As we travelled our Northern Lake Superior route, we had
experiences as we often do, that for one reason or another didn't make it into
a previous story. In addition, some of our experiences, were a result of extraordinary
efforts by others and we like to use this forum to present kudos.
Other Things
There are many native communities north of Lake Superior,
and as a result we had frequent contact with some Ojibwe people. There is so
much in the news about the First Nations, native rights, land settlements, demonstrations,
and more. Without putting too fine a
point on the subject, I would like to say in the past 10 days, in every
instance, we were greeted in a welcoming and friendly way, and were given the
same respect that we gave them.
Whenever we travel coastlines, some of which are as
beautiful as those on Lake Superior, there is always a certain amount of trash
accumulated on the windward shorelines. We beachcombed many kilometers of northern Lake Superior, and I don't remember a cleaner coastline. I'm sure this speaks to the environmental
awareness of the varied and many users of the
Lake, and the bordering communities, both Canadian and US.
Kudos
I'm not sure if I've
ever camped in a National Park before, but if I did, it was a lifetime ago. As
a result, we didn't know what to expect, though, I have to be honest, my
expectations were low. I couldn't imagine our large Federal Government
attending to the details that truly make a difference when camping. But, as it
turned out, the campsites in Hattie Campground in Pukaskwa National Park are
the best I've ever seen. That includes
private campgrounds as well as Provincial parks. Every site had been leveled
and drained with a fine gravel. For tents, there were level sand pads, once
again perfect for drainage if it rains, and equally important, to give a
perfect base for comfortable tenting. For those that have spent the night with
rocks and roots poking your butt or ribs, you will relate.
Also in this National Park, they provided signage, walkways and stairs in key
spots on their trails, all of which were well done, in good shape, and a real
addition to the Park.
They did many other things well which are too numerous to
mention, and note, their nightly camp fee was the lowest anywhere. Kudos to
Parks Canada for a job well done.
