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Yup. That waterway has been there for thousands of years. Only slightly changes with water currents, river flow and man made dams but it'll be there for many more years to come.

Yes, after talking with a canoe guide at one of the camps after this, he said I made the right call. He had done that section of the lake and said with any wind at all, it can get brutally rough and dangerous. Lake Temiskaming doesn't necessarily scare me, but I definitely respect it. I've been on it in a big boat when it got violently rough and it was scary then. Hell, there's even a small ship that got sunk in a storm years ago out there before I was born so if it's capable of sinking ships, a canoe is no match for it. I often nickname Temiskaming "Little Superior" cause just like Lake Superior, it often doesn't give up its dead. One guy that went missing on it this past summer from falling out of his boat still hasn't been found.

Thanks for Watching!

@@pursuitforadventure yes, the sore toe was the least of my problems. And when I got home the weatherman was right. Poured rain for a full day the next day followed by extreme winds from the south. I talked to a canoe guide from one of the camps afterwards and he told me he had done that section and said I definitely made the right call not tackling big Lake Temiskaming in conditions like that. He said any wind at all down in that section makes it extremely dangerous so that made me feel better knowing I wasn't just wimping out. But next year..... I'm already making the plans to continue and start at Temagami and end at home in New Liskeard. I simply wouldn't have had enough time to finish with being wind bound for 3 days and still 6 days of paddling. So would have had to use my Inreach to have somebody meet me at a nearest road. So knowing that, it became a no brainer to just end the trip. It still bugged me a lot but I know I made the right call. Gut feeling said; end now cause there's always next year.

Ah yes, my knock off chair. When helinox came out with their's it was over $200 and I said I'm not that rich. Plus, as I was getting older, at the end of a paddling day I wanted something with a high back on it. This chair is made by Nice C and is available on Amazon for $67 I think I saw it last. They were around 40 when I got mine but inflation took over. Folds down like the Helinox with all the poles pulling apart on bungee style cords and roles up to less than half the size of a regular camp chair. The previous video shows me walking to my fire with it in the case still and then Tucker stole it on me cause he often thinks it's his chair. I'm not sure the weight rating off hand but I've been using it the last two years and it's held my weight just fine. And comfort rating.... well there's been more than once I fell asleep in it beside the fire. So yes, it's very comfortable, specially for that price point.

Yes, proud of my grandpa for making it back home and telling us some of the stories before he passed away. Sad to see a lot of the new generation not caring and not showing respect and I fear one day our vets will be left in the past and forgotten about. I really hope it doesn't come to that.😒

@@lorettaandjasonoffgrid yes. As some people complained about the rain I thought; they had it a lot worse in the trenches and what not. We can put up with the half hour of misery. Could be worse. It used to always be below -10 and snowing in past years when I attended. Speaking of snow, the rain just turned to snow now outside.

Right!? Day 7 coming up in a week and a half has another challenge tossed at me before I make it into the sheltered bay into town. Stay tuned for that final episode of the trip. But not the final video of the year. More coming down the pipe.

Yup, there's red and green markers and I know you have to stay to oneside of the marker upstream and the other downstream so you have to know which way the current flows before understanding the marker system. But Lale Temagami isn't done with me yet. I still have about 8km to paddle to town on what I think should be an easy paddle. Stay tuned to next video to see how it all pans out. And no, the fishing was my fault and I simply didn't get the line in the water enough. Apparently to catch fish you have to have your line in more often. Who knew?! LOL!

@@wendingourway yes. At this point I was still half a day paddle from the town of Temagami and my relaxing morning at the campsite the next day may backfire on paddling conditions into town. That video will be up in 2 weeks once I get it all edited.

@@jeffjackson5331 yup. When I got back home and the heavy hit the next morning followed by those high winds that were predicted, I said I made the right call.

@darrendavidsonoutdoors yes you did lol.

