February 18, 2021. Playa Royale, Mexico. A Canoe Trip.

The first full day of our canoe trip was cold and rainy. I mean it rained all day and heavily. Ken and I were on a weekend canoe trip with Ken's father, Tom. He worked in Burwash prison which was in the middle of the bush in northern Ontario. Our plan was to canoe on the Wanapatee(sp) River just north of Burwash. Now this was a long time ago, probably in 1960 or 61. Ken and I were in one canoe and Tom in the other. We travelled far up the river to find a good camping spot where we both pitched our tent and Ken and I made dinner. Tom set about making us a birch bough bed for us, which he did. The weather was fine and we went to bed. Our intention was to canoe up the river for half the day and return to our camping spot for the next night. Then head out on the Sunday. This was in the autumn so no bugs. The bed was amazing and Ken and I slept well, only to waken to pelting rain. Ken set up the door as a shelter for cooking and the three of us stayed in our tent all day. We had no choice. The three of us ate our breakfast in our tent. Then we started to play cribbage. I had never played it before but I soon learned. Tom had brought a cribbage board, fortuntely, and we played all day. And we had a good time. By the next morning we were all cold and our stuff was wet. Our gear was primitive and now it was wet so instead of more canoing we headed back to Burwash to dry out our stuff. It was a beautiful spot on the river. We saw no one for the whole weekend. But we did not do much canoing. Instead we played cribbage, which I have never played since. And I got to see a real bed made of birch boughs. I think that was the only time we ever had a good time with Tom who could be difficult. But I have a clear memory of that canoe trip. Ken and I often laughed about it. Bad luck I guess but we had a good time anyway. I guess we made lemonade.