After travelling many kilometres to reach to beautiful wilderness of the Great North, we had to retrace our steps to come back home.
So, we rose early (around 7:30 AM), packed and sorted our bags, loaded the bus and stopped at Tim Horton’s for a take-out breakfast. Eating on the road saves a lot of time.
As Marie-Neige, Stéphanie and Andréanne will return to Chicoutimi by car, it’s farewell time already. Heartfelt accolades confirm the strong relationships that were created in record time. For sure, we will miss our new friends, but the thought of them and our time together will bring a smile to our faces.
It is with a heavy heart that the rest of the group heads on to Montreal. Tiredness limits the conversations and it’s comforting to rest on a friend’s shoulder for the remaining time together. The organizers warn our young friends that it’s normal for them to feel lonely and sad over the next few days. It’s called the post-expedition syndrome. It’s hard to loose contact with so many dear friends. But, things will get better… and there’s Skype and Facebook, those wonderful tools.
At Montreal airport, many families are eagerly waiting for their children. Our adventurers are torn between the sadness of separation and the joy of being reunited with their families. Farewells follow naturally. One by one, the participants must leave. The harsh reality sets in: the euphoria of arrival is always followed by the sadness of separation.
There are hugs and kisses, a few tears, promises to keep in touch and to get together again. Our planet is not that large, after all.
Even with teary eyes and scorched hearts, those youths return home with a new tool in their arsenal. Through this experience they discovered their incredible inner strength. In hard times, they will know where to go to find the energy to go forward.
Goodbye dear friends. May the winds be at your back and may we meet again soon!
Gil Theriault, blogger
To see more pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pointedespieds/sets/72157629509412897/show/
Mother Nature is unpredictable: after a -30°C day on Monday, it rained last night.
Well protected in our prospector’s tents, with a blanket of fir branches as floor insulation, warmed by raging wood stoves, we had nothing to fear from the humidity, all this rain changed the snow to slush on the waterways. Not good for snowmobiling
Maureen, Georges’ sister, led us in the voyageur’s prayer, before we left. Our main objective today was to reach Georges’ main house in Troilus, which we did without major problems.
Yet, as the lakes were too difficult to travel on, the organizers had to consider other options. Finally, as the “Route du Nord” was closed to traffic because of the heavy precipitation, our convoy used it to travel to Stanley’s place (Stanley is our other native guide). This required we beat our travel distance record (more than 100 km), but the level surface of the road allowed us to get there in reasonable time.
In the meantime, Ian left the group for a short visit at the Chibougamau hospital, to increase his chances of completing the trip with us on his snowmobile.
After we got to our host’s place, we settled in in full comfort with the girls in one cabin and the boys in another. After chopping enough wood for the night, freshening up and a game of cards, it was suppertime. What a feast: vegetable soup, moose meat, beaver meat, turkey and lake trout… not to mention the unique Cree welcome. What better way to boost our energy before another day of adventure and discovery on their wonderful territory!
Gil Thériault, blogger
As promised, here is more info on our closing circle.
Traditionally, near the end of each Foundation adventure, the organisers hold an open discussion session to allow the team members to reflect on their experience by choosing a single word to describe it. Each in turn, can then explain why they chose that particular word.
The words “unique”, “unforgettable”, “gratitude”, “beauty” and many others were chosen. Globally, the adventure made a deep impression on each participant. For some, it was discovering a new family away from their own; others were awestruck by the beauty of the North Country, its inhabitants, and the inner beauty of other expedition members. Some participants said this experience made them appreciate what we too often take for granted.
Others observed that they had to push their limits or were given the opportunity to forget their illness, and step away from their daily routine.
No doubt, this was a very positive experience for all.
This is our last day on our snowmobiles. Once again, the sun is shining, but it is bitterly cold on the trail.
After a short examination at the hospital, Ian re-joined the group, but, in order to limit the strain, he travelled from one point to the next in the comfort of one of the organisation’s vehicles. This last leg will not be different, and he willingly boards a SUV after a few kilometres on the snowy trail. The rest of the group goes on to Chibougamau where it’s Folifrets time with hundreds of old snowmobiles. A unique scene.