At the Temagami First Nations Pow Wow I talked to a canoe guide from a local kids camp and he said I definitely made the right call. He said he paddled that stretch of Lake Temiskaming and said if there's any wind at all in that 20km stretch between the high cliffs on each side, you're pretty much screwed. The combination of wind and the strong currents flowing through the Narrows make it very treacherous for any boat, never mind canoe. Many people over the years including First Nations before the early settlers arrived have been victim to Lake Temiskaming's wrath. It's your best friend one minute and literally 5 minutes later turn into your worse nightmare. Winds change very quickly and I've been on it a few times where it's happened and it's temper scared me enough to definitely show it respect and always always watch those winds and get ready to move quickly cause it happens fast. People think I'm nuts having a small 12ft boat out on Temiskaming but as I tell them; it's perfectly safe as long as you watch the sky. If that wind even has the slightest change be ready to move in a hurry. Another reason I put a 15hp on the back compared to my old 9.9. Those few minutes faster getting to safety makes a huge difference.

@darrendavidsonoutdoors oh i bet! That lake sounds as dangerous as Lake Erie is. Weather on there can change in a heart beat as well. What makes it so dangerous is how shallow it is. I saw in your video on how shallow Temiskaming is in spots and that is what cause the issues. Oh yeah the more power the better to get your a&& to safety quick. On a canoe, you're screwed.

@@tubbyguyoutdoors ya when I was editing the video and was able to zoom in a bit, I was thinking the same. Had similar colour to a marten but not quite the same so thought maybe a mink. Too big for a squirrel, too long for a muskrat and not the right colour for a weasel. Most likely a mink. Lots of different critters around the area.

@ ya I saw a weasel this morning when I got to work they are starting to turn white now . They are half again smaller than a mink and at the time you were in the bush they would have been more of a tan brown also not generally know to be swimmers although they can swim for sure

LOL! Mine too! My neighbor knew me well. And not having any snacks like that for the last 6 days, it really hit the spot while I was waiting for my supper to rehydrate.

@@darrendavidsonoutdoors i bet!

@darrendavidsonoutdoors weird my other comment disappeared! I wondered if you heard about another channel also just did a canoe trip near you. Channel name is Beauty of the Backcountry. I think you would enjoy them!

Oh yes, I've been following them for awhile. Jay and Sherry are awesome. They also did the French River this summer but their video isn't out yet on that trip. I told him I'm hoping to do the voyageur route next year on the French and he said he can help me out with info on that so I have to message him yet about that.

@darrendavidsonoutdoors that's awesome! We are not far from the French River. Let me know when you're going to be in the area and we'll see if time permits to meet up!

Thanks. Yup, I've always preferred that style. I like making videos to show the beauty around me. I don't want to watch myself talking to a camera all the time. I want to watch what I'm looking at. Plus, I originally started making videos for myself to look back on trips I did. I can see myself by looking in a mirror. I want the video to showcase the scenery and any wildlife. Thanks for watching.

@@darrendavidsonoutdoors Well said.

No, I went looking for it at the changing of the seasons ceremony in September and never did find it. But there were a lot of people come and go all summer from Alex's so somebody may have thought it was theirs and tossed it in their gear. It's all good, I have a new one now so somebody got a gift of the old one.

Yup, speeding up and slowing down is what makes the biggest wakes so when I'm in my motorboat, I just stay wide open making a smaller wake but do a wide berth around any canoers so to leave as little of a wake as possible. But not everyone does that. I will admit the majority are pretty decent and respectable but Lake Temagami is one of the worse lakes as well as Lake Temiskaming here in New Liskeard. Even in my small motorboat, I've almost been hit or capsized from larger boats not paying attention on Temiskaming. As I usually say; it's from people with more money than brains normally. But most of the time, people are generally pretty respectable.

But I also believe before people get a vehicle license they should have to go for a ride in a transport to see what us truck drivers have to deal with first. Then maybe the general public will change their driving habits a little better. Boat license the same. I agree, make them get in a canoe first and have a boat go around them.

