Bonnechere Provincial Park
July 29 to August 3, 2009
Day 5 - Campground activities and the Bonnechere Caves in Eganville
One of our original goals in visiting Bonnechere Provincial Park was to visit the Bonnechere Caves which are not actually in the park, but south of Eganville. The caves were a lot of fun and we really enjoyed the tour. We ended up chatting with the owner and it turned out that a geocache had been placed at the site before but unbeknown to the owner it had been archived. We asked him if he'd be interested in having an earthcache placed at the site instead and he was super excited about the idea.
Back at the campsite we let Sam loose with the camera to create her own little photo documentary of the trip. We also made a trip to the store where one of the staff had left a pin and certificate for Sam for finishing all her junior ranger activities. This was essentially our last day at the park since the next day we headed out right after breakfast so Rubby could pack up for his next adventure... camping in the Maritimes with the kids.
A special breakfast treat for camping - Corn Pops!
Ever heard of the expression of bright eyed and bushy tailed...?
Start of our visit to the Bonnechere Caves in Eganville.
The waterfalls along the Bonnechere River used to generate lots of power for mills.
The powerful water also eroded the limestone along the river banks to create the caves.
The Bonnechere Caves were discovered when a surveyor was mapping the river and saw the water disappearing into a cavern.
Sammy and Opa hanging out.
Some of the samples of fossils out on display.
Our tour guide starts the tour with a geological explanation of the limestone rock and the fossils in it.
Some more fossils from the Ordovician time period.
Time to head into the caves!
Christopher looks a little unsure at first.
Sammy on the other hand was quick to be one of the ones down a narrower channel where you had to duck and wade through puddles.
It's getting narrower...
did we mention these caves are normally underwater? Hopefully the pumps keep working!
Sammy checks out all the little holes and channels along the way.
Sammy was the only brave one on the tour who volunteered to stick her hand in this hole. Nothing there!
This brown bat was the only one in the cave today and he preferred the ceiling to the little hole.
Christopher enjoyed touching the textured and wet walls of the cave.
The small stalagtites indicate that the cave is geologically young.
Sam I am, do you like green eggs and... bacon?
(This type of cave formation is sometimes called bacon.)
More bacon along the cave ceiling.
These are called trace fossils, in this case they are "fossilized" gas bubbles.
The group slowly moves through the narrow caves with the one brown bat flying over our heads.
The guide solemnly explains how this one limestone rock 'bridge' shows the stability of the cave and the lack of movement or shifting in the rock layers.
Yikes! What was that?!
Nothing like ending a tour with a big bang... So much for stability! ;-)
Back outside we see the sinkhole entrance to the cave that the original cave owner and explorer used.
Christopher wonders if poppa realizes where he's going.
Back at the gift shop we realize for the first time we'd just seen a bunch of "rock stars".
An article about Chris Hinsperger (present owner of the cave) and his old teacher "Fossil Stew" who together promote the caves and Eganville as the Ordovician capital of the world (as they themselves say, it's not that they have the most, they just thought of it first!)
A chip wagon at the side of the gift shop.
Christopher and Samantha enjoy a little rest.
Back at the campsite, Samantha proudly shows off her junior ranger certificate and pin.
Christopher looks wide awake but at least his teddybear is all tucked in!
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