Then through wonderful recessed valleys, some sections of highway, and beautifully maintained trails, we head for the headquarters of ExpéNord to conclude our adventure around noontime.
While we were a little sad to say goodbye to our spirited mechanical mounts, we were happy to jump in our own clothes and to have a piece of pizza pie for lunch.
After transferring the luggage from the snowmobiles to the bus, we thanked and said goodbye to our guides before heading for Roberval. On the way, those who still had some energy left chatted away. This trip forged very strong links and the goodbyes will be difficult.
At Motel Castille, we returned our borrowed clothes, took a welcome shower and headed for Mike’s for our Last Supper, as disciples of the therapeutic adventure.
As this is our last evening together, even if we’re overwhelmed by all that outdoor air, strong emotions and thrills, we find it difficult to return to our rooms and discussions drag on into the night.
Gil Thériault, blogger
There’s nothing like the cold to wake you up. By now, everyone knows the drill before departure. After breakfast, it’s like a beehive: luggage, prepping the snowmobiles… and, once again, we say goodbye to our wonderful hosts. Stanley’s mother asks us to join our hands as she thanks God for our meeting and asks Him to watch over us.
She must have a direct line to the heavens, for we had a beautiful day: blue skies, warm sun, powdery snow… what more can a snowmobiler ask for?
After awhile on the road, our guides open a 100-meter trail in the dense forest to the power line. All day, we did travel on those open spaces and enjoyed the white and fluffy snow carpet. After a few days or snowmobiling, our youths are now familiar with their machines and fear has given way to pure pleasure.
To fully take advantage of the weather, we had lunch outdoors. With fewer than 50 kilometres to go, we reached our last refuge by mid-afternoon: a wonderful cabin owned by Sépac on the shores of a frozen lake.
Without delay, the luggage is unpacked, the clothes are hung up to dry, and everyone moves on to his or her favourite pastime: cards, chatter, acrobatics… even yoga.
Meat pie and salad is on the dinner menu. Vegetarians go for the quiche after a week of transgression in the land of delicious wild meat.
This is our last evening with our guides and it will be time to reflect on this extraordinary adventure.
More on this, tomorrow.
Gil Thériault, blogger
Another full day for our group, now a family.
Today, we travelled some twenty kilometres only to meet with The Walkers. Georges has given this name to a group of some twenty people who walk in the wilderness in self-support for a full month. It’s a kind of mystical journey for natives with difficulties. Let’s say a Cree version of On the Tip of the Toes.
We were greeted as friends at their camp. As a bonus, we met Leslie, Georges’ brother, at the exact location where their father died during a hunting expedition in 2006. An emotional moment, for sure.
Then, we went back to our camp for an afternoon of optional activities: extreme snowmobiling, ice fishing or jewellery workshop. Lots of fun.
After another meal fit for a king, an evening of reflections on our trip: the high points, the low ones, our objectives and our fears.
At one point, Georges and his sister shared their thoughts and emotions with us. Another moment that will remain in our hearts forever… one more in this memorable adventure.
Some moments are recorded to be shared with those who are not here, but others, such as Georges’ song, shall remain a hidden treasure reserved for the participants only. Sometimes, selfishness is warranted.
Gil Thériault, blogger
About yesterday…
I wrote it was -20°C… we found out this morning that it was rather -30°C. Jean-Charles, our guide, said that it was the most demanding day of his 15-year career as a snowmobile guide (a combination of duration, difficulty and cold…) and that he was quite proud of the youths. “95% of Quebec snowmobilers would not dare go through with what we faced yesterday. You can be proud of yourselves, as you overcame those difficulties with class”.
Mario Bilodeau, one of the founders of On the Tip of the Toes, said to me one day that when the elements prevented him from climbing a mountain, he was philosophical about it: “I say to myself that the mountain determined that I was not ready yet.”
