Campfires and water levels

It's funny that just last week we were starting to talk about how dry it was. Now it feels like the rain just keeps coming although we certainly haven't had as much as southern Ontario or Manitoba. All this rain is good news for a couple of reasons.

For starters it means there is no fire ban yet this year. So when you are thinking about your houseboat vacation plan to relax around a campfire while enjoying marshmallows and bannock or hobo pies. There are fire pits at most campsites and dead falls and branches which can be cut up for firewood. Make sure your water buckets are ready to put out any flames that may escape. When you have a campfire please be sure you put it out ... and then put it out again so that there are no coals to flare up and cause problems after you have left.

A lot of people have been asking how high the water levels are this year. Lots of rain this spring means that the water levels are normal for this time of year. That is good news since last year was so dry and many shoals were surprisingly close to the surface. For those of you who have been coming for years this means that you can go to all of your favourite haunts without worrying about what surprise rocks might be lurking just below the surface. For those who are new to Lake Temagami this means that the shoal maps are accurate, making navigation easier.

The rain combined with cool nights means that the water has taken longer to warm up and the smallmouth bass spawn is later than usual. The little guys in our boat ramp have just risen up off the nest. So although bass season opened on Saturday it would be wise to not fish the shorelines for them just yet since they are still protecting their little ones from predators.

Of course lots of rain also means that there are some bugs around but bring your bug jackets, citronella and bug spray and you'll still be able to enjoy being outside.

Low water on Lake Temagami

Several people have been asking about the water levels on the lake. The water is uncharacteristically low and the lack of precipitation this spring has not helped to bring it up.

We need gangplanks here at home to reach some of the boats because we can't get them close enough to the docks. And then there are some boats that we take a BIG step to get onto.

Mike measured the water levels Friday morning and says the lake is still down two feet. This will definitely create a need for careful boating this spring. We have yet to get out on the lake to see for ourselves just what this means for water travel, particularly for getting into Cross Lake.

Those of you who have favourite campsites will have to check them out carefully before trying to park your houseboat to make sure you can safely get to shore to tie up there. Those of you who are coming for the first time will have to pay extra close attention to the shoal map and give those areas marked in red a wide berth. Any time you choose to leave the main channels you will need someone on the lookout for rocks that are not marked on the maps because they were never an issue before.

We will continue to post comments on this entry as we keep an eye on the water levels and let you know how much it's come up!