X Book Now
  • Home
  • Shop Online
  • Algonquin Park
  • Planning a Canoe Trip
  • Algonquin Park Maps
  • Canoe Trip Packages
  • Guided Trip Packages
  • Equipment Rentals & Delivery
  • Day Trips
  • Event Calendar
  • Contests & Promotions
  • Used Bikes
  • Used Canoes, SUPS & Kayaks
  • News
  • About
  • Store Locator
  • Contact
  • Jobs / Careers
  • Sponsorships & Donations
Translate:
Store Locator
Book a Reservation
  • Bracebridge
  • Brent
  • Haliburton
  • Huntsville
  • Lake of Two Rivers
  • Minden
  • Opeongo
  • Oxtongue Lake
  • Port Carling
Algonquin Outfitters – Your Outdoor Adventure Store
  • Shop Online
    • Shop Online
    • 2021 Kayak Presale
    • 2021 Paddleboard Presale
    • AO Gift Cards
    • Bikes
    • Camping
    • Clothing
    • Maps
    • Paddling
    • Water Sports
    • Winter Sports
    • Used Bikes
    • Used Canoes
    • Used Kayaks
    • Used Paddleboards
  • Algonquin Park
    • Canoe Routes
    • Fishing
    • Maps
    • Pictures
    • Seasons
    • Trip Planning
    • Weather
  • Canoe Trips
    • Guided Trip Packages
    • Group Trip Packages
    • Overnight Trip Packages
    • Planning a Canoe Trip
    • Trip Rates
  • Rentals
    • Access Point & Campground Delivery
    • Bikes
    • Camping / Hiking
    • Canoes
    • Cross Country Skis
    • Kayaks
    • Snowshoes
    • Stand Up Paddleboards
    • Watersports & Trampolines
    • Water Taxi (Lake Opeongo)
  • Day Trips
    • Algonquin Park
    • Guided Algonquin Park
    • Guided Hailstorm Creek Wildlife Viewing
    • Guided Half-Day Costello Creek
    • Guided Snowshoe Safari
    • Hailstorm Creek
    • Old Railway Bike Trail
    • Ragged Falls Canoe or Kayak
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • • Banff Mountain Film Festival
    • • Paddling Film Festival
    • Contests
    • • 2021 Ice Out Contest
    • • April Photo Contest
    • • 2021 Paddle Art Contest
    • • March Photo Contest
    • • February Photo Contest
    • • January Photo Contest
    • • Montlhy $100 AO Gift Card / Doppler
  • Maps
    • Algonquin Park Maps
    • Biking Maps
    • Hiking Maps
    • Paddling Maps
    • Winter Maps
  • About
    • Algonquin Outfitters History
    • Boatwerks History
    • Brent History
    • Meanest Link History
    • Oxtongue History
    • Testimonials
  • News
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • FAQs
    • Jobs / Careers
    • Locations
    • My Account
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsorships & Donations
    • Submit a Photo
    • Submit a Review

The Oxtongue Story

Oxtongue LakeAlgonquin Outfitters was opened in 1961 by Bill Swift Sr. (Rich’s father, who was also known as Swifty, Mean Dude or Meanest) and Dave Wainman, a former park ranger. Swifty, a resident of Rochester, New York, had spent many summers in Algonquin Park as a camper and staff member at Camp Pathfinder and as a guide at the Highland Inn on Cache Lake. Wainman was Deputy Chief Ranger of the park then and could see that the time was right to start another canoe livery and outfitter serving Algonquin Park’s main entrance.

The first plan was to locate the business on Cache Lake, near the Highland Inn and the railway station (both torn down long ago). In the end, they decided to set up shop outside of the park at Oxtongue Lake, on the property that was purchased from the Hayden family, owners of the Blue Spruce Inn. The front section of the current Oxtongue Lake store was the original building, which stood near the corner of Highway #60 and Algonquin Outfitters Road, across from the present-day Swift cottage. The first rental canoes were 40 cedar-canvas Chestnuts, delivered by train from New Brunswick. During the first 30 years of operation, Algonquin Outfitters was a seasonal business specializing in canoe rentals and complete outfitting for Algonquin Park canoe trips.

In 1974, the Swift family bought Dave Wainman’s share of the business and, in 1975, Jack and Peggy Hurley became partners and managers for seven years. Jack is now a highly regarded builder of fine cedar-canvas canoes, Peggy still occasionally helps in the AO outfitting department and their sons, Alex and Brent, were valuable staff members for several years. Brent, the only AO staff member who can claim he was born at Algonquin Outfitters, continues to work at our Oxtongue Lake base seasonally as a guide.

When Highway #60 was paved and expanded in the fall of 1978, the original AO building was moved to its current site. There have been about six more additions to the building over the years. In the early years, there was a snack bar serving fries and burgers in the store, but the exhaust fan is all that now remains. Most of the seasonal AO staff lived on the property and a full-time cook provided meals in the “cook shack.” Retail items consisted primarily of T-shirts, fishing tackle, some camping supplies and a few paddles.

In many ways, AO was a trendsetter in Algonquin Park, such as by being the first outfitter to offer lightweight Kevlar canoes. Most of the original rental Kevlar canoes were made by Mad River Canoe, located in Vermont at that time. In those days, there were very few, if any, Canadian companies building good-quality lightweight tripping canoes. In the ’80s, when the Swift brothers Rich and Bill became more involved in the family business, some new dimensions were added. The retail side of the store began to expand as Rich and wife Sue sought out more modern camping equipment and clothing to offer to AO customers. As well, in response to the popularity of Kevlar canoes, the Swift Canoe Company was founded and licensed to build Sawyer Canoes, which was a key U.S. brand.

By the early ’90s, it was clear that there was a need for a canoe created specifically for Algonquin Park canoe tripping. The Kipawa was the first model designed and built by the Swift Canoe Company; it’s still in production and remains a popular rental canoe. The original canoe factory was located in the building that now houses the AO canoe repair shop and Swift sales office at Oxtongue Lake. Now, the Swift Canoe & Kayak company has a large factory in South River and their main office is on Highway #11, near Gravenhurst.

Kevlar Rental Canoes

Canoe & Day Trips

  • About Algonquin Park
  • Canoe Route Maps
  • Canoe Trips
  • Day Trips
  • Fishing
  • Group Trip Packages
  • Guided Trips
  • Overnight Trips
  • Trip Planning

Equipment Rentals

  • Bracebridge Rental Reservations
  • Brent Rental Reservations
  • Haliburton Rental Reservations
  • Huntsville Rental Reservations
  • Lake Opeongo Rental Reservations
  • Lake of Two Rivers Rental Reservations
  • Minden Rental Reservations
  • Oxtongue Lake Rental Reservations
  • Port Carling Rental Reservations

Explore the Outdoors

  • Algonquin Park
  • Bikes & Boards
  • Camping & Hiking
  • Cross Country Skis
  • Paddling
  • Ski & Snowboards
  • Snowshoes
  • Stand Up Paddle Boards
  • Watersports

Resources

  • About
  • Algonquin Park
  • Algonquin Park Maps
  • Contact
  • Contests & Promotions
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
  • Jobs / Careers
  • Reservations
  • Store Locations
Call Us 1-800-469-4948
  • Connect
  • Follow Us On Twitter
  • Follow Us On Facebook
  • Follow Us On Instagram
  • Follow Us On LinkedIn
  • Follow Us On Youtube
  • Follow Us On Pinterest
  • Follow Us On RSS
©2016 Algonquin Outfitters
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Created by: Reeder Web Design
Algonquin Outfitters - Your Outdoor Adventure Store