Wabakimi Backcountry Canoe Trip - Part 3: Forest Fire

[@LostLakes]

This series lowers my blood pressure beautifully...a welcome thing on YT. Thanks Kevin :)

[@KevinOutdoors]

Glad you liked it. It really lowered my blood pressure when I was there. :)

[@EzeAdventurer]

Stunning drone footage, excellent music choice. Thanks for the education on fire systems and how some wildlife benefits from it!

[@KevinOutdoors]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the comments.

[@craigrobertson6082]

I think this was my favourite of the trip so far, I learned so much about the fire systems. Thanks very much, Kevin.

[@KevinOutdoors]

I am glad you enjoyed it, the fire was a big part of the planning and I thought I would be able to cover some fire ecology discussion. I was glad to find the black backed woodpeckers.

[@jcavenagh]

So...my buddy and I ran into a "phantom" portage very similar to the one you found. We thought we were starting the 180m portage into the south tip of Wilkie, but it was a dead end. We looked and looked for the continuation of the well worn track, but never found it. We then went back in the water and scoped the shore. We found the real portage about 75m east of the fake one. And so we put flagging tape there for the next folks coming through. We rarely flag the ends of the portages, but that one really needed it.

[@brucedow3883]

Enjoyed your lesson on the wood peckers. Forest always connected even when not so obvious.

[@KevinOutdoors]

Yeah, it was great to find some. I counted three flying around me but they were challenging to capture with the camera.

[@alz1511]

Thank you Kevin. This is a beautiful video.

[@KevinOutdoors]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@earlhayes2969]

Hey Kevin awesome trip so far love all the lessons and as far as aerial video I love it adds so much more depth and beauty on how beautiful the land is thanks for taking us with you Earl

[@KevinOutdoors]

Thanks so much Earl. It means hauling a lot of gear over those portages but I agree it is worth it in the end.

[@JonasSchulteDE]

What an impressive video. Thanks for recording this Kevin. Very inspiring trip. Really love the fact that you were able to get to the access point with your vehicle.

[@KevinOutdoors]

Glad you enjoyed it! The vehicle access point was a big part of the planning, I really wanted to do the whole Flindt River, skipping a few Km wasn't what I wanted to do. Although, most folks access Flindt Landing or the Allen Water Bridge by train which would be a cool experience on its own.

[@dufferintire]

The landings on the section of the river truly are brutal!! It is amazing to see the portages void of any green carpet of moss (the portage into Wabakimi Lake, particularly at the end, was remarkable for the amount and coverage of moss). I wonder how long before that growth returns?

[@KevinOutdoors]

They really are tough. I suspect the moss won't come back until the tree canopy starts closing in, probably 20+ years before it is cool and moist on the forest floor again. We'll get to that location in Part 4 this weekend.

[@86beeman]

Nice informative Pt3!

[@KevinOutdoors]

Thanks! The fire was a big factor in the planning of this trip and I wanted to show it off.

[@Woodswalker1965]

Thanks for the video Kevin. Such a beautiful area despite the burn👍

[@KevinOutdoors]

It really does have its charm! 👊

[@jonm6238]

Hi Kevin, I've never heard that you can use a drone smaller than 250 g in a provincial park. With just a quick look online there's definitely conflicting information. Most websites state that you still need permission.

[@KevinOutdoors]

@jonm6238 Thanks, I am very familiar with the law. Yes websites can be confusing, the key thing is that if the thing that is flying is less than 250g then it is not a drone. Sometimes these are termed micro-drones or flying cameras. Despite the policies you see online Ontario parks laws doesn't even mention drones, federal park legislation does. Provincial Park legislation and regulations specify that in some parks aircraft are not permitted to land. Wabakimi has lots of aircraft landing and taking off every day. The federal parks actually restrict their airspace but Ontario hasn't for provincial parks. Micro drones can be flown in restricted airspace, although I wouldn't recommend it. If you go to the Transport Canada website you will likely find the specifications for micro drones. I have a recreational drone licence but a licence is not required for micro drones, anybody can fly them basically anywhere, drone laws don't apply but laws related to privacy and mischief certainly do.

[@lornekennethoates9951]

Excellent as always. Triple portages seem to be a standard for me these days. Did an 8 day solo last year and 73 years young.

[@KevinOutdoors]

Awesome. I hope I can continue trips like this for a few more years. My knees still feel it! :)

[@sherrierifenberg2199]

Sure is mind blogging w😮hen you go thru a burnout…was in a total burnout in Woodland Caribou several years back…very sobering! TY!

[@KevinOutdoors]

Glad you liked it. I've done some travels in Woodland Caribou too, burn on top of burn there.

