Monday, September 3, 2018
Dear Phyllis and family,
I am including a couple of memories my father (Jack Parmelee) has related to me over the years about fun times at Marshall's Bay. I hope you enjoy them.
Jennifer Parmelee
Mississippi Canoe Trip
In the summer of 1937 Dad, cousin John and Max Narraway decided to take a canoe trip up the Mississippi River. Starting from Marshall’s Bay they canoed over to the mouth of the Mississippi. Making their way up the Mississippi they came to the town of Galetta where they had to make a portage around a small hydro dam. They continued up the river well beyond the present day bridge on Highway 17 and on to Almonte. This is where they spent the night camped out under the canoe over which they had slung a tarp. They made mattresses by taking some of the stooked grain from the field behind their campsite. After a late fire and a steak dinner they turned in. That night the heavens opened up slowly filling the tarp with water. Sometime after midnight the tarp suddenly collapsed and soaked the boys thoroughly. But because the water soaked right through their grain mattresses they didn’t have to sleep in the wet. It seems that Max got the worst soaking. Good old Max!
Ottawa Canoe Trip
The Three Musketeers of Marshall’s Bay, Jack Parmelee, John Carter and Max Narroway decided that they would canoe from “The Bay” to Ottawa in the summer of 1938. They were fourteen years old. The boys were using their grandpa’s Sponson canoe with a ½ horsepower Evinrude motor on the back. Early one morning in August they left “The Bay”, crossing the Ottawa River over towards Quyon, Quebec. Max and John paddled. It was a windy day and both Edith (John’s Mom) and Max’s parents were concerned.
After watching the boys cross the river they jumped into the car and headed down to below the dam at Fitzroy Harbour to make sure the boys were ok. A large hydro dam blocks the river between Quyon and Fitzroy Harbour so they had to portage the canoe around it. They tried to manhandle the canoe over some boom logs and ended up tipping over. Fortunately the Sponson righted itself and they were able to get back in and continue their trip to the big city 35 miles away. At Constance Bay they slept overnight at a friend’s on the front porch. Next day when they arrived at Britannia Bay, they had a swim, left the canoe at a cottage owned by acquaintances of Max and proceeded into the city by street car. That night they stayed at the Narroway house but Dad never told his mother that he was in town. The 3 boys headed back up to “The Bay” the next day. and as it was upstream they really appreciated that little motor. It weighed only 8 pounds. Arriving back at Marshall’s Bay after dark they followed a moon beam back to shore to receive the accolades of the waiting parents and grandparents.
