Stand Up Paddleboard Camping in the Kawarthas

I've always loved the outdoors and camping. My parents (well, mainly my mother) are avid fishermen. But in my years of experience, I don't know that I've ever personally met anyone who is as crazy about getting outside and away from things as Tim is. Tim and his brother Matt will seize the slightest chance to go camping. So when Tim was getting frustrated with wedding stuff early this week and called Matt to see if he was available, Matt and his buddy Rob immediately jumped on the idea. They formulated a bare-bones plan to take Tim and Rob's three stand-up paddleboards, find a river or lake somewhere, and paddle out to a campsite. I was skeptical (as always) about the merits of this plan, especially since they would have to take a minimum of gear and the weather stations were all predicting rain and storms. 

Matt and Rob making sure everything necessary is in dry bags. Just in case.

They headed out Tuesday night north of Burleigh Falls to Eel's Creek. Eel's Creek is the river that High Falls is on, where Tim and I had our engagement photos done. After loading everything into dry bags they paddleboarded upstream past the falls until they found a good spot to camp. Tim fell into the water once when his paddleboard rudder hit a log. Matt fell in once as well when he was hit broadside by the current from the falls. Thank God for those dry bags!

Matt, after finding his balance on the paddleboard. A little different when you're carrying a loaded pack.

Tim, extremely happy to not be at home cutting out placecards for the wedding.

It's easier to keep your balance on the SUP with the pack actually on the SUP instead of on your back.

Tarps set up for the first night, had to be revamped after rain managed to leak through the very well worn Rollwagen tarp.

Tuesday night they got quite a bit of rain. Thankfully they had enough rum in their systems that they all got a half-decent sleep, because Wednesday night the mosquitoes were terrible. Tim's ankles look like a very rashy pregnant woman's. The crazy storms we had in Peterborough Wednesday night luckily - from my point of view, not Tim's - slid just south and north of them. 

While we had boiling black clouds, they had these puffy pink ones! Tim refers to these as mammatus clouds; a sign of a very serious storm.

Promo shot of the SUPs by their campsite.

Great shot of Rob and Matt portaging their SUPs - way easier than canoes!! Tim's iPhone is still a little damp from falling in the water. Luckily his Lifeproof case kept it safe!

Tim's SUP is a Starboard from Wild Rock Outfitters in Peterborough. This is the first time he has taken it camping.  His normal adventures are across Little Lake to the Silver Bean Cafe for coffee.