New addition to the fleet on Hunter lake! Aug 17 2013

The "Orca" is here! Rob arrived with the new pontoon boat in tow! Much discussion on how to get it off the trailer into Hunter lake but we finally decided to launch off the rock at the old campsite. This actually worked better than anticipated.

How we get it out for winter will be the next challenge!

Take a chainsaw!

We  (June, Ben, Tom and Doug) were heading north on Hwy 400 to the cabin when the first tornado warning for the Barrie area came on the radio. Everything looked clear to the west so we motored on.

 Around Orillia, the wind came up and the rain hit but not bad at all, some leaves blowing across and an aluminium canoe wrapped around the front of a pickup truck in the south bound lanes were the only signs of a storm.
A quick stop in Washago for ice where the hydro was out and a couple of detours around downed trees on main street and we were soon heading east on Cooper Falls road.

At Lewisham Lane we ran into the first tree across the road.

Luckily, I had brought my chainsaw and we were soon around it and heading down the Black River road ..... for about 100 yards to tree number two ... and then three and four! By this time, I had two more cars behind me. They were heading in to Langford Twp past Victoria Falls but had no chainsaw. So I cut and they cleared .. the next tree. ... and the next and the next ... On some straight runs, I could see three in a row across the road.

Once, I just cut the low one and drove under the higher one. A couple of times I was able to drive off the road and around them. Not so easy in a minivan! June took pics until her camera battery died. She thinks we were up to twenty trees by then.

After cutting the last tree in front of Phil's , I asked the guys behind me what they were going to do when I turned off. They said that there was a crew at their cabin cutting their way out to meet them. I left and have no idea how far they got.

Luckily there was no damage at the cabin except for a big pine behind the cabin that almost took out the outhouse.

Three hours, later, Barry and Family drove in, still laughing. As they passed all the cut trees, they had been guessing as to whether Phil had cut his way out or I had cut my way in. Either way, what had taken us almost 3 hours to travel had taken them 20 minutes.

Still had a great weekend!!!

P.S.  By the way, the trail to Robinson Lake is closed, too. Found a lot of trees down on the trail. Would have cut them but I was out of gas.

New Trailer ready to use!

The new trailer has been levelled and out-fitted with surplus from the Cabin. It has a propane stove and a BBQ. Plus an inverter and battery for inside lights. We will probably hook it to the hydro grid for battery charging.
A deck will be added as soon as some volunteers can be organized.The fridge can go to the dump and we recommend a set of shelves get put in to hold coolers and totes.
Lets not cram it full of stuff, it is very nice the way it is.
The tip out still needs sealed and trimmed but does not leak currently.
The bed is super comfortable, the futon not so much.(replacement?)
Don't be afraid to book it for a weekend it is very nice.
bb

Critter Cam spots visitors!

Seems like the Cabin was busier than we knew. Check out a few of the visitors who posed for our critter cams this spring.

New Trailer arrives! June 22 2013

 Barry found this 38 ft trailer "free if you move it" in Ipperwash thru our friend Jim.












So Barry, Rob and Murray decided "how hard could it be to move". It was an easy decision because none of them had even seen the trailer until they got there.

Once they got it hitched to Rob's truck and rolling and the old tires seemed to be holding air they just kept going and moved it all the way to the Cabin .... in one day!
They admit to maybe losing the tv antenna off the roof going in the Black River road. Could've happened . It was dark.!

Getting a 38 ft trailer on to our property was another challenge. We had to back it down the lane because there was no place to turn the monster around.

Rob did all the backing while Barry removed any trees that were suddenly in the wrong place.

We  picked a spot next to the dam which seemed like a good idea since we couldn't get it across the dam , anyway.

So it's now parked and blocked ready for use. Really, how hard could it be!

1st Spring Trip! May 5th 2013

 Finally, got in a spring trip! Had to wait for the big flood of 2013 to drain off. Reports of 5 feet of water on the road delayed us.
Great weekend! but black flies thick! !

1st Cabin trip 2013

Drove right to the Cabin with the Subaru. Only about 6 inches of snow but melting quickly. 

Ice about 5 inches but hard to tell were the thin spots are.

Beavers had been working hard on a lot of tree.

 We installed new batteries, thanks to a very generous friend. It will take some serious solar to charge these big boys.

2012 Annual Owner's Meeting

Attended by Doug, Murray, Rob, Barry and Shawn. Our guests where Paul and Bruce.

High lites

1. Meeting only took 3 hours!
2. Weather was dry and cool.
3. Micro Hydro provided enough power to run everything all day, every day.
4. Good supply of wood cut and stacked.(thanks to Bruce and Paul)
5. West loft wall finished in pine.
6. Awesome meals. Including moose stew with moose drop pudding and a hot moose milk toddy.
7. Great guests who pitched in and made the jobs go quickly.

Negatives

1. The meeting took 3 hours.
2. No partridges flew in front of Barry and Paul's guns.
3. Lucy had a "moment" and locked herself in the shower for a day.

Friday morning

Cabin Update Sept 16-17 2012

Barry and I, finally, moved the solar panels into the sun!

