The current level of Lake of the Woods is 323.76 m (1062.2 ft), over 95th percentile level for this time of year. The average lake level rose by 16 cm (6 in) over past week.
All very interesting but what does that mean to me and our cottage?According to the Lake of the Woods Water Control Board, today, May 13, 2022
Well, at this level the water is +19″ over the swim platform
And -2″ below the main dock at the far end, right hand side.
It also means we’re trying to prevent the dock top from ripping off and floating away with some garbage cans full of water to weight it down.
After a very low lake level at freeze up it’s surprising how high it is on the May long weekend. Not as high as 2014, but getting there.
Floating at the end of rampGetting close to the topSwim platform well underNormally dry under kayak rackWater line in the water
The current level of Lake of the Woods is 323.66 m (1061.9 ft), over 95th percentile level for this time of year. The average lake level rose by 26 cm (10 in) over past week. The lake is above the top of the Legislated Operating Range, 323.47 m (1061.25 ft). The International Lake of the Woods Control Board has been activated and will work with the Canadian Lake of the Woods Control Board to approve any actions taken with respect to Lake of the Woods. The dams in Kenora remain fully opened with no changes scheduled.
We’re out at the cottage on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the May long weekend. One of the perks of being retired.
May long weekend is the traditional weekend for opening up the cottage, turning on the water and getting everything operational for the 2022 season. May it be long, sunny, warm/hot, with lots of family and friends.
A foggy start to the day
In over 40 years of opening up this cottage it’s always interesting to experience. It can go totally smooth to a total disaster. Well, maybe not disaster but some openings are a little more challenging than others. This year things are going quite smoothly.
Pretty much the number one concern is the water system. For many years this involved putting the intake line back in the lake and priming the pump. A few year back this started to be a real problem. Several attempts were made at fixing the pump, replacing the pump, coaxing the pump, praying over the pump. Finally we switched to a submersible pump. Best decision ever. You turn it on and it pumps, no priming required and it stays in the lake all year round so no pulling it out in the fall and putting it back in the spring.
Over the years cottage water systems evolve. A leak here, a burst pipe there, additions and adjustments everywhere. To solve many of the issues with water freezing in the lines over the winter numerous pipe disconnect points evolved which meant disconnecting and re-connecting every year.
A couple of years back I made a fairly serious upgrade to the plumbing to facilitate an easier shutdown and startup. Pex pipe to the rescue. In conjunction with ball valve drains all the disconnect points were installed. 1/4 turn and it’s opened or closed. All the under cottage water lines were upgraded to pex and all outside taps were changed to 1/4 turn ball valves that don’t leak the way taps with washers eventually do.
All in all with the upgraded plumbing and the submersible pump starting the water system is much faster and easier. However, not totally bullet proof! Somehow last year some dirt got on the pressure switch contacts causing the pump to not run. And not immediately but the next day after it seemed to have started up just fine.
This years “mystery” was the hot water tank. After it was full of water I turned on the power at the breaker. Normally, 20 minutes later you have screaming hot water. This year, ice cold. Lake water temperature is currently 5°C. Not the best temperature for a shower. So I reset the breaker and thankfully we have hot water. This could be an early sign of the breaker getting worn out as we turn it off when we’re not here. So, 40 years of spring/summer/fall weekends with it getting flicked off and on may be wearing it out.
This morning (Thursday) I tackle a few more “opening” chores.
Move all the chairs and outside stuff out of the shop
Reconnect the washing machine (separate post on that)
Fire up the septic system by installing the air pump and connecting a few hoses etc. (uneventful, which is great as this is the Number 2 ? concern at the lake)
Cut up a downed tree blocking the path to the dock.
Unload the chairs and loungers from the dock storage shed
Notice that the sail boat ramp is “gone” due to the high water. I’ll look around the bay for it this after noon.
Ok, that’s enough, time for a coffee break, perhaps some lunch and then heading out on the Oarboard to look around for that missing boat ramp.
Back in mid-December Len and I were out at the lake and this is trip #2 for the winter season.
The drive was fine and we stopped in Kenora for dinner at the LOTWBrewCo and arrived at the cottage around 8 p.m. As usual the snow bank at the bottom of the driveway and the driveway itself was impassible so I used the snowshoes to clear a trail. A few trips and we’re loaded in. The cottage is only -5°C and didn’t seem all that cold. With the furnace, fireplace and kerosene heater cranked on it’s quite toasty in short order.
Some beverages, snacks and a couple of movies and it’s almost 1am so we call it a day.
Next morning after a few coffees and a light breakfast it’s time to head down to the lake to get some water.
There is still lots of ice but also lots of surface water this year. I shovel off a light cover of snow to find out that I can also break off about 1” of ice with the shovel and hit a water pocket! Normally, this requires a pick axe to dig out a trough to dip the bucket in. There seems to be alternating layers of ice and water for about the first foot and then it’s solid ice for over 2 feet. We scoop out two buckets and back up to the cottage.
