Labour Day weekend, 2016, I decided to go camping in Algonquin Park. I went to book a spot and they were all taken. However, there was one spot available in the Brent campground. Brent is located in the north section. It involves driving down a gravel road about 25 km. There is an outfitters that supplies people who are heading out canoeing/camping in the back country.

I was happy that a campsite was still available but I would find out later why. We headed up on the Friday along with the other holiday traffic. Dublin and Raisin had rested from their eastern road trip and were looking forward to another adventure. It was a six hour drive. I fed the pugs and they watched while I setup the tent. The site was not on the beach but it was very large. The beach was only a few steps away.

We took a little walk down our roadway. We were at the far end of the camp in number 1. in the map below you can see how it was setup with the outfitters in the middle and the ranger cabin at the far end from us. The inset shows where Brent is located in Algonquin.

We went down to check the little beach by our site. There weren’t any other campers yet. It was early Friday still. The beach was perfect pug size but Raisin and Bubs were a little apprehensive with the shoreline. We sat on the grass and watched the water in the glorious sun.

I got a fire going. Dublin was ready for a nap. Raisin wanted a cookie. The other camper had arrived with a trailer house. They had two large dogs. Raisin was all ready to head over for a meet and greet. Had to go after her and bring her back.

Why was this campsite still available late in the season? I think it is because it is beside a graveyard. People can be superstitious that way. Yes the graveyard was for the log rollers. We are on the shores of Cedar Lake. Back at the turn of the last century, it was used to transport logs. The log roller would step over the moving logs to clear jams and keep them flowing. This sense of motion was captured in an National Film Board animated short called The Log Driver’s Waltz.

However, there were fatalities. A graveyard was established on the south bank of Cedar Lake next to the village of Brent.

I rented a canoe for the next day. Friday night, the pugs and I walked to the outfitters. I brought along the PFDs so we could paddle back to camp. It was a family run business. The husband handled the paperwork and payment in the building. The pugs and I went down to the dock where the wife was helping to get the canoes. I asked and she kindly took some photos of us paddling around.

We all climbed into the tent. The noiseless night meant we were all soon sound asleep.