roadquill1

Our run on Thursday, August 6 to Kinaskin Lake was short, and lovely. No rain, but two black bears. Kinaskin Lake was almost deserted at that time of day, so we got a beautiful site and unloaded our kayaks in the sunshine. We were granted a couple of hours of gentle paddling and fly-fishing before winds began to pick up and rain again threatened us. We headed back to camp for books and food.

Our next planned stop on Friday was Dease Lake where I spent a summer underwater in 1969 prospecting (diving) for gold at Dease Creek about 1/2 way up the lake. I was very curious about this place and needed to get some information about the area. (Besides, since BCTV announces the weather conditions daily for Dease Lake, there must be something important about it!) Also, my good buddy, and past (and future) brother-in-law, John Thuot had spent several years mining the gold of Dease Creek in the early 1980’s, and he had given me the name of a contact that I should look up. (By the way, if you are ever visiting the Archives, in Victoria, BC, look up Laketon, BC. It is a fascinating story.)

Brunch at Rumours Cafe got us decent food, but little info, and none of its promised wifi connection, so we fuelled up and continued on the road to “Waters Edge RV”, where I stopped to speak to Chuck Phillips, the proprietor, and John’s partner from his mining operations. Chuck was very informative, and we then continued 16 km to the gravel pit where I showed Sandy where, in early June, 1969, my partner John Chato, and I had hidden his car, and built a raft to cross over the lake with our diving gear and supplies.

I also recalled how, at one point in late July of that summer, when we had to head back to Prince George for more equipment and supplies, we had relaxed in the comfortable seats of the car (after our paddle across the lake) at around 8:00 in the evening and were stunned and excited to listen to the broadcast of Neil Armstrong’s landing on the moon. A while later in the broadcast, after paying amazed attention to the event and the fact that our timing should have been so elegant, the announcer stated…”You have been listening to a re-broadcast of last week’s historical moon landing.” Deep let-down!

Early in the afternoon on Friday, we arrived at Boya Lake – a spectacularly beautiful lake with varying shades of turquoise. We were able to find a lovely spot with beach access, and got our kayaks quickly into the water for several hours of gorgeous paddling and fly-fishing. Two loons entertained us with repeated calls and a frantic bobbing up and down routine that I had never witnessed. No luck with fishing, but I saw a few distant jumps. A late afternoon shower caught me on the water, but I was headed in anyway, so didn’t quite get soaked. We ate an early dinner at campsite and then headed out again for a clear, absolutely calm, evening paddle and more unsuccessful fishing.

Rest stop on way to Boya Lake

Sandy wondered, since I use golf carts for kayak transporters, if someone would see the empty carts and wonder if we were out on the back 9.

Next note is on the way!

Tony Quill, and Sandy Quilter