(To be fleshed out in a few days... return)
Monica and Bob are the only two archaeologists working for the NCC in Canada. They run public archaeology digs in August. Their more exciting one is the following week at Lake Leamy, really close to our hotel. This was a 40 minute drive from Gatineau, even though it is in Gatineau.
I mostly dug with Alain, a retired government official. He told me the group digs regularly throughout the year. When it is too cold to dig they wash artifacts. They even have an annual holiday party.
Yes, I wanted to join the group! I hope to return next summer for the Lake Leamy portion.
This site was lovely. We were steps away from a brand new shelter with bathrooms and ice cold water fountains, and a porch overlooking the lake. The lake provided a nice gentle breeze.
Monica and Bob kept setting up tents to keep us shaded. Though it was 75 degrees with a beautiful blue sky and no humidity, they deemed it hot and stopped early. Though the afternoon shift did not start until 1, and i thought it was to go until 4:30, but 3:50 they took our screens and told us to start cleaning up.
Insert frown.
We used tiny buckets, and small screens.
I was told they never find nails, yet I found one. It seemed like a new nail. I wonder if it came from the new shelter.
We were told to keep quartz -- which is the opposite of what I am normally told. It is a sign of Indigenous people.
We dug in one meter squares. The soil was mottled. They do not do Monsell, which Dan later told me is common in international sites. Measured in centimeters.
I was interviewed by Canadian TV. Ashley watched it. She was surprised just how much they interviewed me and included me in the story. I knew the mission -- be the charming international digger and make the day look like fun. As a former journalist who has been on the other side of the interview, I knew the mission and did it. Cecilia, the newscaster, hovered taking footage of me digging. It was a bit much.
I had a fabulous time! Shared the link with my archaeology friends.
Impressed we found a way to make up for the Azores, which we hope to reschedule. Trip insurance came through.
Afterwards we hiked 5 km to the cave. Most was on a road. Last kilometer was up a hill with built in stairs. Saw someone who warned us of a wasps' nest that was exposed when a tree fell right after the walked next to it. Saw a family tending to their youngest with scraped knees who was clearly tired of hiking.
Saw another family fishing in the lake, and one taking kayaks out.
Most of the group was staying on the camp grounds, which had running water, showers, and laundry facilities. I was happy to return to a real bed. Don is up for trying camping there next year.
We returned to M&M for dinner, and had ice cream around the corner at La Cigale, a place recommended by Monica. Only outdoor eating area. They have a booth where you order your treat, and then you walk over to pick it up from the counter. Many of the tables had games built into them. Lights strung. Garden atmosphere. A sign announcing when they are closed due to bad weather. Wish they also had an indoor dining area so we could go there year-round.
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