Tempus Fugit

Latin (tem-pu̇s-ˈfü-git): Time Flies

Category: Nature

  • Tunnel Island Adventure


    View from the chair
    Originally uploaded by Big Dadoo.

    We’ve been summer residents for over 23 years and this is the first time I’ve explored Tunnel Island and it’s almost in the heart of Kenora.

    This is some of the best hiking and biking in the area, very similar to the Minaki trails only more technical and difficult. I rode two basic loop, one to the east of the trail head road and one to the west. I posted a route map here.

    The  east loop took about 1hr with lots of stops to get over fallen trees that we too big to hop, at least for me, and some un-ridable sections, again for me anyway. This photo is at a spot called the Voyageur Lookout on a high spot on the island looking over the Winnipeg River.

    The east loop took about 1.5 hrs and was even more challenging. This must be where all the local hard core riders come out to play. Part way around this loop I fell and whacked the camera pretty hard, but it still seems to be working OK.

    The trail provides some excellent views of the Norman Dam,  a railway bridge and the Winnipeg River system. There are also bald eagles nesting on the island which are visible from the trails.

    It was a great ride on a very hot day. It definitely rates a return visit.

  • Wild Life


    Floating Dock #2
    Originally uploaded by Big Dadoo.

    Your wondering what this picture has to do with wildlife, and I’ll get to that in a minute.

    While we’ve been at the lake this week we’ve seen quite a bit of wildlife. There have been the usual deer, chipmunks, squirrels, loons, bald eagles etc. and then some more unusual critters like otters, beavers, wild turkeys and turkey vultures.

    Today, I was working on fixing up the second of our “free” docks that were recovered a couple of weeks ago. Earlier in the week we were in Kenora at a store that specializes in dock systems and learned that replacing the flotation in this dock and getting a ramp and hinge system to connect it to the main dock would run in excess of $2,000. It seemed to me that there should be a less expensive option as a Phase 1 approach. So, the excess Styrofoam from dock #1 was used to bolster up dock #2 and the tires re-installed and then I tied the floating dock to the fixed dock. So far, so good. This dock will come in quite handy since the water level is currently 4′ below the top of our fixed dock.

    Back to the wildlife. In the process of getting ready to push the extra bits of Styrofoam under the dock I needed to get into the water and push the dock forward to get it off a rock. While doing this I feel something by my right foot in the water and I kick it out of the way. Then I think, “Hey, there’s only rocks down there and you don’t just kick them out of the way”. That’s when I decided to have a look only to see a very large turtle cruising around my foot. Everybody out of the pool! This thing was at least 12″ across and the head and neck were the size of my wrist! (Sorry. no picture).

  • Snake in the Grass


    Snake #2
    Originally uploaded by Big Dadoo.

    This was actually from last weekend when we went to Narcisse, Manitoba which is world famous breeding ground for red-sided garter snakes. I’d known about this attraction for some time but we’d never gone until this spring. One of the four dens was very active and it was quite interesting to photograph the snakes and I was amazed by the numbers of snakes in the ajacent fields. I think we’ll go back this fall for the return migration.