FALL 2018 Vol. 45 No. 3 Quarterly Journal of the Wilderness Canoe Association

Long Sandy beach for refuge and map check at Otterhead Bay

My Memory of the Lake Superior 1967 Centennial CanoeVoyage By Craig Macdonald Photos by Dr. Bob James

Introduction Memories are strange things that get altered and dimmed by graphically, but not necessarily temporally connected, self-sus - the passage of time. However, many of my memories of our tained canoe voyages across Canada to celebrate the nation’s two incredible canoe voyages on Lake Superior fifty years ago centennial birthday. The trips were to be made by youth camps have remained clear and vivid. These trips were made to fulfill using older campers supervised by canoe tripping staff. Each a dream of the Canadian Camping Association and its provin - camp was assigned a section to complete sometime during the cial affiliates. The dream was to undertake a series of geo - summer of 1967. culations. The storage canister was then given several coats of varnish to make it waterproof. While the maps were in use in both canoes, they were carried separate from the canister and protected by place - ment in a clear plastic bag. During the previous summer, a small group of Nor’westers had volunteered to study what equipment and supplies would be needed to make the trip. In September of 1966 my younger and late brother, Rod Macdonald, wrote the Federal Department of Fisheries to obtain more information about canoe travel on Lake Superior and the schedule and iden - tification of inflowing rivers to be treated with lampricide. In November, the Department wrote back that the lampri - cide applications were entirely weather- dependent so that application dates and locations could not be accurately deter - mined in advance. However, they did name Eric Morse of Larumac, Quebec Launching canoes on the Kaministiquia River, Fort William (now Thunder Bay) and John Mitchell of Toronto as sources for Lake Superior canoeing information. Understandably, no youth camp came me to look after its navigational aspects. I They also suggested that we could tie into forward to volunteer to paddle the huge was provided with the appropriate hydro - three local events if we were to reach and dangerous Lake Superior section. So graphic maps in duplicate. However, Sault Ste. Marie between late June and Kirk Wipper, owner of Camp Kandalore, there was a small but not insurmountable mid-July. volunteered to sponsor the completion of glitch. No detailed map covering the area During the winter, Sandy Keith wrote this section using Camp Kandalore staff south of Batchawana Bay had been pur - some detailed notes on a suggested list of alumni. He offered the loan of two chased. With these maps, I plotted a rea - camping items. Interestingly he suggested Chestnut twenty-five-foot wood-canvas sonable route and where possible, a more that we take walkie-talkies with a range canoes, truck and trailer, camping gear protected route in the event of stormy of at least 50 miles, flares and a direc - and food to Nor’westers willing to under - weather. After calculating the total dis - tional-finding device like those that were take this task. Nor’westers were Camp tances for both, I concluded that the com - starting to be carried on some light air - Kandalore staff alumni who had a special pletion of the trip was almost impossible craft. Unfortunately, in 1967 these elec - interest and expertise in canoe tripping within the allocated time even with the tronic devices would have been difficult and woodsmanship. Any shortfall of best possible weather. Our starting date to acquire, so no further investigation was Nor’wester volunteers was to be made up had been left much too late because most made. Sandy provided a series of draw - by interested and suitably skilled Camp of the participants would have to return ings illustrating several configurations of Kandalore staff who could be made sur - for the start of school. This limited the paddlers and equipment in the canoes as - plus to the camp operation close to the number of days that could be spent pad - suming that we would be traveling with end of August. These staff had to be will - dling on Lake Superior to complete the six persons in each canoe. Sandy also in - ing to stay beyond their camp contracts to trip. When informed of this fact, Kirk’s cluded drawings of several canoe-sailing complete the trip. After the trip, Kirk was response was, “We have an obligation, methods for both a single canoe and a to estimate the food costs per person. men, do the best you can!” pair of canoes lashed together on pole Participants were asked to pay this I proceeded to make a waterproof map spreaders to form a catamaran. amount as well as cover their own food canister that would store a very large roll We also received some copied memos purchases while in transit on the roads. of maps. This was made from a heavy and reports