I was reminded of his comments this morning. Mother Nature demanded a price from us to brave the great white North. We paid it with humility, we overcame the difficulties, and she welcomed us in her midst. She determined that we were ready, that we were worthy. What an honour, what bliss!
End of digression…
We certainly deserved this morning of relaxation. Let’s go back to yesterday: breakfast, drying of our clothes, prepare the luggage… We left around noon, as this was a short 25 km day.
In no time flat, we arrived at Georges’ and his family’s camp. We quickly took possession of our prospector’s tents, our home for the next two days.
Then, we were off to get drinkable water, a session of banik, the wonderful native bread, with Georges’ wife and daughters, and card games with stimulating discussions.
We said a Cree prayer before dinner, and our group of some thirty congregated in the cabin for homemade soup and delicious moose stew.
It is warm this evening (about -6°C), yet there is a smell of summer emanating from the tents and the cabin. Could that warmth irradiate from our hearts?
Gil Thérieault, blogger
Last preparations: early morning, the team got a practical course on snowmobiling: how to start, accelerate, brake, turn using the body as a counterweight, etc.… the machines are in good shape as are the drivers.
Nice weather: rather cold (-12°C), but no wind and a clear blue sky, not a cloud to be seen. And this lasted all day.
After the usual preparation (luggage and last minute instructions), the group started out around 2 PM. Soon, the deep snow claims its first victims, as, despite the experimented guides tracing the way, because of distraction, a false steering move, our convoy must stop to extricate someone from a problem situation. After 50 kilometres of this, the group stopped for a pick-me-up of water, chewy bars, and cheese around a raging fire.
It’s day’s end, and we travel the remaining 40 km in half-light and total darkness. With low visibility, temperature falling below -20°C, a few wrong turns, and lots of recoveries, we reach our long awaited shelter around 10:30 PM.
Everyone retires to nurse aches and bruises and minor frostbites around the warm fireplace, with comforting food.
We will never forget today’s experience. Each of us had to reach deep down and came out a winner. These youths are so aware that adversity makes us stronger.
Gil Thériault, blogger
See more pictures at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pointedespieds/sets/72157629509412897/show/
The second day promised to be as busy as the first. Up around 6:30 AM, the group rapidly congregated to the motel bar for a continental breakfast.
Then, still in the bar, those who did not have a driver’s permit got their snowmobiles training. This short training session allowed those who are at least 16 years old to get their snowmobile permit, required to drive those winter vehicles. Collectively, every one listened to the wise advice of our friendly monitor who strained to be heard over the din of the regulars who seemed to use the bar as their social club.
After the initiation, we quickly emptied the rooms, loaded the bus, took a few minutes to answer the questions from the Radio-Canada team and away we go! Three hundred and fifty kilometres to go for Mistissini.
But there is always a downside to rushing: we had to stop 30 minutes at a small service station to wait for one of our guides to join us for the rest of the expedition. To compound things, we left Jean-Charles behind! Nevertheless, the rest of the trip was without mishap and we arrived at the Mistissini Lodge around 4: 30 PM (a little worse for wear). The trilingual signs (English/French/Cree) on the reservation remind us we’re far away and that our adventure is soon to begin.
Card games and the distribution of the expedition material (overcoats, muffs, boots, etc.) passed the time before the evening meal where a round of information sharing accompanied the dessert.
Slowly but surely, connexions are made, and the group gels together. Tomorrow, we jump on our metallic horses.
Gil Thériault, blogger
See more pictures at :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pointedespieds/sets/72157629509412897/show/
Early afternoon, the On The Tip of the Toes group met at Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau Airport in Montreal. Each on of them arrived with luggage, parents, friends, personal history, personality and language, as some participants are from as far as Calgary, Toronto, and Halifax..
Eleven youths and 7 team members are about to embark in a superb adventure as they will discover a lesser-known part of the country: Northern Quebec. Together we will travel the wide-open snowy spaces while discovering the wild country with our native guides. They will also introduce us to their culture and traditions. All this while riding the Nordic vehicle par excellence: the snowmobile.
This sure will be a total change of scenery, which we will remember for a very long time..
