Every August, Nana and Grandpa Larry spend some time at a fishing lodge in Sioux Narrows, Ontario, on Lake of the Woods. This long-standing tradition ended up working out really well for me and the kids, because thanks to good timing and pesky expatriate tax laws*, we got to tag along!
We were originally going to stay on one of the resort's islands -- 10 acres that you get to by boat -- but ended up staying in a larger cabin on the mainland. Our cabin was out on a little point by the beach, and we could hear the waves crashing all day and all night against the rocks under the house.
And it was cold. The lows dipped into the 40s as a front came in, and then the waves really picked up. But the skies were clear and the water was clear and beautiful.
Best of all, John got to go on his very first fishing trip. Grandpa had him all set up with a blue fishing rod (while Nana made sure that we had lifejackets with a handle on the back, in case he went overboard.) John pretty much talked about going fishing from the minute we arrived in Minnesota, and as soon as we got to the cabin, John was asking to go out on the boat. Grandpa took him out for a quick orientation and helped him get used to the boat. He was so excited that he "caught" a minnow, but the real fun was the next day.
We got up early and dressed in lots of layers. We packed snacks, drinks, and a change of clothes in case we needed to go in the water after John. Nana and Betsy stayed behind, and John, Grandpa, and I set out on the lake. We went out about 45 minutes from the cabin to a spot that was calm and not too deep. The weather was just perfect -- clear and warm in the sun.
I was quickly banished to fish from the back of the boat so that Grandpa and John could do their thing. And, within 5 minutes, John caught his very first fish!
He went on to catch 4 more walleye that day, including the biggest of the outing. (I caught two of my own, by the way.) He was so proud to have caught his dinner and pretty much told everyone he saw all about it from then on out.
At one point, Grandpa threw a fish back into the water. A seagull tried to pick it up but dropped it. A few minutes later, a bald eagle swooped down alongside the boat and grabbed the fish, then flew back into the woods along the shore.
When we weren't fishing, we hung out at the cabin and watched TV, shopped for souvenirs in the little town, played by the beach, and watched the psycho squirrel hurling acorns from the tree outside our cabin.
After a week, we had fulfilled my obligation to stay out of the country, so we packed up and headed back to the border. As we were driving away, John looked out the window and said, "Mom, I really like Canada."
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*While we're here, we are liable for taxes in both countries. However, there is a pretty substantial discount on our U.S. taxes if we stay out of the country for 330 days, with the count starting on the day we departed. So we can only spend 35 days at home.
1 comment:
Impressive catch, John! Looks like a beautiful place to relax and avoid unnecessary taxation.
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