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A quacking good time on Dragon Lake

Mother’s day paddle was excellent exercise and an informative journey
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Ron Watteyne draws Blackwater Dancer, the Blackwater Paddler’s prized voyageur canoe closer to shore. Ronan O’Doherty photos

The annual Mother’s Day Paddle on Dragon Lake is a Quesnel tradition well into its third decade.

Members of the Blackwater Paddlers gathered at the boat launch off Hydraulic Road on May 13 at 9 a.m., kitted out in aqua sandals, sunhats and lightweight clothing.

They toted water bottles, dry bags filled with snacks for lunch, personal flotation devices (life jackets) and binoculars to get a closer look at some of the winged beauties who call the lake home this time of year.

Jerry McFetridge, a former provincial Parks employee, has had an interest in all things avian since he was a young man attending Selkirk College in Castelgar, British Columbia.

He leads this trip every year and gathered the dozen or so paddlers together before everyone set off.

A brief discussion on safety followed with some tips on what to do if – heaven forbid – a canoe should tip.

The members, despite having taken countless paddling trips before, listened intently. A crash course in safety never hurts, as it is handy to have the advice fresh-in-mind in case the worst should happen and panic sets in.

Once the formalities were out of the way, McFetridge handed out a print-out with a list of regional birds on it and gave an idea of what to look out for.

Soon after, it was time to manoeuver into canoes.

Three couples had their own, while seven paddlers carefully made their way, seat by seat, into Blackwater Dancer, the group’s prize voyageur canoe.

The conveyance was designed in Ontario and the members built it by hand with provincially sourced cedar strips over the winter of 1992-93.

There is incredibly pride in the 25-year-old canoe, and this reporter caught some flack for accidentally stepping onto a seat as he gingerly made his way towards the bow.

Thankfully, despite the nerves of some within it, the boat was balanced and the paddlers dipped their oars in.

“Prepare….. en avant,” instructed Ron Watteyne, who was at the canoe’s rear.

The lake itself was relatively flat, and the first birds of the day were spotted quickly: a small flock of swallows dancing against the blue sky.

Clinging to the reeds along the shore were a couple of red wing blackbirds and yellow headed black birds. Well named creatures both, whose colours popped next to their ink-black features.

McFetridge, who sat in front, didn’t paddle all that much, choosing instead to keep his eyes on the shoreline and sky and his ears perked while providing a rolling commentary on the songs and sights that the paddlers came across as they oared through the serene bays.

A kayaker who had heard of the outing paddled from across the lake to join the group.

Hungry herons, who apparently aren’t picky eaters, popped up out of the marshier areas and flapped their large wings past.

A mating pair of crafty looking red-necked grebes, which were, by consensus, birds of the day, put on a mating display for all to see, proudly echoing their ringing call across the water.

Watchers were pleased to see a bald eagle pop its majestic head from out of a large twig- and straw-filled nest in the crook of a tall tree.

While it was a pleasure to see all the fowl, McFetridge points out there are far fewer than would ordinarily be seen on the lake during spring.

“It’s hard to speculate what the causes are,” he says.

“It’s a combination of many things.

“Partly the usage of the lake, as more and more people are on it.

“But it probably has to do with weather changes, and so on.”

He concedes that some of the birds that used to pass through this time of year may have moved on, others might have migrated out of the area, but he is certain the issue is a little bit more than that.

“We used to see lots of different warblers, and the marsh wren,” he says.

“I heard one marsh wren and one yellow throat warbler, when normally there would be at least five or six of those.

“And it’s not just Dragon Lake; it’s lots of places.”

While the paddling was hardly Olympic in nature, a short break on Trueman Island was welcomed to stretch the legs and let the shoulders relax a little.

A small boggy path behind a friend of the association’s cottage was explored for a peek at some land birds.

A grumpy Canada Goose waddled ahead of the group, looking back every now and again to show its disapproval at our presence.

McFetridge set up a birding telescope and locked in on a couple of beauties, including a stunning yellow-rumped warbler passing through and the equally magnificent rufous hummingbird that showcased its rust-coloured back feathers.

A trip across the water to the Quesnel Canoe Club’s boathouse at Pioneer Park followed, where all present snacked away on sandwiches that tasted incomparably better thanks to the exercise that morning.

A friendly couple shared a homemade date newton that was nothing short of scrumptious.

The afternoon paddle saw more red-necked grebes – whose numbers were speculated to be tied to the influx of goldfish – a shiny-headed mallard or two and even a coot that was neither crazy nor old.

Some canoes drifted away, taking their own courses, while the voyageur crew stuck to the shore, shared old stories and had a few laughs.

Packing up that afternoon was a team affair, as Blackwater Dancer was carefully extricated from the water and put back on its trailer, cleaned out, dried off and covered for its next adventure.

Handshakes, goodbyes and see-ya-laters were exchanged and a day on the water was complete.

For more information on how to join the next outing or for information on lessons, see quesnelpaddlers.com.

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Jerry McFetridge sets up his birding telescope on Truman Island.
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Three canoes paddling closely after lunch
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