But there are still many kilometers to travel before our winter adventure. The bus left around 2: 30 PM with only a brief stop on the way. We will even eat our evening meal on the road.
First exchanges, chess and card games, reading and even a movie will help pass the time, but few will see the whole movie as we have so much to talk about.
The gang arrived in Roberval around 7 PM. Between unloading the luggage, room attribution, a hockey game for some, and a game of loup-garou for others, the evening did not drag long for tomorrow will be a very busy day.
Gil Thériault, blogger
You can see more pictures at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pointedespieds/
Twelve youths from across Canada, two of them from the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean area, will take part in an expedition from March 3 to 11, with the On the Tip of the Toes Foundation.
With a Cree guide, the twelve youths will travel more than 600 kilometres on snowmobiles to the mythical Rupert River in Northern Quebec, to rendezvous with caribous. They’ll trade civilization for the nomadic life as they discover new trails each day. Each evening, they will stop in various types of lodgings (inns, camps, prospector’s tents) to enjoy a hearty meal around a wood stove. During the expedition, a Cree family will host them, and they will share in the traditions of this wonderful and rich culture.
The adventurers will experience special moments, strong emotions, and surprises during this wonderful adventure. “These expeditions allow the participants to escape their hospital surroundings to share with other youths victims of cancer who face the same difficulties they do”, says Héléna Longpré, the Foundation’s Operations Manager.
Under the supervision of medical and outdoor experts, the youths come from various Canadian cancer centers, such as the Centre de Santé et de services sociaux de Chicoutimi, Sainte-Justine’s Hospital, the Montreal Children’s Hospital, the IWK Health Center (Maritimes), the CHEO (Ontario), Calgary Health Region (Alberta), and The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto).
Wow… What a night! The warm, humid weather of Sunday generated a memorable, epic, raging and particularly violent storm. Here’s what happened.
For the very first time this week, the clouds appeared late Sunday night. The mosquitoes were out earlier signalling the barometric pressure was much lower than normal. By 3 AM the wind started blowing, followed by increasingly frequent lightning. The wind increased, I should write INCREASED. The rains came at 3:25 AM. Heavy, disgustingly heavy rain. For a full twenty minutes, there was at least one bolt of lightning a second, if not more.
Imagine the thunder that came with this… It was like a horror movie. Again the wind… Ouch! We estimated the winds hit 70 km/hr. and we wondered if our tents would withstand all of this. Fortunately, we had set up camp away from the prevailing winds for the tent poles didn’t hold in the wind and for a few seconds the nylon canvas crumbled on us… Around 4 AM, the storm slowly abated and half an hour later, it was over. For many participants, this was the worst storm they had ever encountered. For the youths who had set up their tents some distance away from the adults, Mario’s arrival was a comforting presence during the storm.
At dawn, everything was quiet. For a ninth day in a row (!), we got up under blue skies and the sun helped dry out the tents and our equipment before our last kayak trip. Our arrival at Kilcoursie beach was grandiose to say the least. Like a Spanish Armada (you should be humming the main theme of the movie 1492 as you read this) or like a swarm of helicopters as in Apocalypse Now (do you hear the Valkyries?). The vacationers on the beach seemed a little overwhelmed by our arrival. When 18 people arrive on a beach after an 8-day expedition, there is some shouting, some signing, a lot of shouting and singing!
Because of the favourable winds, we reached terra firma earlier than planned. So we had time for one last game of Frisbee in the lake. Much to my chagrin, I must confess the youngsters clobbered the adults. Well, we were facing the sun and the wind, so that explains it. (Don’t look so doubtful! I swear it is true!)
Later in the afternoon, after setting up camp and cleaning our equipment, we treated ourselves to a forgotten luxury: hot showers and unlimited cold drinking water. Pure bliss…
The last circle meeting, a must in every expedition of the Foundation, marked the evening. Each participant, including the adults, had to summarize their experience in one word and explain his/her choice. Real. Growing. Grateful. Teamwork. Strength. Energy. Rebirth. Wonder. Audacity. Love. Sunray. Luck. Powerful. Beautiful. Inspired. Smiles. This circle meeting, like all others, was a very moving moment.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, the kids will be with their next of kin. We dare believe that the expedition took them one step further in their recovery process. As some participants stated, if the hospital was the scene of their physical recovery, this outdoor adventure – in a sometimes-hostile environment – allowed them to recover from their psychological wounds.
