Oct 26, 2019: Eager to get out into the wilderness with Portage, we decided to do a 2 night trip to a nearby Provincial Park called Stamp River. We arrived at the campground after a quick 1.5 hour drive and found it near empty with a camp host on site, and 2 other campers. We chose a site backing onto the river, checked ourselves in, and quickly set up camp, happily finding the process much easier than the trailer had been. From our site a 10-minute walk along the river took us to a fish ladder (with a video screen to see the fish in the ladder) which is there to help the salmon swim up above the rapids. An interpretive trail then led us along a gorge following the rapidly flowing river to a small spawning pond. With the water in the gorge flowing so rapidly it is easy to see why the fish ladder was built.
Back at camp, we set our chairs by the river to enjoy happy hour. As we sat sipping our drinks, listening to the soothing rapids, we were treated with a visit by a Black bear (across the river) meandering along the shore, fishing for its dinner. We discreetly followed it along until it disappeared into the forest.
The next morning we chose to do a hike winding through a dense forest and then along the river downstream from our campsite. The forest is cool and damp like much of the island forests with trees covered in moss. We discovered some interesting fungi along the way. Back at camp in the afternoon, the bear came back and meandered along the river directly across from our site. It knew we were watching, but did not seem to care one bit – although a barking dog did startle it and it hid in the woods for a few minutes.
