North Tea Lake, Algonquin Park

[Andre Cloutier]

For those that have done the trip, you've seen the cabin that still stands on a rare bit of owned property at the bottom of the second portage. Here it is in the '20s being used by the Wattie family. Courtesy of the descendants, who have graciously passed on a pile of old photos of family and their history in the park. Havent recongnized Tom Thomson in any yet, but if he's in there i'll find him.
Also a nice shot of Gord in what looks like a closed gunwale, likely guide style canoe. Note the outboard for cheating out on North Tea.

 

[WoodNCanvas]

Thanks for sharing Andre....Tom Thomson was certainly a friend of Tom Wattie....apparently even storing camping equipment with the family....and Thomson bought his canoe in South River....where the Wattie family was based out of....lots of these details etc. are in Northern Light: The Enduring Mystery of Tom Thomson and the Woman Who Loved Him by Roy MacGregor. Some of those interesting facts I found out reading Roy MacGregor’s book was on the canoe that Tom Thomson owned:

Thomson visited Tom Wattie in South River, staying at the New Queen’s Hotel, and at the same time used some of his newfound money (NOTE: $500 from the sale of Northern River to the National Gallery in 1915….part of this money was also loaned to Shannon Fraser for the purchase of canoes) to purchase a silk tent and a magnificently crafted Chestnut canoe. These canoes, built by the Chestnuts of Fredricton, New Brunswick, were treasured for their elegant lines and ease of paddling. With a small keel, they were ideal for the windy lakes of Algonquin, but were quick and responsive for river travel and light for portaging. The lines are so distinctive a canoe afficionado can tell a Chestnut at a glance, yet Thomson made his even more noticeable by mixing a $2 tube of cobalt blue with a standard marine grey to paint his new canoe a “dove grey” colour – and perhaps to distinguish his from the common reds and greens of the lodges and various cottages. - p. 69, Northern Light: The Enduring Mystery of Tom Thomson and the Woman Who Loved Him.

Then there is a description of a long canoe trip that Tom Thomson took:

In the summer of 1914, Thomson set out on a remarkable canoe journey that, alone, should dispel any doubts about his increasing prowess with a paddle. After spending some time sketching around Go Home Bay, he made his way up through the French River to Lake Nipissing, then – likely by train – to South River, where he visited with a new friend, Algonquin Park ranger Tom Wattie. ….

Thomson returned to Canoe Lake via North Tea and a string of lakes and rivers and at times difficult portages through the heart of the park, travelling, camping, and painting for more than ten weeks. – pp. 64 – 65, Northern Light: The Enduring Mystery of Tom Thomson and the Woman Who Loved Him.