I don't see why not, but it'd be a hell of a time portaging one of those. LOL!

@@robertanderson2266 thanks for watching!

@@jeffjackson5331 Thanks! Yes, there's a reason I love living in this area so much. And as much as I love my solitude, after 5 days in the backcountry, it wasn't bad chatting to other humans again...... for a short time of course. LOL! Like I said in the video, canoeists are my favorite kind of people.

@@darrendavidsonoutdoors you're welcome. Oh i agree with you on all of it. It is nice to have a conversation with someone other than your buddy(Tuck) or the camera lol.

Thanks for Watching! Next video comes out in a couple of weeks.

Yes, I'm assuming as the year goes on and water flow drops and slows down, the beavers go to work and dam things up. I went over 3 dams that were washed out in the center of them so probably as flow slows down, they re-dam those back up. June was good for water level but bad for bugs. Depends what you're willing to deal with I suppose.

Wait till next video. I prefer seeing the scenery all around me. I hate canoeing videos where the person in the canoe is in love with themselves and only has the camera on them. I prefer seeing everything else BUT people in videos.

Thanks! The trip gets a bit easier from here. I was wishing I would have filmed going around the point on Obabika with that wind in my face. I actually had two waves come over the bow which got Tucker and I wet which is why I mentioned coming around the point was brutal. If I didn't know Alex, I would have just stayed at the campsite just to the right of where I came onto Obabika. But stubborn me said; you got this, we can make it around that point. 🙄 LOL!

@@darrendavidsonoutdoors you're welcome. Cool! Hey you had your hands full trying to stay afloat. Oh man i bet Tuck just loved that lol. Lol hey nothing wrong with being stubborn and yeah it is a good thing that you know Alex lol. That was nice of him to offer up his cabin for you and Tuck.

@jeffjackson5331 for sure! I was planning to just camp on his beach but he said; it's going to rain. Why don't you just use the cabin up the hill? It was the best sleep all week! And to wake up there on my birthday, that was just the icing on the cake. 🛶😎

@@darrendavidsonoutdoors yep! Yeah it was good that you took him up on his offer. It made sure that you and Tuck had plenty of energy to finish your trip and to stay dry. Heck yeah, that is definitely icing on the cake for sure.

For this area I'd suggest Tri-Town motorsports for Honda. That's where I bought my outboard motor and had them do maintenance to it once like a new impeller and did the oil change etc. The other option I'd go is John's Tackle Box for a Yamaha outboard. Just avoid going to Temiskaming Powersports at the New Liskeard marina. They screwed up my ATV when I brought it there, they screwed up the neighbors outboard, and a budy of mine brought his side by side there and they didn't tighten the wheel nuts when he put tracks on. Nothing but poor service there. But John's Tackle Box (Work & Play) or the Honda dealer (Tri-town Motorsports) have both gave me really great service.

Small aluminum boat. Looked about 12 foot, maybe 14. Had a small outboard on it. Maybe 8 or 9.9 hp. They managed to pull it up after a few minutes.

Yup. I watched another TH-cam video where he said; I'm not sure I'd call that a portage cause it was more like rock climbing with a canoe. It made me feel better knowing I wasn't the only one who thought that.

Not as much as I should have. I heard there was way more further in. All kinds of cool stuff. Guess I'll just have to go back and explore some more. Old buildings, vehicles and a massive pile of logs apparently. I really should have camped on that beach site and spent the rest of the day exploring.

@@darrendavidsonoutdoors I haven't seen any buildings, although there may be foundations still. The rest sounds right. There's also the remains of the former site of HBC Fort Destruction on Diamond Lake. We found it, but entirely thanks to the archaeologist in our party, we wouldn't have recognized it otherwise.

@BillupsOMally yes, that's what I meant. Basically foundations remaining from buildings. That's cool you found the old HB post. There were quite a few around back in the early fur trading days.

