Tranquility and stunning scenery: a bald eagle soaring overhead, a loon's call echoing across still waters, a fish leaping up to leave a series of circles as its wake.
BY CHRISTALEE FROESE
There are rare moments in a lifetime filled with such peace and beauty that they cause your breathing to become shallow and bring tears to your eyes. These are the kinds of moments that arise unexpectedly amongst the many islands and open-water corridors of Lac La Ronge.
A bald eagle soaring overhead. A loon's call echoing across still waters. A fish leaping up to leave a series of circles as its wake. These are all daily occurrences out on the waters of this massive Saskatchewan lake which measures 65 by 97 kilometres and is bordered by 1,600 kilometers of shoreline.
The size and solitude of the lake can be truly appreciated aboard an Eagle Point Resort houseboat which will take you to rarely seen and remote regions of this sparsely inhabited lake. While guiding your houseboat through the open waters of Lac La Ronge, it is more common to see a bald eagle land amongst the tree tops than it is to see another houseboat, or any other sign of human existence for that matter.
The lake is sometimes hard to navigate, as the rocky bottom reaches for the top in places and forms reefs that are impossible to see with the naked eye. The boat's captain has to be on the lookout for these obstacles on almost all occasions. However, there are some open areas that are free and clear of reefs and there are also endless stretches of shoreline where the boat can be peacefully docked so that navigation need not be a concern.
The first night out on the lake, we managed to stay in a lovely little inlet on Mollard Island where our boat was cradled on a beautiful beach of fine sand and where pine trees and rock cliffs rose up more than 15 metres high on either side of our boat. The water was clear and inviting - so inviting that we even chose to use it for a refreshing morning dip rather than depend on the houseboat's full bath facilities.
We were tempted to never leave the peace of this secluded inlet, but the call of greater adventures carried over the open waters and lured us out onto the vast expanse of the lake once more.
While we thought we would never again find a treasure like Mollard island, our adventurous spirit rewarded us as we spotted a stretch of inviting sand in the distance. A look at our well-marked, but sometimes confusing, map showed that we had come upon Mooney Beach. It was with Caruso-like curiosity that we threw the boat's plank out onto the sand and began exploring with wide-eyed amazement.
The shore itself was an awesome contradiction of fine, soft sand and jutting, jagged rocks. We wandered the shoreline, finding driftwood, water-smoothed stones and a variety of freshwater creatures.
After several rock-skipping competitions, we stopped to sunbathe, swim and enjoy some cool drinks on the sandy beach. It made us feel a little like being shipwrecked on Gilligan's Island - solitude and sanctuary, complete with refreshments, bathing suits and snacks just a stone's throw away.
The rest of the day was spent exploring the numerous trails on the island. Fern-lined trails led us through pine and poplar forests sprinkled with fungus and mushrooms of unimaginable variety and color. In places, the light fell through the trees with such intensity that the green moss actually seemed to glow and the small orange mushrooms appeared to twinkle. And yet in other areas, the light was low and dim, softly lighting fallen logs and rocky crags.
Every now and then a trail would lead to the outer edge of the island and we'd perch ourselves upon the jutting rocks and watch the waves wreck against the shoreline beneath us.
Some of the best moments of the trip came while simply letting our houseboat float in the middle of the lake. Mundane chores like cooking meals and washing dishes magically became peaceful tasks aboard the window-filled boat which framed a view of untouched natural beauty in every direction we cared to look.
With at-home conveniences like leather recliners, a kitchen table and CD player, it was sometimes hard to remember we were on a boat at all. In fact, the gentle splash of water on the boat's pontoons was often mistaken for a leaky tap, until we were aroused enough out of our relaxed state to remember that we were indeed on a boat in the middle of a huge lake.
Driving the boat from the upper deck was a truly unforgettable experience, as wind rushed through our hair, the sun set our faces aglow and the motion of the water put our souls at rest.
The tranquility of this holiday would be hard to duplicate as there were endless moments to sit on the boat's upper deck and read or to lounge on the front of the boat and simply watch the water go by.
Without people, phones and roads around, the only interruption came from calling loons - an interruption that was welcomed and even missed once we returned to land.
The motorized fishing boat that came with the houseboat was a wonderful addition to the trip. It was great for exploring the day's route in advance, as well as for going out in the early mornings for a peaceful fishing experience.
The fishing was fabulous, if not for the bounty we netted, then for the pleasure we had watching the trout, pickerel and perch swim beneath our boat, follow our bated lines and bite at our hooks.
As we docked our boat after three tranquil days on Lac La Ronge, we looked back over the serene water and took with us memories of peaceful moments that will last in our minds forever.
source: Canadian Tourism Commision
This reproduction is not represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, nor has it been made in affiliation with or with the endorsement of the Canadian Tourism Commission.
