Introduction:
Ah, the sweet scent of adventure! Here we were, back at Kingsmere Lake, ready to attempt Grey Owl's Cabin, in Prince Albert National Park, SK, once more. Our previous attempt - hiking- had been a sweaty, bleeding blistered, mosquito-infested ordeal. But hey, we're optimists, so we swapped hiking boots for life-jackets and embarked on our kayaking odyssey. What could possibly go wrong?
Chapter 1: The Sunny Illusion
This time around, we hauled our kayaks, and our well-packed gear up on to the very rail cart portage that had witnessed my friend's epic "rescue" during our last failed attempt.
As we pushed off from the shore, on that warm June day, the sun beamed down like a proud parent. The water sparkled, the birds sang and our optimism soared higher than the towering trees.

Kingsmere Lake, PANP, SK
Chapter 2: The Cabin
We enjoyed a few leisurely hours of kayaking on the lake towards our destination before it started raining. It was just a drizzle and nothing that two seasoned adventurers couldn't handle. We paddled the 14 kilometers to the North End of Kingsmere, beached our kayaks and hiked the 3 Kilometers to the cabin on Ajawaan Lake. We Explored both the upper and lower cabins, as well as grave sites of Grey Owl, Anahareo and Shirley Dawn. We finally made it!

Lower Cabin

Chapter 3: The Cloudy Conspiracy
After exploring Grey Owl's Cabin, we decided we should head back to our kayaks, paddle back to our site and set up camp for the night. As we launched back on to the lake, the sky suddenly shifted. The drizzle turned to full on rain. The winds picked up and the waves grew, spilling water into our kayaks. We were simultaneously bailing the water out and paddling. The sun was setting and we were not making much distance as the wind worked against us. Panic was setting in. The shore loomed, a mirage of safety, but the rain intensified. We couldn't feel our fingers and our teeth were chattering. We paddled like our lives depended on it. (which in hindsight, they kinda did).
Chapter 4: The Naked Truth & The Tent Tango
We made it to the shore, noses dripping with water and utterly exhausted. And so, at the Sandy Beach Campsite, in the dark, surrounded by trees and the bear cams attached to them, we faced a dilemma. Our gear? Drenched. Our clothes? Soaked and clinging to our skin. Our dignity? Well, that was about to take a nosedive.
In order to avoid hypothermia, I stripped off my clothes down to my birthday suit. I climbed up the ladder to store our wet gear on the bear cache, my bare feet gripping the rungs and my bare a..well, I'll let you use your own imagination for that visual from below. Next, we set up our tent, in the pouring rain, in the buff as the bear cams captured our finest hour.
Chapter 5: The Rain Serenade
We climbed into our cocoon, kept each other as warm as we could and listened to the rain tap the tent, the waves crash upon the shore and the whistling wind. It was like a nature-themed spa retreat, minus the robes. Teeth still chattering, but we eventually drifted off to sleep with hopes of waking up to a miracle.
Conclusion:
We made it back to safety the next day, on our own this time, without the help of the rescue team. We were still shivering, but triumphant and proud of our persistence and the accomplishment of making it to Grey Owl's Cabin.
"Remember you belong to Nature, not it to you"
-Grey Owl
Warning: Still and glass-like at one moment, Kingsmere Lake can rapidly become a churning and dangerous body of water. Use great caution on the lake. In windy weather, it is necessary to wait for calmer conditions.
The most amazing trip ever. So grateful for the memories shared ❤️Love and laughter, always on each adventure we concor xo