By Keith and Heather Nicol
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| Paddling north on Goose Lake |
We had heard
some great things about camping at Morton Lake and the kayaking opportunities
in adjacent Mohun and Goose Lake so with a good weather forecast we decided to
check this area out. We headed out from Courtenay at around 10 am on Wednesday,
August 28 and arrived around noon after negotiating the rough gravel road after
you leave the pavement just north of Campbell River. The turn off is easy to
find since it is signposted on Highway 19 – just watch for signs for Morton
Lake. We took Menzies Main in for about
12 km before turning off on Morton Main for another 5 km to the Morton Lake
Provincial Park. Those 17 km took us
about 1 hour since we had to weave around potholes and with kayaks on top that didn’t
appreciate the rough road which meant that we had to stop are retighten the
straps on a couple of occasions.
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| The scenery is spectacular to the south on Mohun Lake |
But once at the
Morton Lake campground we were amazed at the large trailers and boats that
people had gotten in there. Since it was a spur of the moment trip we didn’t
have time to make camping reservations
but since it was mid week we thought we would have no problem with getting a
campsite. As it turned out we got the last site and people coming after had to
head to the overflow area. After we had eaten lunch and set up camp we set out
to explore Mohun and Goose Lakes. There is a rough boat launch on Mohun Lake
which was fine for getting our kayaks to the water and we headed north from
Mohun Lake into a narrows which then opened into Goose Lake. This area is ideal
for canoeing or kayaking and we saw several people out paddling. We headed to the end of Goose Lake (about 4
km – 1way) and on the return trip we decided to pull out and go for a swim. The
lake water was a perfect way to cool off on this warm summer afternoon. That
evening the sunset over Mohun Lake was amazing and took several photos as the
sky became increasingly spectacular.
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| We were treated to an amazing sunset over Mohun Lake |
On Thursday we
awoke to another sunny day and decided to check out the trail to Andrew Lake
which leads from the campground and winds for about 2 km to a small lake. Allow
about 45 -60 minutes to do the return hike and except for a few logs to step
over or duck under the trail is in good shape. We next decided to head back to
Goose Lake to explore some other small bays and came across a rocky outcrop
readymade for landing and swimming off of. Goose Lake has more appeal than the
southern end of Mohun Lake which is wider and with straighter shorelines but
the backdrop from Mohun Lake is jaw dropping with the mountains of Strathcona Provincial
Park in the background. This scenery
alone is captivating and you can only get it from a boat.
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| Heather swimming from a rocky island in Goose Lake |
We lunched back
at the Morton Lake picnic site and had to check out the sandy beach that was
very popular with families on our visit. The water in Morton Lake is the
warmest water we have swam in all summer and is another bonus to visiting this
area. From there we headed back to
Courtenay but decided to take another route back which involved a longer
distance over gravel road but these roads were generally in better shape. Our return included Gosling Main, Brewster
Lake Main , Snowden Main and Iron River Road. Overall it took about the same
length of time but the road conditions were better with fewer potholes. Be
aware that logging trucks may travel these roads so use your lights and drive
with care. If you like swimming and being on the water you should check this
area out. Mohun Lake is on the Sayward
Canoe Loop so you can venture into other lakes if you are interested but this
would involve portaging. For more info : see http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/morton_lk/
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| Morton Lake has a lovely sand beach and warm water |
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