Click here for more information on Saskatchewan
BY CHRISTALEE FROESE
There are rare moments in a lifetime filled with such peace and beauty that they cause your breathing to become shallow and bring tears to your eyes. These are the kinds of moments that arise unexpectedly amongst the many islands and open-water corridors of Lac La Ronge.
A bald eagle soaring overhead. A loon's call echoing across still waters. A fish leaping up to leave a series of circles as its wake. These are all daily occurrences out on the waters of this massive Saskatchewan lake which measures 65 by 97 kilometres and is bordered by 1,600 kilometers of shoreline.
The size and solitude of the lake can be truly appreciated aboard an Eagle Point Resort houseboat which will take you to rarely seen and remote regions of this sparsely inhabited lake. While guiding your houseboat through the open waters of Lac La Ronge, it is more common to see a bald eagle land amongst the tree tops than it is to see another houseboat, or any other sign of human existence for that matter.
The lake is sometimes hard to navigate, as the rocky bottom reaches for the top in places and forms reefs that are impossible to see with the naked eye. The boat's captain has to be on the lookout for these obstacles on almost all occasions. However, there are some open areas that are free and clear of reefs and there are also endless stretches of shoreline where the boat can be peacefully docked so that navigation need not be a concern.
The first night out on the lake, we managed to stay in a lovely little inlet on Mollard Island where our boat was cradled on a beautiful beach of fine sand and where pine trees and rock cliffs rose up more than 15 metres high on either side of our boat. The water was clear and inviting - so inviting that we even chose to use it for a refreshing morning dip rather than depend on the houseboat's full bath facilities.
We were tempted to never leave the peace of this secluded inlet, but the call of greater adventures carried over the open waters and lured us out onto the vast expanse of the lake once more.
While we thought we would never again find a treasure like Mollard island, our adventurous spirit rewarded us as we spotted a stretch of inviting sand in the distance. A look at our well-marked, but sometimes confusing, map showed that we had come upon Mooney Beach. It was with Caruso-like curiosity that we threw the boat's plank out onto the sand and began exploring with wide-eyed amazement.
The shore itself was an awesome contradiction of fine, soft sand and jutting, jagged rocks. We wandered the shoreline, finding driftwood, water-smoothed stones and a variety of freshwater creatures.
After several rock-skipping competitions, we stopped to sunbathe, swim and enjoy some cool drinks on the sandy beach. It made us feel a little like being shipwrecked on Gilligan's Island - solitude and sanctuary, complete with refreshments, bathing suits and snacks just a stone's throw away.
The rest of the day was spent exploring the numerous trails on the island. Fern-lined trails led us through pine and poplar forests sprinkled with fungus and mushrooms of unimaginable variety and color. In places, the light fell through the trees with such intensity that the green moss actually seemed to glow and the small orange mushrooms appeared to twinkle. And yet in other areas, the light was low and dim, softly lighting fallen logs and rocky crags.
Every now and then a trail would lead to the outer edge of the island and we'd perch ourselves upon the jutting rocks and watch the waves wreck against the shoreline beneath us.
Some of the best moments of the trip came while simply letting our houseboat float in the middle of the lake. Mundane chores like cooking meals and washing dishes magically became peaceful tasks aboard the window-filled boat which framed a view of untouched natural beauty in every direction we cared to look.
With at-home conveniences like leather recliners, a kitchen table and CD player, it was sometimes hard to remember we were on a boat at all. In fact, the gentle splash of water on the boat's pontoons was often mistaken for a leaky tap, until we were aroused enough out of our relaxed state to remember that we were indeed on a boat in the middle of a huge lake.
Driving the boat from the upper deck was a truly unforgettable experience, as wind rushed through our hair, the sun set our faces aglow and the motion of the water put our souls at rest.
The tranquility of this holiday would be hard to duplicate as there were endless moments to sit on the boat's upper deck and read or to lounge on the front of the boat and simply watch the water go by.
Without people, phones and roads around, the only interruption came from calling loons - an interruption that was welcomed and even missed once we returned to land.
The motorized fishing boat that came with the houseboat was a wonderful addition to the trip. It was great for exploring the day's route in advance, as well as for going out in the early mornings for a peaceful fishing experience.
The fishing was fabulous, if not for the bounty we netted, then for the pleasure we had watching the trout, pickerel and perch swim beneath our boat, follow our bated lines and bite at our hooks.
As we docked our boat after three tranquil days on Lac La Ronge, we looked back over the serene water and took with us memories of peaceful moments that will last in our minds forever.
source: Canadian Tourism Commision
This reproduction is not represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, nor has it been made in affiliation with or with the endorsement of the Canadian Tourism Commission.
Click here for more information on Saskatchewan
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