In closing, I would like to thank our readers who followed us in our adventure; a special thank you to those who took the time to send in their comments.
And to you, young participants in this expedition, as you read this on your return, thank you for the privilege of rubbing shoulders with you and, most of all, to share openly with you. You are true fighters. You are an inspiration for me, for all of us. Thank you.
J-Charles Fortin, blogger and photographer for the On the Tip of the Toes Foundation
As planned, we just finished circumnavigating Franklin Island – again under the scorching sun! Slowly but surely, we started our return trip to Killbear Park. We stopped on Pancake Island for lunch, we explored Bateau Island and its small rocky islets Whale Back, and we finally set up camp at Pleasant Island to end a wonderful 9-kilometre day. We are grateful to the owners of a cottage on Pleasant Island who were good enough to give us some petrol for our generator that had sprung a leak during our travels. Thanks to them, you can read this blog.
As with other islands and islets on Georgian Bay, Pleasant Island is a fascinating series of rock formations in incredibly clear waters, from pure blue to turquoise, emerald green to golden amber, depending on the sun and the lakebed. Day after day, the beauty of this lake, each point and island bringing its own surprise, astounds us. Not to mention the cormorants, the loons, the geese and other bird species, following us each day.
Today, July 17 is Ashley’s nineteenth birthday. The day started with 17 versions of “Happy Birthday, Ashley”, each participant in the expedition wanting to mark this special day. There were a few appropriate songs followed by a stirring group rendition of “Stand By Me”. Later in the evening, a surprised Ashley was presented with a cake and candles.
Our expedition is blessed wit the presence of Jerry, a young man of Chinese extraction who generously shares his culture with us. He was at the origin of our rally cry: Di Jia Hao, which means, “A large family is a good thing” in Mandarin. Having started this expedition as a group, we overcame all difficulties thrown our way to become a team. Discovering and using each member’s special talents, we became a crew. As I watch how the youths of our expedition have bonded, there is no doubt that we are now a large family.
I lied to you. Last Tuesday, I wrote we had a wonderful day and that it would be difficult to top it. Well, I was wrong. It was not difficult at all.
I still can’t believe that the last few hours were real… That it was not a dream… That I did not imagine this trip. Yet…
For a sixth consecutive day, it was a bright sunny day. The strong winds of the past days have given way to a soft breeze, a caress on our tanned skins result of our non-stop exposure to the elements. With the exception of a few waves over the shoals of Georgian Bay, the waters offered but a gentle ripple. If the waters were calm, we were not. Many wars broke out during our trip: water splashing with the paddles, water pump wars, kayak races and many more. There was also another colourful activity: cliff jumping! From twenty feet up, teens and adults jumped in the cool waters. If I may say so, the kids were braver than some adults…
If the high point of Tuesday was the technical challenges, today’s highlight was the beautiful scenery. Paddling along spectacular rocky cliffs, slaloming between the islands, denuded points and peninsulas, we could easily have been on a tropical lagoon. Finally, a fresh bass, courtesy of Sébastien who got up early to try his luck at fishing, enhanced our supper of tapenade, chicken and wild rice with Portobello mushrooms, and pears in caramel.
To top it all, we set up camp at Phoebe Point, one of the most beautiful camping sites I have ever seen. No kidding. And this writer has spent more than 1000 nights camping (I was, and still am, a guide before becoming a blogger and photographer…), and more than 90 per cent of those were in wilderness camping sites like this one. Nothing less than outstanding! We were spoiled, very spoiled, in our previous night’s sites, but this one is miles above. It has everything you can wish for: kayak ‘parking’ in a small bay sheltered from the wind, a small grey pine area to relax in the shade, a large partly shaded stone platform for our kitchen set up, naturally shaped stone shelves to store our equipment, panoramic stone mounds to pitch our tents, a bay opening on the lake serves as a natural swimming pool with unbelievably clear waters, crazy Dali-esque stone formations, batrachians in the nearby swamp provide the music… I feel my description is falling short of expressing the full beauty and practicality of this natural site.
