My Close Call The Night of The Wolves

My Close Call The Night of The Wolves

By: Bruce Watts

Rating: ***

  This article is a story told by an average man named Bruce Watts, just like all the men we know. He was an average working person with a family and job, so when he heard that he had cancer, he decided that he needed a break from his already stressful life. He decided that what he needed was a brief vacation in the outback, so he packed his gear and headed off to Algonquin Provincial Park.

  After reaching the parking lot, he unpacked his gear and went on a 5-hour backpack to Harness Lake. Once he arrived, he set up his campsite and began his supper. Finished eating, he went and relaxed on a little cliff, and before he knew it, he was awed by the beautiful Algonquin sky over the tree line (which I can relate to). As the night grew darker, he eventually receded into his tent to read a book, and after a few minutes, he heard a pack of wolves beginning to howl. He was stunned by the proximity of the canines, but he was grateful because not many people get to experience that in their lifetime.

  As the howling stopped, he heard an animal splashing in the water by his campsite, which he thought to be normal, but before he could react he heard the wolf running full speed towards his tent. Just before his tent, the wolf tripped over a guy rope and slammed into the side of his tent. Petrified, the creature ran off, probably more scared than Watts himself. Watts assumed that the wolf was chasing after a rodent or some small animal and was hit by surprise when it tripped on the rope. Even though it was probably a fluke, Watts was still shocked by the experience and it took him a while to calm down, but when he did, he was able to appreciate the presence of nature when he needed it most.

Watts. Bruce. "My close call the night of the wolves" Ottawa Outdoors. (Fall 2012): 18-19. Print