Sunday, June 27, 2010

Searching for Holwood mine


Saturday we (Paul Trudel, Ed Barnstaple, and Gord Clark) left about 9:30 AM to find the old Holwood Mine north west of Firth Lake. We knew the road ended in a large beaverdam so the only way to cross was on the top of the dam. It streched about 80m. across the end of the beaver pond, we cut some staves to help with our balance across the narrow top with some places the water running over the dam. Once over the dam we headed into the bush where we found a trail that took us right to the mine. The buildings had all collapsed in one way or another, we counted at least 3 but the way one area had fallen down there may have been another 1 or 2.


In 1969, J.R. Stirrett held five leased claims about 1 1/2 km (1 mile) northwest
of Firth Lake and numbered as follows: GG4724, HR453, HR454, HR458, and
HR459.
The property was first staked in the early days by E.J. Thompson and after
a few years of intermittent prospecting it was acquired by Alpine Silver Mines
Limited in 1920.
Development work for the next two years consisted of about 300 m (1,000
feet) of trenching, sinking two shallow shafts, and driving an adit. The adit was
driven west into a diabase ridge for 176 m (575 feet) to intersect an aplite dike at
a depth of 51 m (170 feet); the dike was drifted along for 24 m (80 feet) (Burrows
1921, pAl). The location of the shafts is not known but they are reported to be 9
m (30 feet) and 15 m (90 feet) deep (Burrows 1921, pAl).
The property then became dormant until 1951 when it was acquired by
Holwood
Mines Limited
; some effort was made by this company to bring the property
into production. A 50 tons per day mill was erected and seven diamond drill
holes totalling 370 m (1,200 feet) were put down. There was no recorded production
and no further work was recorded after 1953.
Jaylac Mines Limited took an option on the property in 1960. They cleaned
out old trenches and did further surface work. No further recorded work has been done on the property since then. (from Geology of the Gowganda Lake-Miller Lake Silver Area. Report 175 Ont. Geological. Survey.
All and all a good find for adventure in the Gowganda Area.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

The opportunites you see on the way to the mail


Walked right past this one on the way to the post office, didn't turn my head just kept walking. Got the mail and went back, I guess he (a Great Blue Heron) thought I didn't see him. Returned with camera and the rest is ones and zeros.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Log cutting over


The cutting is finished, on to the splitting but I think I will wait for a couple of days and catch up. Got to get the house cleaned up for the grandsons coming on the weekend for 2 weeks. Friday into town to buy a truckload of food, for the vacuums oops I mean boys.
Today's pic a Bearded Iris from the backyard.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Long time no post




Just putting up some run of the mill day to day pics. My cousin has been up for a week a pic of him fishing at Obushkong Falls, with the low water level they aren't very impressive.
Finally ordered some firewood and it was delivered yesterday, well worth the money and less wear and tear on the body.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Poppy

The poppy's are blooming and the sun was shining right through them, here's the proof.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Down Mann Ridge Rd.

Jeremy came up from Sudbury on his bike yesterday for a short visit and today we went down the Mann Ridge Rd. First time down there this year, when we reached the cutover at the south end all the area had been sprayed, mostly everything but the pine trees were gone including all of the great blueberry bushes from last year. Oh well what can you do with foresty companies trying to replant with pine monoculture plantations.
Down by Frying Pan Lake my first Twinflower's of the season, and Jeremy looking over the landscape.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Remote shooting with new RAM bracket

Just love the mail when it brings in parcels, this time it was a RAM mount for the camera with a base, arm and a camera plate. Tried it out this PM at the back of the house where the tree swallows have nested in the bird house. This is the setup.


The result is the next couple of pictures of the tree swallow bringing morsels to the brood. As I adjusted the camera right at the house they acted as if I wasn't even there. Took a short video too.






Thursday, June 10, 2010

Wild Columbine

Another pic from the ATV trip up Everett Lake, passed these on the way up and finally got a shot on the way home.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Pics from the bog





Down Spear Lake Rd there is a small bog on the east side of the road about 4km. down. I have been in here before only with my waders on and up above my knees in bog, this year I walked in with boots on. It shows just how dry things are.
Bog - an open peat-covered wetland that is characterized by soils consisting almost entirely of organic matter. Vegetation grows in a setting where the water table is high and nutrient availability is low. Water is derived from rain or from seepage from surrounding acid rocks and soils. The water is stagnant, or nearly so, and acidic. Vegetation consists largely of Sphagnum mosses, heath family shrubs, and certain sedge species. Trees, if present, form open-canopied forests of stunted growth. Peat forms a layer that exceeds 40 cm. Bog soils are strongly acid and low in calcium, magnesium and some other essential mineral elements. Oxygen levels in the water is low.
low in nutrients
rainfall and air-fall are the only sources of nutrients
isolated from external nutrient-carrying water
organic deposits greater than 40 cm deep
peat-rich, acidic
may be treed or open-Andy's northern Ontario wildflowers
Some of the most obvious plants are Sphagnum, Pitcher Plants (traps insects for their nutrient values), and sometimes Cotton Grass.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Out for ATV ride on Holwood Rd.


Spent Saturday travelling all the trails on the Holwood Road especially the north end to see if we could get any further to Matachewan. The rumour that the beaver dam was broken turned out to be false. The rest of the day we mapped all the trails and travelled about 75 km.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Out to Page's pit




East of town today in what's known as Page's pit where on the south side of the road is a large swamp ringed by bog vegetation. Labrador tea in bloom in the bog and on the drier spots blueberries starting to form. Along the roadsides lots of strawberries

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Adding flash to Hummingbird pics


Well here are a couple with the flash. It takes awhile to get all the variables but it's worth it. Click on them to make the picture larger.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

New project-hummingbirds on the fly

Trying to get some pics of hummingbirds flying, this is a first try, am going to set up using the flash to freeze him/her. This is at 1/2000th of a second.