In early May I drove up the Lac du Bois Road then turned onto the Isobel Lake Road and parked just off the roadside.    I had my folding kayak in a large backpack so I gathered my gear and then hiked to the marshy shoreline of Griffin Lake.   I had paddled the lake once before, hauling my kayak through the woods and into the lake, on rough ground, but this was the first time with a folding kayak.

The distance from the truck to the marshy launch area was only about 150m, an easy hike with the boat on my back.   

The boat (Oru Inlet) unfolds like an origami puzzle and then it has clips to hold the front, back, and sides in shape.   A seat is inserted and clipped in.    It is not sleek, nor fast, but its fine for paddling on a smaller lake

The north end of Griffin Lake has open water surrounded by some grassland meadows and forest.   At the southern end is a marshy area with reeds, rushes, and cattails.    There is a narrow channel through the rushes to the west arm of the lake.

I paddled the whole lake, then landed back at the same launch spot.  The boat was folded up, clipped into its storage shape,  and placed inside a backpack.    My cameras were in dry bags and I had wading boots and a paddle.   I hiked back to the truck with the kayak and gear.

I only use the folding kayak on smaller lakes with no drive-to launch.    Each year I add a few new ones, and for a few likes like Griffin Lake, I return on a cycle of 4-6 years.   More folding kayak adventures are planned for this paddling year.

• More Information – There are more posts on hiking and paddling in this area on this website, on RambleOn, and on our YouTube Channel.