Text Box: HHFN Canoe Trip, July 2009 Heavily overcast skies did not deter eight optimistic canoeists who gathered at Big East Lake for a day’s outing. We need not have worried; for, as the day wore on, the sun came out though the air stayed cool. A near perfect day for our trip. In the end we decided to launch into Bentshoe Lake, across Highway 118, as, Sheila assured us, “The botanizing is better there.” Two canoes took the slow route, hugging the shore to examine every plant, tree, log and movement in the water that we came across. The other two struck out across the lake to the portage, and through to the adjoining Lower Crane Lake. We met for lunch on a small rocky island in Bentshoe, chosen by Barry who noted all the blueberry bushes there loaded with fruit. We all enjoyed the lovely pale corydalis present on the island, and recognized cow wheat, which Peterson notes is a parasitic plant. A loon’s nest with scattered bits of eggshell could be seen on a tiny islet of mud near our lunch island, and, sure enough, across the lake we spied four loons- two adults and two young. A veery sang repeatedly, as did a song sparrow, but the only bird we identified by sight was a kingbird. Painted turtles basked on many of the partially submerged logs scattered along the shore. A huge bullfrog stationed himself just offshore and watched our approach with unblinking eyes. Motionless, he stared, and we alternately stared back, or used our binoculars to identify the enormous eardrums that marked him as male. For the botanists, the prize sighting of the day was several deep pink, “up-side-down” grass pink orchids which have their yellow-crested lip standing erect at the top of the flower. We got our feet wet in the bog when we ventured out, past tiny cranberry plants, to take a closer look. The other orchids we found, rose pogonia, were more plentiful. They are paler pink, and have their fringed tongues at the bottom of the flower, where they should be! We saw some patches of yellow loosestrife, and pickerelweed, horned bladderwort, sundew, sweet gale, and marsh St Johnswort grew in abundance near the shore of the lake. From Lower Crane Lake the other canoes proceeded through a shallow narrows to Upper Crane Lake, where a big snapping turtle paused long enough for a photo shoot, then suddenly submerged. Two adult loons were splashing and fussing, probably on a fishing expedition. Before we left for home we all paddled back to the portage, where Ray guided us along a side trail to a heronry. There were only two nests visible, and a lone adolescent waiting for his parents to come with food. Two adults circled round but we never did see them feed the youngster. Sweetfern, dalibarda (dewdrop), partridge berry, and remnants of pink lady’s slipper were present on the trail. About three o’clock we headed home. It was a great day. Ellie, Jane, Pauline, Grant, Sheila, Barry, Ray and Aileen.