June 14, 2019
We awoke to the sounds of fighter jets thundering overhead. Debbie exclaimed that this was the familiar sounds that she heard every day in her childhood.
It was a bright sunny day and the lake was calm so we decided that we would go for a couple of hours of paddling after breakfast and before we pack up. I made a filling pancake breakfast and we were soon on the lake.
Cold Lake is the seventh largest lake in Alberta. The fighter jets roar northeast overhead to the training airspace that straddles the Alberta, Saskatchewan border. A large combat helicopter flew over the lake less than 100 feet off of the water. Very impressive! The paddle along the shoreline was pleasant and interesting. Several large waterfront homes line parts of the lake and it is obvious that this lake is not only a great fishing lake but also popular for waterskiing and many other boating activities. Cold Lake has a very active sailing club.
We returned to the campsite and started our duties to dismantle the camp. Before we dismantled, Debbie tried out the outdoor shower on the trailer. It worked perfectly and she enjoyed it very much. It will be used again later in our journey.
Our next destination was the Battleford Provincial Park in Saskatchewan, but before we left we decided to visit the Cold Lake Museum. Debbie wanted to check out what memorabilia there may be at the museum. The museum houses many exhibits not only airforce related but also exhibits from the oil industry. We spent about an hour looking at the airforce exhibits. The history of the base is well documented and they had many interesting stories. We were slightly disappointed that there were not more exhibits relating to the CF104 program that was so important during the Cold War and spearheaded in Cold Lake.
It was time to leave Alberta and we drove out of Cold Lake at 12:30. The trip into Saskatchewan on Hwy 55 is quiet with light traffic. A pair of Apache Helicopters flew over us on their way to Cold Lake. The scenery is much the same, rolling hills, large fields and aspen forests. We headed south onto Hwy 4 after Meadow Lake to get to The Battlefords Provincial Park.
We were again impressed with this Provincial Park. We chose a campsite overlooking the lake and set up camp. We did not unhitch, as we were only staying overnight and leaving first thing in the morning for the Prince Albert National Park. After supper I enjoyed a great shower before bed. No Toonies needed and unlimited water!
Quilting in a Kayak 