about the proposed federally It is unlikely that Kirk Wipper looked cardboard tube closed on the ends with and provincially sponsored voyageur at a map to accurately estimate the true wood plugs. One plug was permanently canoe race and pageant from the magnitude of the undertaking before held in place with copper nails. I prepared Centennial Commission. The proposed making his commitment to the Canadian a paper listing of the distances for dozens race was to start at Rocky Mountain Camping Association. By early August of waypoints for both an inner and outer House, Alberta and end at the Expo 67 most of the participants had been se - passage through the islands and across site in Montreal, Quebec. Eight provinces lected. At this time, I reconfirmed my bays. This paper was glued to the outside and two territories each provided a racing commitment to the trip, and Kirk asked of the tube to facilitate rapid distance cal - team. According to Norm Crerar, who

2 NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 captained the Manitoba team, the event Department of Lands and Forests, had waves and therefore had to be given an was originally conceived by Gene grown up in the west Lake Nippising unusually wide berth. Rheaume of Flin Flon in 1963 as a race area of Ontario in a fishing, hunting and Carl was provided with a “Nestable” from Edmonton to Montreal using two- trapping family. Carl’s canoeing mentor canoe for his route survey run in 1965. man canoe teams and 100 paddlers. In was Len Cote of Sturgeon Falls, a fa - This was a group-paddling canoe manu - 1964 a proposal for this race was drafted mous dogsled musher who was the old- factured by the Chestnut Canoe by Norm Tyson of Flin Flon and sent to time game warden of the Nipissing Company of Fredericton, New the Centennial Commission. Under the Crown Game Preserve, Marten River, Brunswick. The canoe had a length of 19 guidance of Arnie Charbonneaux of the Ontario. Years later Carl Monk, along feet, beam of 51 inches and a depth of 19 Centennial Commission, this event soon with Jerome Knap, wrote the book The inches. All commodores agreed that this morphed into a community-based Complete Guide to Canoeing. Carl was canoe design had to be improved and voyageur canoe pageant as well as a race placed on paid leave to work for the lengthened for training runs with provin - in larger canoes. Centennial Commission. His transfer cial racing team participants in 1966. So The Commission was concerned about was facilitated by Deputy Minister of the the Chestnut Canoe Company embarked canoe safety on Lake Winnipeg and Lake Department of Lands and Forests G.H.U. on a project to build 10 larger canoes Superior. The problem with Lake “Terk” Bailey who was an avid wilder - with high ends, imitating the style of the Winnipeg was solved by rerouting the ness canoeist and a member of Eric old voyageur canoes for the Centennial race through Lake Manitoba. The canoes Morse’s canoe group. Some of Eric’s Commission. These canoes were built would be portaged from Delta 30 kilome - other members included Eliot Roger, over an old, modified 25-foot, double- ters to Portage La Prairie for a descent of Sigurd Olsen, Omand Solandt, Blair end freight canoe form that the Chestnut the Assiniboine River. This new route Fraser and Pierre Trudeau. Lands and Canoe Company kept in storage. The completely avoided the most dangerous Forests staff were directed by “Terk” to depth of the freight canoe was reduced portions of Lake Winnipeg. (The Quebec provide blanket support to the Centennial and the ends were altered to produce a and Alberta teams actually portaged this Commission and its paddlers for any un - bow and stern typical of voyageur ca - distance in four hours with the canoes on dertakings in the province of Ontario. noes. The canoe canvas was painted to their shoulders while the others used carts One of the key pieces of information that look like birchbark although the light and wagons.) we learned from Carl’s report was that pink-brown colour failed to provide an However, Lake Superior could not be the water off several points and head - accurate imitation. As in the days of the circumvented because it was an essential lands on Lake Superior could become voyageurs, the canoe ends were painted component of the voyageur route. dangerously choppy from reflected white to serve as backgrounds for crests Traditionally the voyageurs had used much larger, 36-foot canots de maitre for paddling on Lake Superior. The problem was that almost no information could be found on paddling Lake Superior since no long-distance canoe trips had been undertaken on the lake since the fur trade era. Eric Morse and his wife Pamela had paddled a portion of the Lake Superior route during 1960 and were seemingly the only ones that had traveled any great distance by canoe on this lake in the modern era. For this reason, exploratory surveys were undertaken for much of the route including Lake Superior during the summer of 1965. The Centennial Commission had Commodore Carl Monk, an Ontario con - servation officer, and crew undertake a trial survey run in 1965 from Lake of the Woods to North Bay. However, they had to terminate the trip at Blind River due to stormy weather. On Lake Superior, they were accompanied by R.C.M.P. patrol boats for most of the route and were oc - casionally overflown by Ontario govern - ment aircraft to ensure their safety. Carl Monk, who worked for the Ontario Heading out on the Mission River to cross Thunder Bay

NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 3 and logos. These “Centennial” canoes vehicles or in boats. ready known that Rod McLeod would we re 25 feet long, 51 inches wide, 19 After committing to fiberglass canoes, likely have to leave part way through the inches deep and weighed 235 lbs. dry. the Centennial Commission declared its trip. Therefore, part of Kirk’s rationale Between August 6 and 15, 1966, the wood-canvas Chestnut Centennial canoes might have been that with a crew of five, provincial racing crews paddled these surplus. Kirk Wipper, ever the oppor - there would be less impact on the forward new wood-canvas canoes down the tunist when it came to canoes, acquired a progress of the trip if a couple of paddlers Fraser River from Fort Ste. James and pair of these surplus Centennial Canoes. had to leave. There would be no need to across Georgia Straight to Victoria. During the summer of 1967, they were wait for replacement paddlers. However, Between August 23 and 30, a second trip used by senior Camp Kandalore boys to Kirk assured us that there would be re - was taken by the same group of paddlers cover a portion of the Centennial canoe placements waiting if they were ever and canoes from Lachine through Lake route between Fort Francis and the needed. Champlain and down the Hudson River Winnipeg Y.M.C.A. Camp Stephens on Paul Reynolds did the menu and most to the Statue of Liberty. Lake of the Woods. After this event, these of the food packing. During this process After trial runs in the summer of 1966, canoes were used on our Lake Superior it became apparent that some of the food the Centennial Commission opted for adventure. should be cached part way along the fiberglass versions of the Chestnut The seat arrangement in the wood- route to lessen the load in the canoes. Centennial Canoes to be manufactured by canvas Chestnut Centennial canoes Wooden storage crates were constructed Moisie Cadorette at Grand Mere, north of proved unsatisfactory for canoe trips be - for this purpose. After a quick lesson Three Rivers, Quebec so they could with - cause there was no place to store large from Charlie Haultain on how to use the stand tougher use. The five seats in the canoe packs loaded with food and camp - back of a heated frying pan to steam out Chestnut Centennial canoes were weak, ing gear. For this reason, the fifth seat at wet canoe canvas to make a good am - too low, and not designed for six paddlers midships was removed to provide the broid repair to rips, we were ready to start shifting paddling sides. The Cadorette ca - necessary space. The low, recessed seats our trip. A brief ceremony was held with noes came with two seats and four with the struts were an annoyance when the crew and Camp Kandalore campers benches, so that all six paddlers had their baggage had to be stored under them. the night prior to leaving. own seat. This facilitated the rapid shift - It was recognized that six paddlers and With a careful read of the following ing of paddling sides for racing. full equipment would be a serious over - text, you will come to realize that 50 However, these sturdy fiberglass canoes load for these canoes in rough conditions years ago we lived in a simpler and more were much heavier (around 400 lbs.) for on Lake Superior. While some of the self-reliant era. Back then, the Trans- portaging. Their benches limited the crew members wanted the crew number Canada Highway along the north shore of space for carrying a sizeable cargo reduced to four to lighten the canoes and Lake Superior had just been opened in needed for food and camping gear. This make it easier to change paddling sides, 1960 so there was smooth pavement but problem was solved by limiting each pad - Kirk Wipper was insistent on crews of very little tourist infrastructure, including dler to a small personal pack and by car - five with two of the crew paddling side gas stations. There were no cell or satel - rying the rest of the gear either in support by side ahead of the sternsman. It was al - lite phones, no G.P.S., no P.F.D.s, no reli - able weather forecasts, no vehicle seat belts, no closed-cell foam pads or ther - marests, no broad-spectrum credit cards or debit cards and no canoe splash cov - ers. A canoe trip on Superior today could be made be much more easily and safely.