After much debate on where south actually was (don't laugh it wasn't where we thought, the site is deceiving and you have to allow for 18 degrees off magnetic north and daylight saving time), we built a stand from iron wood (beaver prevention) and mounted the panels. 

11:00AM DST

Then we waited for sunrise.

At 9:15 am (DST Sept 17th) the sunrise clears the trees and hits the panels. Total sun exposure until late afternoon when the sun slides down behind trees in the west.

Also,simplified the battery wiring and added a volt meter.

The Beaver Wars of 2012 are over!

I extended the intake out 10 feet to deeper water and they can't seem to find it. Ran 24 hours without interruption.
 I did have to shut it down because the water got too low. Also had to unplug the turbine from the grid to avoid back feed from the batteries/solar panels when it's not running.

8th Annual Friends and Family Cabin Camping Weekend

Thanks to everyone for making the 8th Annual Friends and Family Cabin Camping Weekend so successful! 

Here Warren and Ron receive honorary Cabin shirts from Murray.

Lots of fishing done on Hunter Lake and Robinson Lake. Here Emily shows off a nice Perch.

The Annual Hunter Lake Big Bobber Fishing Tournament had a record number of participants trying to capture the title of Master Angler.

Despite their paddle boat being in constant danger of sinking, Team Past Glory brought it and won the Top Team award, again! 

And the Master Angler of 2012 is Sydney Bremner!!  This is her 3rd title in 8 years!!










The Saturday night Ribfest Cook-off had seven contestants vying for top honors. Competition was fierce and voting very close. The judges left no ribs untouched in their efforts to find a winner.

The 2012 Top Chef Award goes to Rob this year. No doubt due to his "secret sauce" that he says that he gets from somebody named "Dave".

The Photo contest was held on Sunday. Winning entries will appear here as soon as I get them.


See everyone next year!

2012 Cabin Bookings

January 1st New Years!!!

January 7th

January 14th

January 21st  Barry & Doug

January 28th 

February 4th

February 11th

February 18th - 20th Family Day (for some)

February 25th - Annual Owners Meeting

March 3rd   - Barry and family (worst ever trip)

March 10th

March 17th

March 24th Barry & Jim

March 31st Barry & Family try for a better weekend... maybe when the snow is gone!


April 6th -9th Easter

April 14th The Annual Spring Flood Trip!! - Cancelled

April 21st 

April 28th Robin & friends- Cancelled due to flu

May 5th

May 12th Mothers Day Weekend
May 19th - 21st   Victoria Day

May 26th - Barry and family

June 2nd
June 9th

June 16th  Fathers Day Weekend - Doug, Jerry, Barry and Rob

June 23rd - Families ( Doug, Barry, Shawn)
June 30th - July 1st  Canada Day- Chris & Lee

July 7th 

July 14th - Doug, Marcy, Robin, Shea, Barry, etc

July 21st - Lindsay & friends
July 23rd - 29th Rob/Val & family

Aug 4th - 6th Civic Day - Barry/Ros and Shulist Family

August 11th
August 15th to 19th  - Barry/Roz & friends

August 25th

September 1st - 3rd Labour Day

8th Annual Family & Friends Camping Weekend

September 5th to 9th - Lindsay and Friends

September 15th - Barry/ Roz at the Cabin
September 22nd

September 29th - Aislinn and friends

October 6th - 8th Thanksgiving - Shawn with Family/ Friends
October  13th  
October 14th to 21st Pete Keyser and friends
October 27th  Doug & Marcy

November 3rd - Owners Meeting 

November 10th

November 14th -Doug, Nick, Abe

November 24th

December 1st Barry & friends
December 8th
December 15th

December 22th 

December 29th - 30th Barry & friends

Cabin Facelift and other incredible events Aug/2012

I convinced Rob to join me for a "little" project work at the Cabin. Somehow, Barry sensed a bigger project in the wind that wouldn't involve Atvs, campfires or fishing and declined to make the trip.
  We had  some rain on Sat night but Sunday and Monday were pretty fair days.

We heard the Loons first. They went crazy! Probably to protect their one and only fuzzy chick that was on the lake with them. At the same time the Heron went into a squawking frenzy and we saw it in full flight heading across Hunter Lake. And right above it was a Bald Eagle! just cruising in circles, low over Hunter Lake.

.

I only had time for one pic before it landed in a tree across the lake. With my Cannon handheld at max zoom this is the best I could get. He sat for about 15 minutes then disappeared to the south.

Where did the Heron go? Check the pic. It is on a tree limb! I thought I was looking at the eagle across the lake until I got the telescope. This pic is through the telescope.

Then it was back to work.  We had a  Cabin "facelift" to finish.

June 2012

A couple of great weekends at the Cabin this June. First one was to do some spring cleaning and dock work.

The second weekend saw Barry's, Doug's and Shawn's families up for some campfire time 

.....   and a little more dock work.

Barry had supplied the materials and already had half of it installed so we added a couple more sections.

Jack was first to try it out.

Still have a couple of sections to add at the end for fishing/ swimming off of which will make it about 120 feet long.