Later in the day we head out across the lake past the island and across the ice road to an area where there has been some sort of snow clearing activity.
Out past the island, where we see people fishing during the summer, there has been another ice road created that leads form a cottage in the north end of the bay to this fishing spot. There is evidence of several ice fishing holes which are now frozen over. With the ice roads “officially” closed I suspect any ice fishing shacks have been removed.
Next morning I’m up at 6am with a coffee watching the moon rise being washed away by the sun rise at 7:05am
Moon on the far right and Saturn straight ahead 6:00am
Sunrise in the East just coming over the trees 7:05am
Our water hole has frozen over with about 2″ of ice due to the -21°C over night.
After coffees and a leisurely breakfast we clean up, pack up and head for home. A good winter weekend.
Len & I are at the lake for a weekend of R&R, hanging out and basically not doing much of anything.
We’d hoped to see the bay freeze over or be partially frozen but we’re too late this year. There is a good 3-4 inches of ice and no open water in our area.
We set out from Winnipeg around 3pm and stopped in Kenora for dinner at the Lake of the Woods BrewCo. At the cottage Len was able to drive up the driveway after clearing some of the snow plow ridge at the foot of the driveway. I start the furnace, fireplace and kerosene heater and the process of bringing the cottage up from -14ºC begins.
We settle in with a drink and a movie and 2 1/2hours later the temperature upstairs is pretty good at 17ºC. Downstairs is still an icebox. By the next morning it’s quite pleasant upstairs and the kerosene heater is maintaining the temperature without the furnace.
After a cup of coffee and a trip to Redddens for the newspaper it’s time to chop a hole in the ice and bring up some water. I drill a few holes and Len chops out the area between the holes so we can fill the buckets.
So, one day after my dad and I had finished working for the day we were relaxing in the RV and participating in what was commonly known in our family circles as “the cocktail hour”.
Generally, the “hour” was quite loosely defined. All it really meant was pre-dinner drinking.
I had brought some Yukon Jack which my dad had never had and there is this recipe on the back called a “Snake Bite”. It’s pretty simple, some ice, a squeeze of lime juice and of course some Yukon Jack.
I find them pretty tasty and I think my dad did too as we imbibed quite liberally. I think dinner did get made but I’m not too sure and by the end of the evening “Jack” was no more.
We had some interesting and wide ranging conversations about some quite deep and personal stuff. It was quite a special time for me, just the two of us, man to man. I don’t remember much about the conversation details but the one thing that sticks out was I told my dad I loved him. Might of been the first time I’d said it out loud, just the two of us. A good memory.
The next morning was pretty rough but we didn’t talk about our hangovers we just had some breakfast, maybe just a coffee, and got to work.
This is a memory from my teenage years while at our cottage on Brereton Lake in the Whiteshell. It was the custom at the time when families got to gather for dinner that there would be a cocktail hour. I suspect that I was underage but my parents allowed it at the lake and this was where I was introduced to some more sophisticated drinks that expanded my limited experience. Things like Champagne, Irish coffee, Tom Collins, and yes the Gin & Tonic. It seemed like one of our good family friends was responsible for these fancier cocktails as a pre-dinner libation and I was always happy to get in on the action.
The brand of choice
The Gin and Tonic was only ever around in the summertime and at the lake. It seemed to be the special beverage to enjoy at the end of a hot summer day.
Every once in a while I’ll break out a G&T at the lake and remember fondly those younger years with friends & family.
It’s a calm clear morning. The lake is calm. It’s just as the sun is coming over the horizon. A boat goes by towards Smith Camps. The wake of the boat sends waves out in both directions.
The wake
Shortly, the boat is gone but the waves still travel outward. Because I’ve passed by this way my life, my presences has an impact. It sends out “waves” that have an impact long after I’m gone. Waves hit the shore and then reverberate back out again. Not as strong but still making “waves” like the impact on a second generation.
I want my “waves” to have the best possible impact on those around me as I pass by. 2021/9/9
This weekend, August 28-29, is the 14th annual Princess Margaret Cancer Research Foundation’s Ride to Conquer Cancer and it will be my first.
I became aware of this ride while I was in Toronto at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PMH) receiving CAR-T treatment for lymphoma. Today, thanks to this cutting edge treatment, I’m cancer free. Every time I was in the PMH elevator I’d see this picture on the door and as an avid cyclist, I knew this was for me.
Thank-you to all who supported me on the ride and this cause. Together we raised $2,696.10 and the ride in total raised an amazing $9,910,000 for life-saving cancer research.
Being optimistic and liking to set a challenging goal for myself I announced that I’d ride 100 miles or 160 km, the classic cyclist century ride. So, several months ago I started a formal training plan riding indoors or outdoors three times a week following a Trainerroad plan. For a couple of months this worked quite well and I stuck with the plan. Then, somewhere along the line the plan fell off the rails. I was still riding a fair bit but it was more sporadic and solo and group outdoor rides replaced the formal training efforts.
