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The only way to get to Deer Lake is to take Sperling, and go south off of Canada Way.
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My hand drawn Deer Lake Chart of the Row. |
There is no truck and trailer parking at Deer Lake. The parking lot is designed for car parking and perhaps cartop boats. But it is March 7th, and there is hardly anyone here.
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Parked at Deer Lake. Notice the large rocks that prevent you (or your boat trailer) from driving to the lake shore. |
I had checked out Deer Lake two weeks earlier on my way home. Then there had been two model hydroplanes racing from the beach. Today there is no one on the lake.
I uncouple the trailer from the FJ and put it in the parking stall next to mine. I back the trailer’s wheels up to the big rocks that prevent cars from driving off the lot to the lake.
My plan is to slide Gwragedd Annwn off the Road Trailer and onto her dolly on the other side of the rocks.
Good theory, bad execution. The road trailer rolls forward as Gwragedd Annwn comes off. Fortunately she drops between the rocks and almost on the dolly. A little tugging and she is good to go.
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Past the barrier rock and on the way to the Lake. |
The grass gives way to firm wet sand at the shore of the Lake. The water is very shallow at the East end of the lake; the beach is packed sand and silt. I get the impression that the sand is held together with goose poop, as there is certainly a lot of it here.
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Gwragedd Annwn resting on the beach. |
I take the dolly back and chain it and the Road Trailer to the FJ.
Back to Gwragedd Annwn. I push her off the beach and before she is afloat, I can not see the bottom, the water looks quite black.
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| Leavving the beach on the Eastern Shore of Deer Lake. |
The view to the West does not look very urban looking but the housing on the Correctional Institute site is noticeable.
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Foot Path on the North Shore of the Lake |
The North Shore of the Lake has a footpath along it. Shadbolt Centre is located there. Also on the North Shore is the outlet for Deer Lake, Deer Lake Brook. I row into the Brook, and I can see the bridge that goes over the Brook. The water is much clearer here, more than three feet of visibility.
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| Deer Lake Brook flows out of the lake. |
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Where Deer Lake starts to flow swiftly into Deer Lake Brook, with the Bridge in the background |
I row out and continue along the North Shore. There is a walking trail quite close to the shore.
At the Western end of the Lake, there is a Wildlife Habitat Zone. No boating or fishing. Too bad, this is the least developed and most interesting part of the lake.
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| One of the four marker buoys for the Wildlife Habitat Zone. Note the “No Kayaks” symbol |
There are three lawn chairs on the shore just before the “Zone”. I guess you fish as close to the border as you can.
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| Fishing spot in the reeds. |
I row along the Wildlife Habitat Zone buoys to the South Shore. A chain link fence comes down the slope and ends in the lake.
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The chain link fence down the slope into the water on the South Shore of Deer Lake |
Left over from the Correctional Institute? The north side is over grown and relatively wild. The trail must be further away from the shore line here.
There is some housing on the North Side of the Lake, on the East end. One house is right on the water. A great setting, but, I wonder, how great a setting in the summer?
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The only Lake shore house. |
Just by Chickadee Creek there is a great ivy covered tree leaning into the water.
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The Ivy covered tree. |
At the North East end of Deer Lake is the Boat Rental. There is a dock that a father and son are fishing from. A gravel launching ramp goes into the lake here. I wonder if you can trailer from here. I will have to phone when the Boat Rental is open in the summer and find out.
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Deer Lake Boat Rental Building with the gravel launch ramp in the foreground. |
I continue rowing counter-clockwise around the lake, back along the North side again. There are a few spits of rain. As I am floating near the North shore, sponging out some of the rain, a Lady walking the path asks me if I am alright, not sinking. I reply that I am fine, just sponging out some of the rain. Maybe it rained more that I thought.
I look to the South, towards the house on the shore and spot the Deer Lake monster, lurking and pretending to be a log. I give the creature a wide berth. I do not want to become the next victim.
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The Deer Lake monster slowly coming towards me. |
My row is almost over. I have been on the Lake for two and one half hours. The Lake is all of two kilometres around. I row back to the East beach.
Gwragedd Annwn on the beach while I get her dolly.
Putting Gwragedd Annwn on her dolly for the trip to the parking lot.
I try another route to the parking lot, beside the concession building. There is barely enough space to squeeze by the rocks and a post.
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The tight squeeze between the post and the rock. |
Passing the first barrier
I load Gwragedd Annwn back onto her road trailer for the ride home.
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Winching Gwragedd Annwn on to the road trailer. |
Ready to go home.
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Gwragedd Annwn on road trailer, dolly strapped on top, ready to go home. |
A good row if you only have an afternoon.
A map of Deer Lake posted by the parking lot showing the Wildlife Habitat Zone and the Creeks
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The Deer Lake map/sign at the parking lot. |
Good night Deer Lake….
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Deer Lake Sunset |
