 Words from the Wilderness, October 20 2012  |
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| Scott's Words of Wisdom | |
The Far North ... I Can't Get Enough!
 I just returned from a 16-day trip on the Ogoki River where I was guiding moose hunters. I have to say that Ontario's "Far North" is one of my favorite places on earth. Of course there were many great experiences to remember from this trip but in particular an early morning hunt has stuck with me.
I had found some fresh moose tracks the evening before in the Goldsboro Creek area, so I headed there at first light with two customers. As I powered up the outboard motor and cruised away from Whitewater Lodge, I could see a blanket of fog lying across the flat-calm water. As the sun rose, the fog turned orange in the muted light. Looking eastward, the same crystalloid light made a large stand of tamaracks look like yellow flame. The black spruce that the area is known for looked black in contrast, like God had globbed dark paint against the canvas while creating a spectacular work of art. Once we arrived at Goldsboro and sat quietly in our blinds, we could hear wolves calling across the lake - and a lone wolf returning the call from points beyond.
Later that morning, we saw a pair of caribou - a bull and a cow - on a small island near where the wolves were calling. We surmised the pair had swam to the island to escape these swift predators. Just how does one forget experiences like this? And who would ever want to?
Every now and then when I'm up in the north, I'll hear a noise in the distance and my sub-conscious instantly computes that it's a barking dog, or a slamming car door. Then I realize, "Hey. Wait a minute. There are no barking dogs up here - or car doors." There is something amazing about a place where the only sign of human activity is the occasional buzz of a passing bush plane - or a vapor trail left high in the sky by a passenger jet. The north is in my blood. It has become part of me. It's wilderness in the true sense of the word. No wonder they came up with the name Wilderness North... That is a fitting name".
I hope next season you'll join us on an adventure. We'd love to have you.
Give me a call and we'll start the conversation.
Cheers,
Scott Earl Smith |
| Krista's Corner |
It's hard to believe that another season has concluded. It has been a great year-lots of fish, sunshine and good memories made. It may be hard to believe, but we are already planning for the next year -bookings are well under way! Part of those preparations for the upcoming summer includes revamping the food services for next year. That means that we need some input, from you, our guests. So, inquiring minds want to know! What is your favourite meal at the lodge? Your Favourite dessert? Your ideas are very important to us! On that note, email me with any suggestions you have for meal/dessert ideas.
This week, for our recipe, we have the ever popular bacon wrapped walleye appetizer that we serve at happy half hour. Simple, but delicious, they are always a camp favourite. With football season in full swing these tasty bites also make the perfect half time snack.
Happy Cooking,
Krista
 Bacon Wrapped Walleye (or Scallops)
1. Cut walleye into bite size pieces
2. Partially cook bacon
3. Wrap walleye or scallops in bacon (yum!)
4. Secure bacon with toothpick
5. Baste with soya sauce
6. Bake until walleye is translucent and bacon is a bit crispy
7. Serve with your choice of sauce BBQ, etc!
Enjoy!
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| Graham's Weather Report | 
El Nino Less Likely to be a Player This Winter
Northern Ontario, Minnesota, and some other northern states have experienced previews of winter recently. Temperatures are thankfully recovering to above seasonal levels this weekend, but are likely to return to near average for the next week. After this? Well, it's the time of the year when predictions for the coming winter are easy to find.
An El Niño for this winter remains elusive. As readers know, warmer than average water in the tropical Pacific Ocean can have a pronounced effect on winter conditions in western and central North , in spite of the vast distance. Generally, the warmer that surface water is, there is less snowfall and temperatures are warmer in this part of the world.
However, an El Niño for this winter remains elusive. As readers know, warmer than average water in the tropical Pacific Ocean can have a pronounced effect on winter conditions in the western and central North , in spite of the vast distance. Generally, the warmer that surface water is, there is less snowfall and temperatures are warmer in this part of the world. Before you start cheering - here is the latest: "The chance of El Niño developing in 2012 has been reduced over the past few weeks. Most models "favour the continuation of borderline ENSO-neutral/ weak El Niño conditions in the Northern Hemisphere for winter 2012-13, with the possibility of strengthening during the next few months". This translates into - little or no influence from this source. It is important to note that El Niño and La Niña are not the only factors that drive global climate patterns.
My thinking is that the record ice melt in the Arctic will have some carry over into jet stream positioning soon and through much of the winter. Compared to average ice cover in the 1980s, there is an "extra" 4 million square km of open water now. This will add a huge amount of heat to the atmosphere as it freezes. Positions of jet streams are influenced by the temperature difference between the Arctic and areas to the south. Jet streams steer day-to-day weather systems and an "interesting" winter is likely in the offing.
Graham Saunders
Wilderness North Weatherman Graham Saunders teaches weather at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, and writes a weather column for the Thunder Bay Chronicle. |
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