And, on our right, the sun sets in the pinkish waters as the moon rises on our left…
Thursday having been a rather long day, we decided to leave the kayaks aside on Friday, our 5th day of expedition.
The day off started well. First, a deer dropped in for a visit at our campsite. Then, Mario caught a good-sized bass that was a welcome side dish at supper. Despite having slept in late, the kids are still kind of bushed. Leisurely stretched on flagstones, they follow Sébastien’s instructions on how to imitate the call of the loon.
Part of the morning was used for a mid-adventure discussion. It’s an important part of the Foundation’s expeditions. Basically, the kids are asked to share their impressions, their feelings, and the way they manage their fears as stated at the beginning of the expedition or the objectives they had set for themselves. Often this exercise is very touching. This expedition was be no exception.
“I feel I’m being reborn.” “For the first time since I was diagnosed, I can live in the moment.” “This is a dream come true. The same dream I made while in the hospital.” “I now realize that this expedition was what was missing to mark the transition between my illness and the future I wish for myself.” Not a dry eye to be seen during these sharing moments.
The other highlight of this beautiful and warm day didn’t happen on the water but in the waters of Cullingham Bay, a small bay on Franklin Island where we set up camp. Virginie (Gargano, one the of Foundation’s guides) held a sessionon righting a capsized kayak.The participants were invited to capsize their kayaks and try various techniques that would allow them to climb back in their crafts in deep waters. After some shouting, much laughter, amost wonderful sense of accomplishment settled in.
At day’s end, Jerry, Sébastien, Brennan, Patrick, Robert and Mario came back empty handed after fishingfor an hour. No matter, we ended the day together with a “sex on the beach”, watching the sunset. [Translator’s Note: Our friend, who writes the blog in French, thought he’d stump me with the previous sentence. He even imagined I would write “Nevertheless, we still allow ourselves to end the day by having sex on the beach all together at sunset.” GOTCHA!] Friends and families of the participants, relax! This is a “sex on the beach” cocktail, without alcohol…
We were hoping to start the day with fresh trout for breakfast. Mario (Bilodeau, co-founder of the Foundation), Sébastien, Jerry and Patrick went fishing in the early hours of the day. Unfortunately, for them and for us, we had to limit ourselves to quinoa and wild blueberries. Not a bad alternative…
We then headed off to Calhoun Island, our lunch stop. Once again, we had to face a blazing sun and heavy winds. Our efforts were rewarded when we sighted a black bear on Twin Sisters Island, a small 100 by 500 meter island! The bear probably swam from one small rocky island to the next to get to his destination, as it is some 3 kilometres from the coast.
Overall, we paddled some 14 kilometres along Shebeshekong Channel, mostly with a head wind. We are now back on Franklin Island, but on the west side. It was a long day, even exhausting for some. We were all very happy to reach terra firma around 6 PM! The kids didn’t have a clue what time it was, as we had confiscated their watches, telephones, I-Pods and other toys before the start of the expedition. We go by the sun and the moon…
And now, the “gossip column”: Brennan continues to learn French and he can now say “I like Virginie, sometimes”. Sébastien (of his own will) spent the night outdoors. Fareed has just about conquered his fear of water. Ashley thinks Sébastien is rather cute (but that was already public knowledge…).
Go to FlickR to see the expedition photos.
Many cottages on Georgian Bay have windmills. Now we know why.
The wind has been blowing nonstop for two days and we have to revise our plans. Will our participants be able to paddle the whole way as planned? Will they have enough energy to face this challenge? There is a team meeting.
