by the time all of the bags and canoes were across the portage things started to get quite interesting. The lightening arrived in full force and was hitting trees around us... and I mean all around us... we could see smoke and ash rising after a strike and the thunder was incredibly loud! Our assistant guide advised us to spread out and make ourselves as small as possible. The rain came in sheets and we were pelted by pea-sized hail. I remember sitting under the bushes watching the surface of the lake swirl and dance with the wind-blown rain. Because we were on the sheltered side of the portage none of us had a grasp on just how powerful the wind was, that is until trees started falling.

At one point I heard a crack and a snap only to see a tree right across from me go down.

And then there were more crashes... and then screams...

Our assistant guide, Lori, was hit on the arm and side of the head by falling trees and debris. I am not sure I have ever felt so freaked out by the weather. We were in the eye of the storm, so-to-speak, and we had nowhere to go. Finally after about forty-five minutes the down-pour subsided, but it was hard to know if the storm was truly over. After a bit of debate we decided we needed to take our chances and press on, we still had to get to the other side of Sulphide Lake. 

Our safe arrival on the shore of base camp was a relief. We were so thankful that everyone made it through the ordeal and that Lori, although bruised, was not seriously injured. The owner of the fishing camp, Vern Studer, had been concerned for us and didn't know where we might have been when the worst of the storm hit. He said that in all his years (50+) at the camp homestead he had never seen anything like what had just passed through! He had been in touch with the RCMP and they were on high alert for forest fires.

We unpacked and then acquainted ourselves with our surroundings. We walked a short path that took us through to another part of Sulphide Lake- a beautiful bay filled with lily pads where Vern docked his plane. Oh, and by the way, Vern is eighty-eight!

Finally we relaxed and enjoyed an absolutely delicious meal before we settled into our cabin for the night.

I think we were all still a bit shell-shocked by what we had been through. The whole "in the wild" part of the canoe trip had taken on a new meaning!

NOTE: All photos © Nicki Ault unless otherwise