Friends of Wabakimi - Heathcote to Collins via Whitewater

27 Jul 2021 7:19 AM

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Message # 10777336

Anonymous

Hi all.

My trip partner and I will be (hopefully) dropped off by Via Rail at Heathcote Lake (Flynt River) August 16.

We plan on paddling the Flynt River to Wabakimi, Ogoki River to Whitewater. We're going to check out the Ogoki Lodge and Beckwith ruins. My trip partner is a carpenter so there should be something of interest there.

After visiting" the center of the universe" we plan to head south through Smoothrock Lake , Boiling Sands River and Gnome Lake on our way to our Collins pickup on Sept 2nd.

Any info on our route would be much appreciated. Specifically if there are any services in Collins? Would like to get some food for the train back...

A little background.

I'm 52. I've been canoe camping for over 40 yrs.

I was shuttered by my second heart attack on March 17th of this year. I also suffer from colitis and PSC (a form of liver disease). I'm also sporting double hernias, that can't be fixed in the short term do to medications relating to my heart attack. I tested the body out on an Algonquin Park trip for a week in June with my son. Good to go!

My personal Serpa (AKA Ian) is an epileptic with zero canoe camping experience. Other than epilepsy he is very fit though... And strong enough to carry the Esquif Prospecteur.. .

Crazy you say? Maybe. Reckless you say? Well, while dieing in the trip is not a plan and we have done several things to mitigate our risk, I'd rather risk dieing doing something I enjoy than dieing while sitting on the couch!

Updates to come...

Last modified: 27 Jul 2021 7:25 AM | Anonymous

27 Jul 2021 10:29 AM

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Reply # 10777629 on 10777336

true_north

Bob, the route you describe down the Flindt River from the CN tracks to Whitewater Lake and then back to Collins is identical to one my brother and I did a decade ago with one change. At Kenoji we headed up the Palisade and came down the Grayson River system to rejoin Whitewater Lake.]

See the following post for the first of a series on our trip for a look at rapids, portages, etc.

https://albinger.me/2020/07/15/wabakimi-canoe-trip-from-flindt-landing-to-collins-via-the-flindt-days-1-2-flindt-river/

You ask about food at Collins. There is no restaurant at Collins. It is little more than a small collection of cabins between the tracks and the lake. You'll have to wait until you get back to Armstrong Station for your reward!

https://albinger.files.wordpress.com/2021/07/collins-sat-image.jpg

Best of luck with your trip. We will be up at Endogoki Lake on August 15 and coming downriver. We may even paddle into your guys between Tew Lake and Kenoji!

28 Jul 2021 10:31 AM

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Reply # 10779980 on 10777336

Anonymous

Thanks for the response True North!

I kind of figured Collins was nothing but a stop. ..

Started reading your report. Very nice! Thanks for that.

Hope to see you in the Park. We'll be in a Green 16' Esquif Prospecteur. I'll have my ever present Tilley on in the stern. Ian is hard to miss with his mop of long curly hair.