** New photos gallery has been updated. . .

It started with a plane ride arranged through Shaun Jackson of Adventure Air over the boreal forrests of north eastern Manitoba and into the Atikaki Wilderness Provincial Park to Wapeskapek Lake on the Gammon River.  Our own private island cabin (Jackson’s Lodge Wapeskapek Outpost) was home for the next three days. Everything about this trip was awesome! Hot weather, an evening thunderstorm, great pickerel (walleye) fishing, wildlife sightings and terrific accomodations with everything we required and more.  I was pleasantly surprised at how well-equipped the “outpost” was – hot/cold running water, indoor shower, a great variety of cooking utensils and dishes, propane fridge, stove with oven and a freezer.  My son and fiance sighted a moose and calf swimming in the river, we had river otters hanging out at our boat dock, a clear view of nesting bald eagles with one chick right at the water’s edge, a variety of beautiful forrest song birds and even garter snakes basking on the heated bedrock.  The rasperries and blueberries were just beginning to ripen and they were abundant so the next groups in will have plenty to pick and enjoy.

Bald Eagle with Pickerel ( Walleye )

Fishing was excellent and as much as I enjoyed the fishing I have to say I equally enjoyed taking photos of the Bald Eagles, Otters , songbirds and scenery.  It truly is wilderness and it was a most exciting trip. Warning! Warning!  Bring lots of bug spray – that was the only drawback of being in the back country and the black flies are relentless.

River Otter enjoying fish remains

Gammon River Rapids enterting Wapeskapek Lake

We saw a few groups of wilderness canoe enthusiasts camped on the mossy bedrock and paddling downstream on the Gammon River.   We weren’t sure where they started off from but that would be a really exciting canoe trip for the more experienced paddlers.  Adventure Air may fly groups in and drop them off – not sure but one could enquire about this.

Canadian Shield rock cliffs lined the river in many places. The scenery all along the river was truly beautiful.

Canadian Shield Bedrock on Gammon River

Below:  The view from our cabin – now that’s a view one could use more often!

Room with a view! Wapeskapek Lake Outpost.

From the air we could see this group of wilderness canoe enthusiasts.

Heavy rains have made the rivers creep up onto the land.

High waters on Gammon River

Lastly – our island getaway.  Thanks Shaun Jackson for a very memorable wilderness experience!

Wapeskapek Lake Outpost

Enjoy!

Sharon

A few weeks ago I travelled up into the Whiteshell Provincial Park and found this otter slipping and sliding on the partially frozen Rennie River.  Down into a hole in the ice and then up again, up onto the riverbank and sliding down.  The otter was great fun to watch.  They are really playful and adorable animals.

Enjoy!

~Sharon

This is the hydro generating station at Seven Sisters Falls, Manitoba.  This operational station is situated on the Winnipeg River System just outside Whiteshell Provincial Park.  Most of my visits have occured when the waters are  low and the river bed floor is quite visible.  The photos below show the Canadian Shield bedrock that lies below the Winnipeg River System.  We watched a river otter dragging a ling cod that it picked up in one of the pools at the river bed bottom.  The fish was larger than the otter.  Pelicans and Cormorants also sit here for the easy pickings from the small pools.

Below: Facing North East waters heading toward Pinawa, Manitoba

Enjoy!

~Sharon

Enjoy !

~Sharon