Yesterday, LOML and I come back from our latest camping trip to Rock Point provincial park. The park is one of Southern Ontario's jewels(IMHO). About 90% of the sites are separeated by 20-30 feet of bush so you feel very private. It is well patroled by the parks police( who have the same authority as our provincil cops) and is maintained by a host of crews. The beach is very nice and as the campers beach is away from the day use area, it's generally uncrowded. This time my oldest daughter and four of her friends ( all 17 ) came along and camped on the site across from us. They were very independant although they borrowed pots and pans and I spent every night splitting firewood for them.
One part I wish never happened was when another large group of young people- a little older than my daughters group- set up in two site next to us. They were only there for a few hours when one of the boys was standing on a rocky outcropping in the lake when a large wave took his feet and he hit his head on the way down. The waves then took him under the water. The waves were very high and the water rough He was rescued but sadly died in hospital the next day. His group was obviously devistated as were the rest of us though we didn't know him. I could only imagine what his family must be feeling.
The police investigated the incident to be sure that it was only an accident . They interviewed the group for over six hours along with a number of campers who were at the beach. This is the second death there this summer from a young person " messing around". Lake Erie has a known undertow and there are large signs posted at every entrance to the beach about the dangers of rough water.
This incident made my daughters group more aware of the dangers of the water and the Lake Erie undertow. They were very cautious when they returned to the water the next day to the point of berating one of the girls every time she ventured too far from shore.
Back to the campimg trip-the rest of the trip was fairly uneventful except when a small racoon snuck into the girls dining tent, stole their bread, and promptly climbed a tree and kept dropping crumbs on their heads while he ate. Also, one of the girls couldn't sleep one night and stepped out of the tent only to find a skunk taking a short cut through their site. On the final morning the three girls in one tent decided to help the other two take their tent down. Unfortunately the two were still asleep in their tent! They all had a fun time and are already planning their next trip.
For us, I have packed the gear away for another year and we are just planning a day trip or two for the rest of the holiday.
One part I wish never happened was when another large group of young people- a little older than my daughters group- set up in two site next to us. They were only there for a few hours when one of the boys was standing on a rocky outcropping in the lake when a large wave took his feet and he hit his head on the way down. The waves then took him under the water. The waves were very high and the water rough He was rescued but sadly died in hospital the next day. His group was obviously devistated as were the rest of us though we didn't know him. I could only imagine what his family must be feeling.
The police investigated the incident to be sure that it was only an accident . They interviewed the group for over six hours along with a number of campers who were at the beach. This is the second death there this summer from a young person " messing around". Lake Erie has a known undertow and there are large signs posted at every entrance to the beach about the dangers of rough water.
This incident made my daughters group more aware of the dangers of the water and the Lake Erie undertow. They were very cautious when they returned to the water the next day to the point of berating one of the girls every time she ventured too far from shore.
Back to the campimg trip-the rest of the trip was fairly uneventful except when a small racoon snuck into the girls dining tent, stole their bread, and promptly climbed a tree and kept dropping crumbs on their heads while he ate. Also, one of the girls couldn't sleep one night and stepped out of the tent only to find a skunk taking a short cut through their site. On the final morning the three girls in one tent decided to help the other two take their tent down. Unfortunately the two were still asleep in their tent! They all had a fun time and are already planning their next trip.
For us, I have packed the gear away for another year and we are just planning a day trip or two for the rest of the holiday.
Comment