The Road Trip to Fort William We needed to proceed as quickly as pos - sible, if we were going to have enough time on Lake Superior to complete this trip. The plan was to place the two Centennial canoes one over the other on a specially-made trailer. This trailer was to be towed behind one of the camp’s trucks carrying all the crew, food and equip - ment. The tow vehicle was a worn-out G.M. suburban school bus (a low-sided panel truck) that still retained its original yellow paint with a four-forward-and- reverse floor gear shift. Both the truck and trailer had been used on the earlier Our Egyptian cotton Kandalwood Tents pitched on the tip of Thunder Cape Fort Francis-Kenora expedition. The ca -

4 NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 noes and most of the supplies were loaded the day prior. Arrangements were made to sacrifice sleep and arise at 3:15 a.m., load the remainder of the gear, eat breakfast and go. Unfortunately, the truck would not start so we had to push it to a position where Gord Day could put a battery charger on it. This delayed our departure until shortly after after 6:00 a.m. The plan was to rendezvous with Dave Purdon and Rod McLeod, who were coming up Hwy. 69 behind us by car and would hopefully overtake us somewhere on Hwy. 17, be - fore we arrived at Sault Ste. Marie. Our canoes were so distinctive that they would be almost impossible to miss even at stops – as long as the trailer was kept within sight of the highway. Both Dave and Rod were familiar with the canoes, having paddled in one of them for some publicity photos at Camp Kandalore a few weeks earlier. Crossing the mouth of Black Bay The day was cool and dull. We en - countered a heavy rainstorm on Hwy. 11 whether we had enough cash to cover the eration, the steaks we carried were start - at Powassan Ridge, but the sun came out secondary expenses due to mechanical ing to turn green on the surface. Because at North Bay. At the junction of Hwy. 11 breakdown. In those days there were the crew was running into considerable and 17 north of town at the stoplights, only gas cards, so to save cash, the crew unplanned personal expense, we asked we encountered a huge crowd of walked the six miles across Sudbury to the owner to borrow his Coleman stove stranded teenage hitchhikers returning the garage in Copper Cliff. Fortunately, to cook our steaks and voluntarily swept from Expo 67. Many were sleeping in shortly after our arrival, Dave and Rod his pavement and on-ramps for his trou - the ditches. However, most were stand - spotted our canoes and made a success - ble. And to pass the time of day, the ing out on the highways, carrying signs ful connection. crew also made visits to view the “Big for many points west, including far-away We made long-distance, collect phone Nickel”, a go-cart track, and some rail - locations such as Victoria B.C. and calls to Camp Kandalore to get authori - way construction on the opposite side of Whitehorse Y.T. Dozens were also still zation for the vehicle repair and to work the highway. heading east. out some mutually agreeable scheme In a last-ditch effort to repair the The city limits of Sudbury were with the garage for payment as this was clutch, a machinist made a replacement reached by 11:00 a.m. when just opposite Saturday and all the banks in Sudbury for the broken part Sunday evening and the Sorrento Hotel, part of the truck’s were closed. then our mechanic re-assembled the clutch assembly fell out onto the high - The garage made long-distance phone clutch. Mr. Monahan, the garage owner, way. We walked to the nearest garage, calls to Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay and was quite concerned about our trip and and the mechanic drove out to look at it. Toronto with the hope of receiving clutch provided extraordinary service to help us After a quick check, he told us that he parts by train or bus. However, not a sin - get underway again. The trial run was a would not touch it. Our driver Dave gle part was available without the expen - success, but the truck had to be taken Merrifield had the truck with trailer still sive option of buying the entire clutch as - back to the garage to straighten the attached towed to Monahan’s Garage in sembly. steering rods that had been bent by the Copper Cliff west of Sudbury. We were With this discouraging news, we careless tow truck operator. We loaded told that this garage had the best capabil - drove to the railway stations in Sudbury the truck and reconnected the trailer, but ity of making a timely repair of any to see if it was feasible to travel to Fort the engine would not start, due to a bat - garage in the Sudbury area. This was for - William by railway. (Years later Fort tery so weak that it would only hold a tunate because the garage was located di - William and Port Arthur were amalga - charge for a short period. With all of the rectly on Hwy. 17 and west of the Hwy. mated to create the city of Thunder crew pushing both the truck and trailer 69 and 17 junction, allowing Dave Bay). That night, the crew tried to get we managed to jump-start the motor to Purdon and Rod McLeod to spot our dis - some sleep in the back of a fruit truck, get underway again at midnight Sunday. tinctive canoes on the trailer that we left while a second shift of mechanics con - This truck failure had cost us two days parked close to the edge of the highway. tinued to work on the truck through the of time, placing completion of our Lake The crew was concerned about night. After two hot days without refrig - Superior trip in jeopardy. We were very

NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 5 Leaving Marathon, an acrid smell of burning rubber and white smoke came up through the truck floor around the gearshift. The driver quickly stopped the truck and poured several cups of coffee through the hole surrounding the gearshift. This may have helped cool the overheated transmission, but little else. Shortly thereafter, we discovered that a very tired Rod had accidentally left the truck emergency brake on and the smoke soon dissipated. At this point Dave Merrifield took over again, being some - what rested by a short sleep. The welding on the upper crossbars of the trailer broke loose and tipped the upper canoe on its side just west of Schreiber. These crossbars proved diffi - cult to lash back into position with rope. However, after a considerable delay, we made a successful trailer repair and were on the road again. Fishing Camp, “Marion G” By chance, we met a friendly Mr. Earl when we both stopped at a snack bar just tired and facing an all-night drive. Apart the car and made arrangements to store short of Nipigon. Mr. Earl would play an from the truck repair and towing ex - the truck and trailer in the O.P.P. parking important role later in the trip. penses, our aggregate cash had been re - lot at the north end of the city. After a After a long, hard drive we finally duced by more than $100 – in those days short wait at the welders until they made it to Port Arthur by 9 p.m. and had a lot of money. We left Copper Cliff in a opened in the morning, we made arrange - a glimpse of the Sleeping Giant forma - somber mood and frustrated about the ments to have the main beam re-welded tion and Thunder Bay in the ensuing poor condition of the truck, including its and strengthened while we had breakfast. darkness. We were told that all the ac - questionable tires. Dave and Rod traveled Dave Merrifield was now so tired that commodations were booked around Port behind the truck with two additional per - he could not drive further. Rod McLeod Arthur and Fort William due to Expo 67, sons in the car, then at around 3 a.m., took over. There were now eleven people so we headed out to Kakabeka Falls they went ahead at Thessalon to drop off and additional equipment crammed in the Provincial Park to camp. On arrival we the car in Sault Ste. Marie. A short time truck, plus all our food and gear. The two found that the park staff had gone home later, in a graveled construction zone near truck seats had capacity for only seven for the night and a quick check of the Desbarats, the main beam of the trailer persons. The remaining four persons sat campground proved that it was full. We snapped in half. Since the break was be - at the back, crammed on home-made quickly unloaded the trailer and equip - hind the safety chains, the trailer came wooden side-benches with the food and ment in the picnic area adjacent to the loose on the highway in a great shower of equipment piled in the back up to two falls and drove back to the town of sparks and nearly tipped over. feet from the truck roof! The truck was Kakabeka Falls for some dinner. We ar - Fortunately, nobody was coming in the now so overloaded, that all the long, rived at the restaurant just before it opposite direction. The trailer then veered steep grades had to be climbed in the sec - closed at midnight. This was the best in another direction and finally came to ond of four forward gears. Rod had to meal that we had had in several days. By rest at the very edge of a steep embank - pull off the highway many times to let a the time we returned to the park, we ment. If the trailer had rolled over the long parade of cars pass. On the way west were too tired to set up tents, so some of edge, the canoes and trailer would have we made a short side trip to examine us slept in the truck while the rest slept been destroyed. While some of the crew Marathon Harbour and to drop off several on picnic tables under clear skies. It was directed the traffic around the site with boxes of crated food at the local O.P.P. of - cold that night, and by first light there flashlights, the rest lashed up the trailer fice to reduce the load carried in the ca - was some frost on the grass. We arose at beam back together again with rope and noes. The additional space created in the 7:30 a.m. and had a quick look at the pieces of wood. We repaired the electri - truck made the ride easier beyond falls and the Kaministiquia River that we cal wire for the tail-lights that was ripped Marathon for those in the rear. Marathon would be paddling later that day. out, and we were underway again at 4 was selected as a re-supply point because After breakfast, we made several a.m. when paddling eastward from Marathon, phone calls from the town of Kakabeka On arrival at Sault Ste. Marie we there was no further road access for many Falls, including one to the Department of picked up the remainder of the crew from days of canoe travel. Transport to notify the lighthouse keep -

