Bonnechere Provincial Park

July 29 to August 3, 2009

Day 1 - Getting there, exploring the park and lots of Schwammerl!

Oma and Opa drove up to our house and Rubby and the kids followed along as they all headed to Bonnechere Provincial Park just past Eganville. Although it rained quite a bit on their drive, the weather cleared once they got there and after they set up camp they managed to do a little hike and discover the campground. While the highlight for the kids seemed to be the playground, Opa struck gold when he saw all the Schwammerl (chanterelle mushrooms) that had sprouted from the recent rain.

Is it raining enough to warrant stopping in at this restaurant?

Driving, driving, driving...

Oma and Opa setting up the camper.

First thing's first... let's get some water for coffee!

Snack time!

Off to check out the visitor centre.

Hey, a park!

Opa in the "pointer boat". Designed in the 1850s for J.R. Booth by Pembroke ON wood carver John Cockburn, the pointer boat was used by log drivers to navigate the floating booms. This unique, flat bottom boat with pointed bow and stern had such a shallow draft that loggers boasted it could float on heavy dew.

 
Samantha and Opa in the "ranger cabin". In 1893 Algonquin Provincial Park established a system of huts to house the rangers to assigned to protect the park. The depot in Bonnechere Provincial Park is the site of the restored Pine River ranger cabin, circa 1946.

Canoes for rent.

What's that under those bushes... could it be?... it is!... Schwammerl! (chanterelles)

Samantha finds some different mushrooms.

Good thing the owner hung his balls from the back of the car...
the colour of the car would make us doubt he had any in the first place!

The Bonnechere river.

 
Sammy finds a huge Schwammerl...It's the gold rush in Bonnechere Park!

Sammy and Opa are ecstatic over their loot.

A butterfly.

Off we go a-wandering...!

An oxbow lake created by the meandering river. In the summer this riverbed is cut off from the Little Bonnechere, but with the spring floodwater, it runs freely and becomes part of the river again.

Supper time!

And time to clean up those Schwammerl.

Christopher and Samantha like the camp site which is like a giant sandbox for them.

 

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