First Grouse

Today I went hunting with Sarah and Cole in the woods below Castle Acres in New Maryland. The area is largely forested, with a mixture of hardwoods and softwoods, and lots of grouse habitat. We flushed several birds this morning, and actually managed to shoot one. Although I was the one who pulled the trigger, we all had a part in the kill, since it was Sarah and Cole who first spotted it.

Camping at Gibson Falls

This Labour Day weekend, Dad, Mom, Sarah, Cole, Steve, Chelsey, Rachelle, Madeleine and I decided to go camping. Cole knew of a spot near Woodstock that he used to go to as a kid and suggested we try camping there. The campsite is at the top of Gibson Falls, a 20 m high waterfall located on the Gibson Creek near Woodstock.

To get there from Fredericton, we followed the scenic Route 105 from Mactaquac to Grafton, and then turned onto the Upper Kilmarnock Road. Next time, I would probably take the Trans Canada to Woodstock and then cross the Saint John River to save some time. The Upper Kilmarnock Road is a dead-end dirt road in fairly good condition that continues deep into the woods. There are several camps along the road near the bottom of the road, but they become sparse as the road climbs further into the woods. After about 10 minutes of driving, there is a bridge over the Gibson Creek. The access road to the falls is on the right hand side of the road immediately after the bridge. Either drive or walk the remaining 100 m, and follow the trail on the right toward the sound of the waterfall!


After we unloaded all of our gear we were ready to check out the waterfall! It wasn't a very hot day - about 20 deg. C - but we wanted to go for a swim anyway. After all, it isn't every day that you get to swim beneath a waterfall. Since we had no idea how deep the pool at the bottom is, we scaled down the steep hill toward the far end of the pool (where I am standing to take this picture) and swam over to the falls rather than jumping off the huge cliff. You can actually climb up on the rocks to the right of the falls and jump in from there.



I always love camping near water, whether it is near the ocean, a lake, a river, or a waterfall. Because of all the recent rain, this waterfall was loud! The land at the top of the waterfall (just behind and to the right of the big cliff in the top pictures) was the only logical place to set up our tents. The land was uneven so it took some time to find an ideal spot.



And of course, no campsite is complete without a kitchen for the chefs to do their thing! Here is Mom getting supper ready on the camp stoves.



Overall, this was an awesome place to visit and camp at and I would definitely return. The only downside was that it seems to be pretty well-known in the area and some visitors have left garbage behind, which is too bad. We were lucky to have the campsites to ourselves this weekend, and a good time was had by all. Here are Madeleine, Steve, Rachelle and Cole hanging out by the campfire.

Camping on the Nashwaak at Marysville

Last night Cole and I camped along the Nashwaak River at a site he discovered fishing the area about a week ago. It was just off the multi-use trail heading out of town, and was pretty secluded, with a nice view of the river. We arrived around 8:15 and set up camp as fast as possible in order to get a bit of fishing in before it got dark. The water was unbelievably warm; we were up to our hips in the river, fishing at night with bats flying overhead. Here is a shot of Cole getting the most out of the remaining daylight.



Our ragin' campfire.



Although the campsite was just off the trail, it is not a heavily-used stretch of trail and we did not see or hear anyone else while we were there. The view of the river with mist rising off the water the next morning was amazing.



I brought my fly rod along and caught two small bass on a fly I tied over the winter - a black, green and silver wooly bugger. Cole also caught a bass. On the drive home, we stopped in at Fredericton Outfitters and I spotted the shotgun I plan to buy for hunting this fall: a 20 gauge Harrington & Richardson Pardner. It's a break action single shot shotgun. Here's a picture:

Canoe

Canoe, the ultimate craft. Light, symmetrical and balanced. It moves in the river, and leaves no track. It runs on hard work and the cycles of nature. It supports independence, but teaches duality. It carries what we need to survive with no room for extras. It is strong but bends to wild water and big waves. It can move with the water or against it, but only for so long. It counsels care and moderation. It can be blown away by the wind, and it can provide shelter when all else is gone. But best of all, this canoe takes us to the land, into the land, to places we would never be without it. We can take it up the mountain to where the river rises. It can take us to the sea.

- James Raffan in Summer North of Sixty

Snowshoeing in Gatineau Park

These pictures were taken on the snowshoe trails around Lac Philippe in Gatineau Park.