Whenever it was we left, where ever it was we were, we wound up at Kejimkujik (pronounced just like it looks) National Park. I think it was Saturday. Keji (as the rangers refer to it) is a beautiful park situated pretty much dead center in the southwest of NS. It has Annapolis Royal to the NW, Liverpool to the SE and Yarmouth to the SW. Halifax is about twice the distance to Yarmouth to the E.
When we first arrived, we were unsure as to whether we wanted to camp in the park. The nice young lady at the welcome kiosk suggested we go to the visitors’ center, just a couple hundred yards up the road, check it out and then we could buy our day passes and see about camping. After speaking with one of the hosts at the center and seeing a short video on the park, we decided that if we were going to see any of it all, we best camp there.
Once again, we found ourselves dry camping. We were ok on both supplies and storage; and this time we didn’t even have the electricity we had at Forillon in Gaspe. The site was really nice (That is one thing about the campsites in the National Parks, they have lots of room and are forested enough to provide a modicum of privacy). At the heart of this park lies Lake Kejimkujik. The campground is within walking distance to the shore. After we set-up, we embarked on a hike which took us along the shore line for just over three kilometers. As the trail emerges from the wooded flood plain adjacent to the lake, you have to cross a floating bridge to Jake’s Landing, a canoe concessionaire. Spice was a bit hesitant, but once she got her sea legs so to speak, she crossed with no problems. Jake’s signified the end of the 3.2 K, but the trail had been flat so we thought we might venture on for a couple more kilometers. A short way into the next section, it began to sprinkle/rain. Given the late afternoon hour and the already cool temperature, we elected to reverse course. About 1000 yards along the trail, a doe whitetail deer came up from a stream just yards from where we stood. As she moved down wind of us, she would stop and look. I don’t think she was concerned about our scent, but Spice might have thrown her a curve. Yet, she crossed the trail within 20 yards of us, and then began to browse. Carol tried to get some decent pictures while I kept Spicy still. After a few moments, the doe became bored and moved on out of range. Carol was ecstatic about seeing the deer.
On the outbound leg, we had just begun to parallel the lake when I spotted some furry creature about twenty-five feet up in a tree. Carol tried to get some photos, but he wasn’t in a good spot and wasn’t cooperating. We couldn’t figure out what type of varmint he was. He didn’t look raccoonish and he didn’t have the tail of an opossum. As we were returning to camp, a couple walking towards us said to watch for the juvenile porcupine sitting in a tree just above the trail. When I asked about it, the guy explained the porcupine is furry initially, and then develops quills as he matures. On this one, you might be able to make out some quill development if he presents in the right light. We parted and walked on. Lo and behold, there in the same tree, but a bit higher, was said porcupine. He had moved to a smaller branch and was nibbling on leaves and the lesser twigs. Between the smaller tree branch and the lighting change, it was fairly obvious he was a porcupine; quills were even in evidence.
Sunday morning dawned cold and crisp. We had found another hike we could get in before the 11 AM checkout time. It was a six K loop through both hemlocks and hardwoods. The trail was well graveled as was the one the night before. As we move towards an old stand of hemlocks, the trail became a board walk so as to protect the shallow roots of the stand. On the way back to the campground, we saw two more along side the road. Packed up and leaving, we saw two more deer on our way out of the park. On our way, elsewhere, again.
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