Our First Full Day

Tuesday morning dawned sunny and hot. After we had breakfast, the kids suited up for a morning at the beach and I packed us a lunch so we wouldn't have to cut our time short by returning to eat.

Davie, ready to swim.

The beach boasted a tiny playground. The kids loved the see-saws, but none of them were well matched to use it and the see-saw didn't adjust, so Chris took over raising and lowering them.

After an afternoon of swimming, we took the kids down to the newly opened museum at the park. It was a very nice little place that focused on the history of the French fur trade and exploration. They had a replica canoe and it.was.huge. The kids learned about the fur trade and the portages the French traders embarked on. It was grueling work and I'm very glad I was not a French fur trader. Each person would be responsible for carrying 6 bundles, or helping with the canoe. Each bundle weighed 40 kilos (roughly 90 pounds) and they'd carry two at at time using special harnesses. You may think carrying the canoe was the better deal, but reserve judgement until you see the pictures of the canoe.

David would have excelled at his portage, I'm sure, if he wasn't so short.

Chris takes on the task. And, did I mention that the bundles here were true to life?

Grace never got beyond the first bundle

Ruth was a real trooper, though, and she took both of them, albeit for a very, very short time.

Davie loved the different furs on display. They were so soft and beautiful.

The kids with the canoe. Yes, those are the little persons next to it. See, I told you to reserve judgement until you saw the size of the canoe and this picture really doesn't do it justice.

We finished up at the museum and we stopped at the store to get the kids a souvenir. What is a trip to the Canadian wilds without something to remember it? A hat? Yes, a hat would work just fine. We really thought about buying the kids all T-shirts. But, David had his heart set on this impossibly big bucket hat. He was just about in tears. Then, Byron saw a hat with a turtle. He loved that hat. Dearly. It was too small. I tried getting the boys to switch hats. No way. They were in love with those hats. And so, I told Chris, they are only little once. It's just a hat. Let's get them. And so, we did. And the boys still love those hats. David's head swims in his hat and Byron's brain can barely get any oxygen when he stuffs his melon into that hat, but they adore those hats.

After dinner was completed, Andrew took the kids rafting on the river. At first, David wasn't going to go, but changed him mind at the last minute. I'm glad he did because he had a fabulous time.

David takes lookout as Grace carelessly waves goodbye

Nearing the end of the trip...Chris took this just before pulling them out of the water

Byron didn't want to raft, but he did want to wear his hat.

Unsuspecting Ruth attempts to empty her WATER shoe of sand. Or dirt or something. Meanwhile Chris plots to send her off on her own rafting trip.

By the time we picked them up, it was quite dark and this was the best picture I could get.