Over the last while I put in some 70, 80 and 100km rides but no 160km rides. All the over 70km rides turned out to be pretty challenging so I was not so sure about the 160km goal.
In sharing this goal with Shirley and my doctors they were supportive about the ride but cautious about my distance goal. It was suggested that something shorter might be appropriate or at least splitting the ride over two days.
As the weekend rolled around I was still undecided about the distance and was really going to approach it by “feel”. We found ourselves at the lake on the August weekend and some of the family was out as well. I really wanted to spend maximum time with the family so I skipped the two group rides that I could have hooked up with on Saturday and Sunday. As it turned out the family had to leave early on Sunday afternoon, so it was time to ride!
In the driveway with my new “Ambassador” jersey
Normally at the lake I ride right from the cottage. However, there has been quite a bit of fresh gravel road work done recently which is really unpleasant to ride on so Shirley gave me a lift to the Fire Hall at the start of Storm Bay road so I could launch right onto the paved highway. I’m underway at about 1:30pm.
Ready to Ride
Off we go!
Given the wind direction I opted to ride basically south on Hwy 71. I’d take 17A from the Fire Hall for a few kms and then turn south onto Hwy 71. As I’m riding I still hadn’t committed myself to a distance. After about 1/2 hr I’m thinking 50km out and 50km back for a respectable metric century. Not the originally conceived 160km but still a respectable goal.
As I approached the 50km mark there was a sign on the side of the road, “Souix Narrows – 16km”. Hmmm, I’ve never ridden to Souix Narrows on the bike and it’s just 16km more than I was planning or really 32km more than planned but what the heck. A new goal was in place and I wanted that picture of me at the iconic Souix Narrow bridge.
Being in Winnipeg means that almost all my riding is on the flat prairies. This is not the case when riding at the lake in Northwestern Ontario. There are a lot of hills. As I’m working my way to Souix Narrows I start reflecting on just how many hills there are and that I’ll need to do them all again in the reverse direction.
Finally, after what seems like a very long time, I arrive in Souix Narrows and stop for the “bridge shot”.
Souix Narrows Bridge & Me
Once in town I take a break for mid-ride refuelling and eat my bagel & cream cheese with a very hungry fish looking on.
After the snack it’s back on the road. Things seem to fly by for the first while and then around the 70-80km mark things are seemingly a lot harder. I’m getting tired and the solo boredom is setting in but as a friend often says spin, spin, spin. The weather is a mix of sun and cloud with a little more cloud than I’d like including a few brief rain showers. One was hard enough to get me to stop and put the phone in a baggie. Mentally in my mind I’m ticking off the major markers, Luther Village then Rushing River, then 17 & 71 intersection, then Reddens, then The Fire Hall where Shirley will be waiting to drive me back to the cottage. I’m very thankful I don’t have to do the hills on our Branch Road #3 which has one that is a short but steep 9-10% grade.
Like all good rides it really didn’t happen unless you’ve recorded it on Strava. Due to a bit of bad planning on my part the bike computer ran out of battery at 43km so the ride got recorded in two parts.
Total distance of 124.9 km in 5 hrs and 10 min moving and 5 hrs and 38 min elapsed time. All in all a good day and I’m satisfied with the effort.
It’s been a warm dry spring ahead of the May long weekend and if things had been more normal we’d be sipping our morning coffee on the deck at the lake.
But things are not normal
So, here we are, sipping coffee in the back yard.
The view is not quite the same and neither are the sounds. In fact, the sounds are probably the most annoying and something I’m trying to adjust to so I’m calling them the “Symington Symphony” just to put a positive spin on it.
We live close to Symington Yards and when they are busy there is a lot of piercing high frequency squealing from the brakes on the rail cars which is quite something. Mix that in with the pretty much non-stop hum/roar of the traffic on Lagimodiere Blvd, a few sirens for good measure, and you have your symphony.
With the Ontario border being closed until at least June 2nd, this will be the first time ever that we have not opened the cottage on or before the May long weekend. I get the idea about limiting travel and unfortunately we’re being controlled down to the lowest common denominator because some people just can’t follow some common sense guidelines.
For us, we can load up, take the bypass around Kenora, never have to go into town, and come home the same way and most likely see less people that we do now here in Winnipeg, which is almost nobody anyway.
However, with the OPP successfully blocking access on Hwy #1 at the border there is really no workaround. Some people we know have been permitted the one 24hr visit to your property to check on winter damage or make repairs. Some, on the 2nd trip have been turned back so it seems they are taking names and checking a list. 🙁
Hopefully, on June 2nd they will relax the border issue and lake season at the cottage will resume in somewhat of a normal fashion. Looking forward to trying out my new Oarboard with the help of Des’s SUP!
