Jeff Meade & Stina Bridgeman: Killarney, French River & Georgian Bay
Some of us read books about great
places to go and things to do, but when
Jeff Meade and Stina Bridgeman read
“Georgian Bay: A Paddler’s Guide to
Killarney and the French River” by Kevin
Callan, they waste no time in living the
dream!
Experienced canoeist, Jeff Meade
and a fellow talented kayaker, Stina
Bridgeman, allowed us to stay safely in
our seats as they brought us deep into
the wilderness of Ontario, Canada’s
Killarney Provincial Park and French
River Provincial Park.
The French River empties into Georgian
Bay very near where Killarney is and
where Stina paddled on Georgian Bay.
French River Provincial Park is managed
by the same park superintendent that
manages Killarney Provincial Park. The
two parks are about 8 miles apart. They
both have significant shoreline on Georgian Bay.
Jeff mentioned the available Killarney car camping as he paddled his solo canoe right by the area to begin his wilderness trek
over lake and portage around the perimeter of the expansive park. It was the pink granite rocks and countertop-smooth
boulders formed and shaped by multiple glacial ages that drew him further away from civilization ... and showers. We were
treated to spectacular photography, including water and rock mirror images in the exceptionally quiet and clear waters
of Killarney. Jeff explained that they are all too clear due to extensive acid rain damage which killed much of the life in the
water. However, recovery is now in progress.
Stina shared her kayaking experiences in Georgian Bay, which borders Killarney — an area known as the “Thirty Thousand
Islands.” Different than Killarney, it is
big water and not suitable for open
canoes. Stina described the special
mapping her paddling partner devised
and the complexities of navigating
around multiple islands at water level
despite the maps. Occasional fog,
marvelous views, and a naughty camera
“screeching” a tiny hole in one of the
(thankfully repairable) kayaks, made
for a spectacular and challenging trip.
We also learned that there was no
need to carry tent stakes when you are
camping on boulders ... just use big
rocks as tie-downs!
We also got a good lesson in
wilderness and water equipment — a
different kind of thinking than other
modes of trekking. Thank you Jeff and
Stina for taking us to Canada and taking
our breath away!