[@gordthompson4664]

16:50 - Thanks for the explanation re: bugs and woodpeckers and nature's way of self-correcting. Obviously we should all love Mother Nature but some of us forget how she can be a tough old gal when she needs to be. So nice to see you in your element. :)

[@KevinOutdoors]

Yes she can be a tough old lady, what she does can seem cruel but everything seems to work out and have a reason. :)

[@dwrivers47]

I hate bugs so much that I will carry that tent on every buggy trip I ever do ! Dinner looked delicious 😊

[@KevinOutdoors]

Thanks mate! Yeah, dinner in a bug tent was way better inside than out!

[@Winter8R1]

Great video Kevin! I felt for you in the boulder field... Thanks for sharing.

[@KevinOutdoors]

Thanks Glad you liked it 👍

[@kevinharding2099]

I appreciate the natural history details. - a step above many canoeing videos. What does forest fires do to water quality??

[@KevinOutdoors]

Great question. Most of the nutrients in a tree are in the needles and bark, the stem is mostly carbon. After a fire a rush of nutrients goes into the streams and lakes and some stay on site. The aquatic ecosystem benefits from this greatly, insects flourish and the fish feed off of the insects. Usually 3 ish years after a fire the fishing is really great (not that it was bad to begin with). As the forest grows it starts accumulating nutrients all over again.

[@1enediyne]

Love my no bug zone. We bought ours over covid too because we car camp with 5 kids tenting and we needed to replace our bulky dining tent. I’ve brought it on one canoe trip, again with the kids so I could spread out the weight. Definitely an essential for us. I see there’s lighter knock offs on Amazon now so I may order one.

[@KevinOutdoors]

Yeah, I really enjoyed it. Much better than retreating to your tent and just reading a book all night. Nicer than frequent doses of bug spray too.

[@jeremyb2880]

The mavic mini is a drone Kevin. It is not allowed in provincial parks. Where is the regulation stating otherwise?

[@KevinOutdoors]

There are actually no laws or regulations in provincial parks against 'drones', I've read through everything there is and there are only restrictions on 'aircraft' and not in all parks. Information posted on websites is not always a law or regulation. Where there are restrictions they are against landing 'aircraft', and usually only against landing in certain parks. Wabakimi has aircraft landing and taking off every day. Provincial regulations don't specify that drones are aircraft. Federal parks are different they have specific language prohibiting drones and they have restricted air space, Ontario parks have not taken that step. Flying objects less than 250g are not considered 'drones' by Transport Canada and regulations for 'drones' including restricted airspace do not apply.

[@seanohlemann]

@@KevinOutdoors surprising if true

[@KevinOutdoors]

@@seanohlemann If you can find the word 'drone' in the Ontario Provincial Parks Act or any regulation under that act (current date or before) I'll give you $100. O.Reg 346/07 and 347/07 speak to 'aircraft' but in terms of mechanized travel. Transport Canada is the prime resource for laws governing aircraft and drones and micro drones. Anyone operating a micro drone must respect restricted airspace, Ontario Parks have not restricted their airspace, National Parks have.

[@seanohlemann]

@@KevinOutdoors I believe you I am just surprised. Does Quetico fall under the same rules?

[@KevinOutdoors]

@@seanohlemann Yes it does. But you do run into a lot more people in Quetico per day so I would refrain from using it there. In Quetico I normally run into multiple parties a day. In Wabakimi I ran into canoeists twice in two weeks. I ran into plenty of fly-in fishermen in Wabakimi and one group actually had a drone.

[@mazman9355]

ohhh, after seeing your 'boulder field' I realized I've never done a tough portage before.

[@KevinOutdoors]

Ha, yes there were some challenging portages on this trip.

[@suspicioustumbleweed4760]

The cool thing about burns is seeing the undergrowth explode from all the new light.

[@KevinOutdoors]

Things are just getting started this year, I suspect next year things will be very green.

[@MeetMeOutside]

Awesome Kevin, great to see and hear some honest feedback regarding the no bug zone, at the end of the day, is it worth bringing ? Peace ✌️

[@KevinOutdoors]

I think so, it all depends on the time of year and the relative location you are camping in. I used it 2 out of 13 nights but those two night I would have had to retreat into my tent. It just makes things more pleasant.

[@alphawhiskyadventures]

My bug zone is always taken. Bugs can make camp unbearable. 🦟 As always a great video. Appreciate the forestry info you pass along.

[@KevinOutdoors]

Thanks AWA, I used the No Bug Zone 2 nights out if 13 and I really appreciated it on those 2 nights! It all depends on the time of year and the general area that you are camping in. ATB!