So, we go back to the Foundation’s Mission Statement. We remind ourselves that these kids are fighters and that they’ve been through much worse. We remind ourselves that our wish is for these youths to face a challenge, to set new limits for themselves, to become prouder and more self-confident, that they should come out of this expedition with an enhanced sense of accomplishment. The decision is unanimous, we launch and we will continue the trip as planned.
We face the waves once again. We take advantage of an east-to-west bay to bring the crafts together, set up a sail and enjoy the wind pushing us ahead for a while. Alas, this was to be short-lived! As we gat to the other side of Point Burritt, the winds are even stronger than before. Without hesitation I can tell you that we used all the proteins we had taken in with our eggs and bacon at breakfast
Our efforts are rewarded by a super ice cream snack at the Dillon marina, a small hamlet of some ten homes, which is the sole human settlement we will encounter during our trip. After a well-deserved pause, we return to the Northern tip of Franklin Island, a site that could well be called ‘(excellent) blueberry point”, with our apologies to the residents of Saguenay and Lac-Saint-Jean.
Except for the wind, the weather is wonderful. Yet, the wind prevents us from being “baked” by the ever-present sunshine. Yet, cirrus clouds have shown up during the day and the wind is shifting. There will be a heavy rainstorm before Friday.
In the meantime, the moon is nearly full and engulfs our camp in a pallid light as the clouds have disappeared from the sky. After first sitting on a stony point, our young friends retreated to the kitchen tent away from the bugs. From a distance, I listen to their conversations. Their laughter is refreshing. Their happiness is contagious. The loons seem to join in the laughter.
We had anticipated a windy night. It was. The tents held up, the walls were shaking furiously, but everything remained in its place: tents, kayaks, tarps, and… we nearly stayed there ourselves!
In the early morning, 15-18 knot winds were sweeping Georgian Bay. It was as if a whole herd of sheep was prancing around our island. What were we to do? Face the choppy waters or remain a little longer on Pancake Island?
First, what better way to honour our island than a delicious breakfast of Nutella-Banana pancakes? We will need all the energy we can get to face this unstable sea. As the youths savour their breakfast, the guides are hard at work. The winds are strong all right, but they are constant and predictable. The visibility is excellent and there are no clouds in the sky. In addition, there is only one kilometre between Pancake Island and Snug Harbour, a short crossing. So, the decision is made to proceed. Teams are revised to match one adult and one youth per kayak, and off we go!
It was an epic crossing! Sea kayaking at its best! There is a warm wind in our faces to soften the splashing waters of Lake Huron as we dip in successive waves. It’s hard work to keep on course, so, we keep a tight formation and eat plenty of chocolate! In no time we have arrived. The youngsters are very proud of their success, and so are we.
We then follow the coast and take in the majesty of the tall white pines. Most impressive is the colour and limpidity of the water. The golden sunlight enhances the unsuspected emerald shades of the water. It’s just like a tropical sea. The older members of our group scan the horizon hoping for Brooke Shields to emerge from her blue lagoon.
In mid-afternoon we reach Franklin Island. This gigantic island will be the hub of our circumnavigation for the next few days. We set up camp and then we go swimming, we play Frisbee and just relax. Our nurse sets up shop: our psycho-educator, Robert, and Richard, a cameraman from TVA who travels with us, both “nurse” blisters. Of course, I assured them I would not mention it in the blog…
In closing, I invite you to leave your comments on the blog. Having done this blog in previous expeditions, I know the youngsters LOVE reading the comments of those who follow them on the blog. The ball is in your camp…
Wow! A Beautiful Day, Indeed!
Monday morning, and our expedition gets underway. Au-revoir Blind Bay. We leave you to launch from Kilcoursie beach as we head to Pancake Island, some 6 kilometres away.
Before leaving, some last minute precautions: beware of poison ivy and the improbable presence of rattlesnakes. The park Rangers tell us there are some Mississauga Rattlers in this area. They add that it is highly unlikely we will come across one of them as we are at the northernmost limit of their habitat, that the species is extremely rare and endangered, and finally, because we will be camping on islands. As a matter of fact, not one specimen was seen this year. Well, if you say so… lady Rangers… In any event, we have our own highly competent medical staff!
