Kakagi Pipestone Canoe Trip

Rain, friends and canoes.

There were eight of us heading off that morning towards Kakagi Lake in northern Ontario, amid forecasts of rain and thunder showers. We got lucky the first afternoon, managing several hours of canoeing without being hit by the thunderstorms visible in several directions.
We found a camping spot on a small island where everyone quickly found a flat spot to pitch a tent. A camp kitchen was set up under a large tarp and supper preparations began. With everyone an experienced camper, our camp was a model of efficiency.
Six wet days out of nine. While people in the city, warm and dry in their homes and offices, were complaining about the weather, we were thoroughly enjoying everything the elements could throw at us.
At night, with muscles aching and scrapes bandaged, there is a deep satisfaction in going to sleep, snug in a waterproof tent, to the sound of distant -- and not so distant -- thunder and the pitter patter of rain on the fly.