Yup. As I told another canoeist, I can paddle all day without any issues but portaging..... ya that kills me every time. Specially when it's that hot outside. Looking back, I should have just set up camp on Diamond at that beautiful beach site and called it a day cause at that point it was the perfect day. But doing that rock climbing portage during the hottest point of the day was kinda stupid. 🤷‍♂️

@@darrendavidsonoutdoors yeah it was but hindsight is 20/20. You did what you thought you could. Live and learn hopefully lol. We are too damn stubborn to learn though lol. You made it and that is all that matters.

Well my ultimate goal was make it down to Obabika but then while having lunch on Diamond I said; meh, make it to Wakimika and we'll be good...... or turned out the portage before Wakimika would do. I learned that I set my goals way too high. That night I was saying to myself; your too old for this 💩! Make your goals less and enjoy more. LOL! Or like you said; I'm just too stubborn to slow down. Can't let those young 20 and 30 year old whippersnappers outdo me! LOL! But then the backcountry will put you in your place pretty quick cause you can't fake it out there. You are who you are and that's all there is. Plan for YOU, not super you is the lesson I learned that trip. The last few days of the trip I slow down a little and enjoyed it a lot more.

@@darrendavidsonoutdoors yep exactly and that little four legged climbing machine is no spring chicken either lol. Two young/old folks in a canoe lol. Hey there is nothing wrong with slowing down and enjoying life and the lords creations.

@jeffjackson5331 LOL, my co-worker said the same thing when I showed him a picture of Tucker and I in my boat fishing. He said; just two old guys in a boat fishing. LOL! That's like the old trucker saying. We don't get old, we just downshift.

Thanks! Greatly appreciate it!

LOL! Ya that day the canoe cart just about took a swim like the titanic. But it does come in handy later in the trip. The tobacco I got from my buddy Wyatt who is also native and he gets it from Nippissing First Nations on the reserve. I also bought some regular tobacco off Temiskaming First Nations in Notre Dame du Nord Quebec before but it wasn't the simple dried leaves like this stuff I used from Nippissing. Their's is actually called offering tobacco. Temiskaming First Nations only had the basic pipe tobacco which I was told was basically the same. And yes, about the fishing, I used to slow down for fishing as well but was shocked the fish actually hut at that faster trolling speed. Things you learn in Temagami backcountry.

Yes, I didn't show that night at supper where I pulled out the Biosteel electrolytes and added it to a liter of water which I drank down pretty quick. If it wasn't so hot with the humidity that day, it would have made those portages easier. The deer flies were relentless though. I felt bad for Tucker cause they hounded him worse than me.

@@darrendavidsonoutdoors In the future please include tips like using Biosteel for hydration in hot days. Many new backcountry campers don’t consider this Perhaps you could put together a “Darren’s Tips for the backcountry” and share useful things you have learned over the years. Now I’m off partridge hunting !

@FisherGirl333 Great minds think alike. I went partridge hunting yesterday and got one and my neighbor got one out of the 5 we saw in the few hours we were out. And yes, last night I was saying; I should give tips and tricks video of what I've learned both paddling and hunting the backcountry. When I edited the videos I realized how much info I left out. But then again I remember how tired I was and literally said; screw the camera, just worry about setting up camp, supper and hydration. The last thing I wanted to do that evening was film anything. LOL!

@@NotSoEpicAdventurer that's for sure! Looking back on this wind bound rainy day, the weather this past weekend definitely was worse.

Thank you! I'm the same way in my motorboat. But these guys in the boats are paid to get their wealthy clients to and from the lodges and only center their attention on paying customers. Lake Temagami was even worse. Almost like they thought I was a nuisance paddling through. But yes, there are a few good respectful boaters left out there, but some days they are few and far between.

Thanks! Greatly appreciate it.

@@prayfornathannatureshow with good conditions you would make it all the way into suckergut no problem in one day but yes, 2 days is comfortable pace. I was hurting after that first day.

@@robertanderson2266 friendsoftemagami.org sells them on their website.