Surprised and relieved, we managed to get all our material in the kayaks. Better still, there was some room left! We were rewarded for our efforts to use every single cubic centimetre: first, we spotted a doe and her two, still speckled, calves, followed by a smoked salmon lunch.
We finally launched early afternoon. The cloud cover cools the air slightly, the ideal weather to paddle. Georgian Bay is calm, i-d-e-a-l conditions. We eat up the kilometres like pros. Our young friends are having a ball, and so are we.
Propped up on the boulders of our campsite, we listen to their chatter. They are happy. Finally, they can share will people who have lived through the same situations they have. They laugh and share about the sometimes-esoteric situations they experienced because of the side effects of their treatments. They comment on the regrowth of their hair, hospital food, the alteration of their culinary preferences as their sickness and treatment progressed. They are clearly happy.
And so are we.
As I write this, (Monday, 10 PM) the wind rises and menacing clouds are showing up. The guides examined the tents to make sure they were secure. The night may well be agitated.
Surprising, or rather impressive. This is what comes to mind when I see how fast the group is bonding, how participants open up to each other, how they share, how profound they can be.
The day started with a circle of discussion. The youths were asked to share their fears but most of all their objectives at the start of the expedition. Thus, some of them wished to use this expedition to turn the page on a rather unpleasant episode in their lives. Others want to use this opportunity to share with other youths who really understand what they went through. Still others are pleased to face a challenge of their choice and not something that was imposed on them. Believe me when I tell you I am impressed…
A good part of the morning was used to learn about the equipment, choose the proper clothing, how to use the sleeping bags, determine how to, shall we say… answer the call of nature deep in the forest, and learn about hygiene and water treatment during an expedition. After a delicious lunch on the shores of Georgian Bay, we held the First Pebble Skimming World Championship. Sébastien was the winner with 8 skips.
Finally, in mid-afternoon we “broke the ice” and put the kayaks in the water for the first time in preparation for the next eight days. “Breaking the ice” is to be taken in a figurative sense, of course. This is Northern Ontario, but it’s not THAT cold! On the contrary, the waters of this section of Lake Huron are pleasantly warm. So is the breeze; the scenery is pastoral and, young and old, show their best smiles.
So, on the eve of our adventure, we use the showers and facilities of Killbear Park for the last time. Starting Monday morning, we will spend our nights in the deep forest.
The sun was shining when we got underway on this Saturday, July 9. Our group was just about complete, Patrick Sauvé, from Drummondville, had caught up with us early in the morning. We left for Ottawa where we picked up Fareed Ali and Ashley Blackstrom who were waiting for us. Much to our pleasure, we noticed the group was bonding fast, very fast indeed, and that new friendships were blossoming. Not surprising, as our participants are very loquacious and cheerful!
Our itinerary was first punctuated by some scheduled stops, for lunch, to fill-up, or simply to stretch our legs. But there was also an unscheduled 90-minute pause to change one of the trailer tires, which had punctured unbeknownst to us – we are grateful to the driver of a blue Ford Winsdstar who brought it to our attention as he passed us. Yes, a full 90 minutes to change a tire, without tools, and with a jack we borrowed from a passer-by, as ours was not suited to this particular task. Now, that is the way to start an adventure!
So, after 12 hours of travelling over the roads of Quebec and Ontario, we finally arrived at beautiful Killbear Park – I had forgotten how healthy the trees are in that part of the country! Good company, chocolate brownies, air conditioning, and videos made this a successful day.
As we entered the park, a sign reminded us that we were not alone on this territory: beware of the bears in Killbear Park! This warning was confirmed a few kilometres later when we met a plump female who ignored us and pursued her foraging in a garbage container looking for some delicacy to eat. We will sleep safely tonight as the park rangers told us that the site we chose for the night was rather infested with wash-bears!!!
Tomorrow, Sunday, is kayak practice day. Our group can’t wait to dip the oars in the water. As Martine St-Clair (nearly) sang in 1984: “There’s excitement in the aiiiiiir, toniiiiiight!”
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