This past September long weekend (2003), my husband (Adam) and I brought my brother (Geoff) and his wife (Suz) up to Algonquin Park for their first visit.

Photo: Daybreak on Opeongo Lake . . .

The plan was to water taxi across Opeongo Lake, then to portage into Happy Isle and spend a couple of days there. We figured we would break them in with one good size portage of 2180 meters.

As luck would have it, our reservation was lost. We had to stay on Opeongo Lake for the first night and could then continue into Happy Isle Lake the next day. At the time we never knew how lucky it would turn out that we had to stay on Opeongo.

We paddled down the lake to a very nice site and set up camp. This is where things went bad. Geoff has been using an axe his entire life. However, it bounced back on him right into his foot. We quickly bandaged him up, packed up camp and headed back to where the water taxi had dropped us off, hoping that someone else was taking the taxi that day.

. . . Photo: Early Mists on Opeongo Lake

Two and a half hours passed and we were contemplating trying to paddle Opeongo, when a family finally came through the portage. Thankfully they had a taxi coming to get them in a couple of hours.

The water taxi took Geoff and Suz back so that he could get to the hospital. There wasn't room for Adam and I on the taxi, so we stayed behind. The rest of our trip turned out good, all things considered. It could have been so much worse.

If we had been on Happy Isle Lake, we would have had to carry Geoff back over the portage and then hope someone was taking a taxi. As it was, we waited four and a half hours to get him help. The family we met was very considerate and offered to shoot off a flare for us. I thank them for their kindness.

You see people all the time in the park that bring axes, my husband and I included. After this experience we'll no longer be bringing one. We've discovered that a mini bow-saw works just as good, weighs less and is far less dangerous.

Photo: Geoff, keeping his foot elevated . . . . . .

Geoff made it to the hospital and is doing fine. In total he had 17 stitches and has lost the use of his middle toe. But his experience did not end there. On their way home from the hospital they hit a bear. Yep, that's right. They hit a bear! Luckily it was not a full grown bear. However, there was a fair amount of damage to the car. It's hard to believe that Geoff and Suz wants to come back next year.

I'd like to thank everyone for their help. The weekend ended up far less tragic than it could have been.