Shows
ALGONQUIN DEFINING MOMENTSEpisode 52: Tom Thomson Remembered: Anniversary SpecialEpisode 52: Tom Thomson Remembered: Anniversary Special
Given that it is the anniversary this week of Tom Thomson’s disappearance and ultimate death 106 years ago, I thought it would fun to take Algonquin Defining Moments in a slightly different direction. Published two years ago by Deryck N. Robertson from Paddler Press in Peterborough, Ontario, Canoe Lake Memories is a book of poetry with reflections on Thomson, Canoe Lake and of course fishing and water. In addition are some great paintings, which I have posted on my www.algonquinparkheritage.com website.
So for this episode, it’s best to...2023-07-111h 00ALGONQUIN DEFINING MOMENTSEpisode 33: More Fish Fun Facts and Harkness Fisheries Lab Research GemsEpisode 33: More Fish Fun Facts and Harkness Fisheries Lab Research Gems
In this episode I'll continue my journey through the world of fisheries research in Algonquin and hope to bring to life some of the really interesting and fun fish facts that I've been able to ascertain. Also of course, introduce you to a few more of the Fisheries researchers and there work.
This episodes musical interlude is called Easy Stream from Dan Gibson's Solitudes Breaking the Mist CD. His music can be found on Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora and most other places where you get yo...2022-03-2451 minALGONQUIN DEFINING MOMENTSEpisode 32: Fish-Fish and More Fish: Early Years of the Harkness Fisheries LabEpisode 32: Fish-Fish and More Fish: Early Years of the Harkness Fisheries Lab
Not being that into angling, except when my twins were young and fishing off of our Canoe Lake dock a regular pass time, it's been seriously enlightening to learn all about the Harkness Laboratory for Fisheries Research on Lake Opeongo. This is the first of two episodes that explores the history of fisheries research in Algonquin Park, which began in 1936. YOu'll have an opportunity to meet some of the amazing fisheries researchers and their work both then and more recently. I now know more about f...2022-03-0545 minALGONQUIN DEFINING MOMENTSEpisode 30: Wildlife Research Station - Some Cool Research ProjectsEpisode 30: The Wildlife Research Station
In this episode I’m going to focus on a number of really interesting research projects that have been going on – some for many, many decades and along with more stories of the researchers and their experiences.
A Big shout-out to Patrick Moldowan, the Station's Communications Director who has been an incredible partner. Not only did he make sure that I was getting all of my explanations right or at least mostly right, but he also was incredibly patient with my at times really dumb questions and scientific term translation reque...2022-02-0453 minALGONQUIN DEFINING MOMENTSEpisode 24: Early 20thC Wilderness Adventurers Part 1Episode 24: Early 20thC Wilderness Adventurers Part 1:
In this episode I bring to share with you some of the stories of another part of the Algonquin Park community - those whose ancestors – some, as many as five generations back, were invited by the Ontario Government to lease small plots of land on a specific set of lakes and build summer cabins. The belief then was that visitors wouldn't come unless there was a community of some sort to provide an anchor.
Virtually all of these stories come from two of my books Algonquin Voices; Settlement Stories of C...2021-10-311h 04ALGONQUIN DEFINING MOMENTSEpisode 23: Caretaking in the Bush - the Hamilton-Haskin Family ExperienceEpisode 23: Caretaking in the Bush - the Hamilton-Haskin Family Experience
In this final episode on the lives of full time Algonquin Park residents, I wanted to share with you stories that I’ve collected from the Hamilton-Haskin family from Madawaska. The family’s original matriarch and patriarch, Wilmot and Victoria Hamilton lived just outside the eastern boundary of Algonquin Park from 1897 to 1954 on the north shore of Victoria Lake,14 kilometers from anything close to civilization. Not only did they survive, caretaking a hunting lodge owned by Edward Curtis Smith, a former governor of Vermont, but also raised a doze...2021-10-1646 minALGONQUIN DEFINING MOMENTSEpisode 10: Back Country Canoe Tripping Part IIEpisode 10: Back Country Canoe Tripping Part II
As noted in Episode 9 backcountry canoe tripping has been an integral part of the Algonquin Park, Ontario Canada experience since well before the Park’s beginnings in 1893. This follow-on episode focuses on what the landscape was like that our three canoe trip parties paddled through including majestic waterways, beaver dam filled rivers, and muddy swamps; how they overcame the pains of portaging, cooked over an open fire, and dealt with the bugs as well as the joys of a balsam bed.
Diaries and pictures and books by these canoe...2021-03-2735 min