Books We Love Insider Blog: #KillbearProvincialPark

Saturday, September 16, 2017

Prepare for punishment by J.C. Kavanagh

WINNER Best Young Adult Book 2016, The Twisted Climb

Summer is over - at least for school kids - so it's time for the punishment to begin: picture punishment. Let me clarify. Betty White, one of the funniest people on the planet, made a statement on a TV show many years ago that explained the purpose of sharing vacation pictures. It was PUNISHMENT, eye-rolling eyeball-agony, plain and simple. She basically said, "Who cares?" what you did or what you saw or what you were wearing and who gives a fat-rat's bottom anyway? Looking at someone's vacation pictures is just cruel.

Well, prepare for the onslaught.

I had a fantastic summer, thank-you-very-much, and I'll show you just how fantastic it was.
Brace yourself.

Deer everyday at our campsite, Killbear Provincial Park,
Parry Sound, Ontario

There were no bears this year at Killbear - surprise! But deer came to forage behind our site three times a day, bringing fawn and even 8-point daddy.

Posing with my sister-in-law on her super-fast Hobie Cat.

Before and after the storm pics, Georgian Bay.

Gah - there are more pics - the visual punishment continues....

Below are pics from my sailing vacation throughout Georgian Bay and the North Channel (Ontario) - rated one of the best sailing destinations in the world. The waters are clean and Caribbean-clear. Stunning. Me and my partner, Ian, sail a beautiful Catalina 36 named Escape Route II.

Anchored off Hope Island, Georgian Bay.

Escape Route II, at anchor in
Covered Portage Cove near Killarney, Ontario

Delicious pike caught in Baie Fine, close to The Pool anchorage and Lake Topaz.

At anchor in The Pool. The quartz mountains around Killarney are the breathtaking backdrop.

Overlooking Baie Fine and McGregor Bay. At the top of this 500m climb are the ashes of Stuart Fraser Cork, one of the famous Group of Seven painters. This was one of his favourite painting perches.

Posing with the coolest blow-up duckie in Killarney :)

At the Benjamin Islands, North Channel. Note the 'crooked' trees. They grow that way, adjusting to the prevailing northwest winds. These trees are often part of the Group of Seven paintings.

The pain is almost over......

Me and my captain, Ian.

Well, that's it for my eyeball punishment to you. If you made it this far - thank you!

I'm getting ready for three book signings in October so if you're in the Greater Toronto Area - come see me!

Toronto Eaton Centre, Indigo: October 14
Oshawa Indigo: October 21
Barrie Chapters: October 28

J.C. Kavanagh

The Twisted Climb

A novel for teens, young adults and adults young at heart.

WINNER: Best Young Adult Book 2016, P&E Readers’ Award

Email: author.j.c.kavanagh@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/J.C.Kavanagh

www.amazon.com/author/jckavanagh

Twitter @JCKavanagh1 (Author J.C. Kavanagh)

Sunday, July 16, 2017

Bears and more bears at Killbear by J.C. Kavanagh

The Twisted Climb - BEST Young Adult Book 2016, P&E Readers' Poll

Camping is always an adventure. At least it is when I camp. Reserving at a campground called 'Killbear' should be the first indicator of what might be in store during your camping vacation. Not killing bears, of course (though I don't know why they would call it Killbear) - but dealing with bears. Big, medium and small. Bears during the day. And bears bears bears at night.

Don't be spooked. They usually just pass through, unless of course, you have foolishly abandoned your site, leaving a feast-fit-for-a-bear on the table.

And you have ignored this sign:

Notice the white sign with red lettering? Active bear in campground. That means a pesky, stubborn, uncooperative bear is lurking in the bush, just waiting for the novice camper to leave food and coolers unattended. Beware. Bears know how to open coolers. They're smart, you know. And they have hands. Or paws/feet, whatever. They can open things.

The black bears found at Killbear Provincial Park, near Parry Sound, Ontario (Canada), are typically shy and only forage at night when you're sleeping. I don't like to think about the fact that a micro-thin piece of nylon tent separates me from the wandering bear(s).

Bear trap - baited with stale Tim-Bit donuts!

A few years ago at Killbear, we were enjoying some beverages around the campfire when we heard the sound of dishes and cutlery and pots clattering together, as if the large Rubbermaid container they were stored in had tipped over.

Sure enough, the tip-over was genuine as was the large, hulking bear with his snout in the bin. I quickly stood up, careful not to spill my wine, and shouted, "GIT!" (I think "GIT" was hill-billy-speak for "Go on now, get going." The word "GIT" could also be attributed to alcohol consumption as one syllable is much easier to pronounce.)

And so with several glasses of 'brave' under my belt, I continued to scold the bear and walked toward it with my glass of wine held high in the air, as if that was my weapon of choice. The bear turned and scrambled away. Oh, but I was not finished. Taking a big gulp, I charged forward, berating the creature at regular intervals: GIT, GIT, GIT!

Oh, I was bold. The hefty black bear scampered ahead of me, much like a child caught with its hand in the cookie jar and refusing to make eye contact. After stalking it for about 50 metres, I stopped. It was dark and I didn't bring my flashlight. A few glasses of brave will only give you so much brave.

I turned and walked back to the glow of the campfire, curious as to what the bear found so irresistible in the bin.

Family members stood around the bin, each with a flashlight in hand. Items were sorted and there it was. The irresistible culprit. A vanilla-scented candle. Seems the son-in-law thought the candle would be a deterrent for mosquitos. He forgot that vanilla scent is an attraction for bears. And family being family, we've never let him forget it.

I'll be camping at Killbear again this year. In fact, as you're reading this, I'll be bear-proofing my site and wishing I had the walls of a sleek, thick-walled trailer.

But not to worry, I shall have my glass (or two) of brave.