KITC would like to welcome back guest blogger, Stephen Johnson. Stephen Johnson is an Ottawa writer who loves to write about family travel. During the summer, you will most likely find him and his family at a local fair or festival. During a non-pandemic winter, a beach in Mexico is a likely bet.

The theme of summer 2021 has been staycation - and we are loving it! The next destination on our staycation exploration was Eco-Odyssee. Eco-Odyssee may be familiar to many Ottawa residents. The unique water maze has been open since 2008 and has been very popular.

We arrived on-site and checked in with the staff. We had originally been scheduled to explore the water maze by paddle boat. The staff saw the height of our son and recommended we try a canoe.

Heading down to the dock, I was happy we had gone with the canoe. The paddle boat would have been perfect for eight year old David but not thirteen year old David. We assembled into the canoe and were off on our adventure.

I haven’t steered a canoe in about twenty years. The last time I did it didn’t turn out so well with myself and the canoe ending upside down! I was pleased to see the water at Eco-Odyssee was very calm.

For those who have not visited Eco-Odyssee, it is a vast water labyrinth that can be explored by canoe or paddle boat. Upon entering the labyrinth it felt like we had entered another world. The closest I could describe it is to a jungle river. We were treated to a green landscape on every side. It was a chance to enjoy plants and wildlife that could not be so easily explored on land.

David had spotted his first frog within about two minutes of us canoeing. At first, Sandy and I probably looked like we had a bit too much to drink as our canoe wove from side to side. Rest assured, no alcohol was involved. It was just the fact neither one of us had been in a canoe in a long time.

A person has the option to explore the course by following an adventure with clues to be found. Honestly, we found it a lot of fun just to meander around checking out different paths and looking for wildlife. We got ourselves lost a few times but that was part of the fun.

David said he must have seen at least twelve frogs during our experience. I did not see one.

We arrived back at the dock and wanted to check out more of the Eco-Odyssee site. The park does offer accommodation on-site even though I am sure they are most likely booked for this summer. They also have a new multimedia show in the night-time called Eco Noctura. The show is projected against the rocky face of a cliff with screenings in French and English.

The screenings were a little too late for us this time but we plan to return in September when dusk comes much faster. During the winter, Eco-Odyssee is planning to turn their water maze into a huge outdoor skating area.

We certainly plan on returning to Eco-Odyssee for another eco-friendly adventure!

For more information about Eco-Odyssee visit, www.eco-odyssee.ca/en/