July 14, 2022 was an easier day thanks to our big hike the previous day. Fisherman’s Cove to Fish Harbour included 13 km of bog crossing, rock hopping, cliff climbing, and beach walking. There are three sites at Fish Harbour, two for kayakers and one for hikers. The first kayak site is big and beautiful, the second looks like it hasn’t been used in years, and the hiker site is smaller but we fit just fine. All three sites share a beautiful beach. I made a fire in the afternoon to smoke out the bugs on the campsite, but they didn’t take the hint. We enjoyed the sunset from our tents.
July 15, 2022 was Mark D’s birthday. He has spent many birthdays with us in the woods, some even celebrated with cakes baked in reflector ovens, but day six of a backpacking trip limited our celebrations. My last crumbled Pop-tart would have to do. We were now rationing our fuel cannisters too. Five to six days with one or maybe two boils a day was all a small isobutane cannister could do. We had one day to go and were cooking on vapours. It was going to be cold oatmeal and coffee tomorrow for sure.
We took our time on the climb from the coast to Hook Falls knowing that the site we were heading for was nothing special and that it would be buggy. We did pass three trail maintenance staff and I was able to return to them the two-way radio I found near the eastern trailhead. I assumed it had spent the winter on the trail, but the relieved looking young woman said she had just misplaced it the previous week. We thanked them for their excellent trail maintenance work and hiked on.
The campsite at Hook Falls is small, with two tent pads. We squeezed three in. The site is a 50 metres from the falls and comes with the accompanying white noise waterfall sound. It works for some to sleep, but not for me. I spent the night thinking I heard a weed-whacker and singing voices. Oh well.
We were up early on July 16, 2022 and back to Hattie Cove campground by 9am. We checked in at the gatehouse and received our trail patches for completing this memorable trail.
Mark D
Mark D and I have been paddling and hiking for many years. He spent several years teaching and living in north-western Ontario before joining the rest of us in Midland. He brought with him an expert knowledge of area code 807 fishing and an ability to make the most difficult challenges fun for all involved.