6 NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 ers that our trip on Lake Superior would quite some distance while crossing the avoid interfering with each other’s pad - be underway shortly. Other calls were to bay. dling. Safely switching paddling sides in local newspapers and to the C.B.C. to It was likely that once we got further heavy seas was almost impossible with arrange a television interview at our em - out in the bay the wind direction was the configuration of packs and five peo - barkation point adjacent to the New going to shift as we became more ex - ple in the canoes. Therefore, in rough Vickers Road Bridge. Returning to Fort posed to the main body of Lake Superior. water we had to resign ourselves to pad - William, we drove out on the delta to It would have been a mistake to head di - dling long distances on one side without gauge the height of the waves and rectly for the Welcome Islands because it relief. strength of the wind for our crossing of would have placed us more broadside to Crossing Thunder Bay, Rod McLeod’s Thunder Bay. We then worked out our the waves when crossing the most ex - crew timed themselves at 28 strokes per seating arrangements and pack place - posed portion of the bay. In the fair minute while Dave Purdon’s canoe sus - ments so that we would appear organized weather we were having, we could ex - tained 34 strokes per minute. Eventually in front of the TV camera. After a lunch pect the waves to build to their maxi - Rod’s stepped up their pace to around 33 of sandwiches, Rod gave a good TV in - mum between 2 and 4 p.m. Therefore, strokes per minute. terview on the purpose and details of our we wisely made our crossing in a sweep - Thunder Bay was the only place on trip. Our departure down the Mission ing arc of approximately eighteen miles Lake Superior where we had to cross a River channel of the Kaministiquia River to the north of Pie Island, so that we major shipping lane. My fear was that we delta was included in the filming. Dave could paddle downwind with the largest would encounter the captain of a big Merrifield left with the truck and trailer waves. The crossing took over four freighter who lacked the common sense to obtain a new battery, to re-weld the hours. Believe me, there were many rear - to slow down and reduce his ship’s wake. trailer crossbars and to reposition the ward glances at the huge whitecaps that Fortunately no ships crossed our path and truck and trailer at the O.P.P. parking lot continued to build behind us. We all we saw very few boats of any size during in Sault Ste. Marie. From there, he took hoped the good weather would hold for the entire trip. buses to Huntsville and obtained a staff the crossing. At this early stage in the The massive 800-foot-high cliffs of pick-up ride back to Camp Kandalore. trip, given the weight of our load, we re - the Sleeping Giant are the highest in ally did not know yet how much rough Ontario and were certainly impressive Our First Trip on Lake Superior water these canoes could handle. when we viewed them from the water. We departed at 1:30 p.m., crossed the During this first big crossing, we ex - Dave Purdon spotted an eagle soaring main channel of the Kaministiquia River perienced the disadvantage of having five above the cliffs the following morning. and paddled one and a half miles down paddlers in the canoe. Without leaning Since the surf was too heavy to land the Mission River to its mouth. As would out over the gunwales, the quarter pad - amongst the large stones on the wind - be expected, this was largely an indus - dlers had to stagger themselves on the ward side of the point, we paddled trial area with low, flat, flood-prone seat, one forward and one further back to around to the backside for a safer landing banks but high enough to hide any view of Lake Superior. One canoe was sterned by Rod McLeod (paddling left) with Bob James (paddling left) and Bruce Grantier (pad - dling right) at the quarter, Andy Bain (paddling left) at three quarters and Peter Mills (paddling right) in the bow. The other canoe was sterned by Dave Purdon (paddling left), with John Sparks (paddling left) and Jim Stockbridge (pad - dling right) at the quarter, Craig Macdonald (paddling left) at three quar - ters and Paul Reynolds (paddling right) in the bow. We encountered a headwind as we passed the breakwall of the booming grounds at the mouth of the Mission River. The tip of Thunder Cape on the other side of Thunder Bay was our desti - nation. Fortunately the afternoon was sunny with no fog. We used the foot of the Sleeping Giant for navigation because our true destination was below the horizon for Lunch on Clark Island

NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 7 to our campsite on the very tip of lunch and the surrounding beautiful The weather deteriorated. It was now Thunder Cape. The view across Thunder scenery. dull and threatening rain. For the night, Bay that evening was impressive with the During the crossing of Black Bay, we stayed on Magnet Island at an outpost twinkling lights of Port Arthur and Fort Rod McLeod’s group veered strongly to camp belonging to a commercial fishing William and the silhouette of Mount the left on their own course adjacent to operation based in Dorion at the head of MacKay and the Nor’westers in the back - Hardscrabble Island. According to their Black Bay. The manager told us stories ground. interpretation of the map, they were cer - of a group who was trying to retrace That night we enjoyed a comfortable tain that our canoe was headed wrongly. Alexander Mackenzie’s route and hadn’t and much-needed sleep with the sound After finding themselves traveling up a eaten in several days. When he gave of surf pounding on the beach. A brisk blind bay on Edward Island, they finally them some cooked fish, they savagely southeast wind sprang up at 2:30 a.m., altered their course and rejoined our downed it and asked for more. He also but by dawn the wind had died down. canoe that had been waiting for them. talked about the Centennial Voyageur However, canoe loading that morning The horizon became increasingly hazy, Canoe Pageant and the canoes that had was difficult due to the swells created by making navigation even more difficult passed through a month earlier. this wind. While leaving, Dave’s canoe past Edward Island. It took some time to We obtained a good sleep in his cab - was thrown back on a rock. Fortunately, convince some of Rod’s crew that we ins although we could not sleep in the the blow was squarely on the keel with were heading to the adjacent mainland beds because they were much too short. no damage, and the canoe lifted off with and not to a group of isolated islands. A These people were tiny and even their the next incoming wave. From here we mistake here would have sent the canoes chairs, tables and cabin doors were paddled straight out to the lighthouse on down Black Bay and potentially on a fu - small. The camp’s fishing boat was typi - Trowbridge Island to ensure that the tile side trip of nearly 60 miles. Rod’s cal of those seen at Port Dover or three additional lighthouse keepers canoe stayed close at hand for the rest of Killarney. It was completely covered to along our route would look for our pas - the trip, although they questioned my prevent large waves from crashing in and sage. The lighthouse keeper’s wife course for the next two days. Map orien - sinking the boat. During the night it served our crew crumpets and tea while tations and route explanations had to be rained heavily and remained dull and I scaled a small cliff to obtain spruce given at almost every rest stop as we cold until we left the Lamb Island light - poles for our sail. These poles also threaded our way through a myriad of is - house late the following day. proved useful for steadying the canoes lands. This area displayed a marked transi - and keeping them in position while load - In the middle of Magnet Channel, tion in flora. Back in Thunder Bay, an ing and unloading. Dave Purdon’s arm began to hurt badly abundance of deciduous trees indicated a Our route next took us past the fa - due to dealing with big waves coming in milder climate. Here the great boreal for - mous “Silver Islet” mine, discovered in at an oblique angle. Part of the problem est sweeps down right to the shores of 1868 by Thomas MacFarlane. The is - was that neither steersman was given a Lake Superior. Many species of ferns land was barely 100 feet in any direction suitable “long-shafted” stern paddle for and orchids can be found here, including and its highest point was only about controlling the 25- foot canoes. The other the rare Bog Adder’s Mouth. Many types eight feet above the water. Extensive problem was that we could not easily of liverworts are located in the “tundra- crib work was built to prevent the waves switch paddling sides to relieve arm like” biomes that checker this area. from completely washing over the island strain. With five people in a canoe, the The Arctic alpines Bistort and False and flooding the mine’s shaft. Due to the load placement had to be changed with Asphodel are found growing on the efforts of mining engineer W.B. Frue, each shift to maintain adequate canoe windswept sides of islands where the cli - Silver Islet became one of the world’s balance. To solve the problem, John mate is too tough for many other plants. richest silver mines, producing over a Sparks took the stern and Dave switched Primula, juniper and wild chives are also half a million dollars in one year. All with Jim Stockbridge to paddle on the present. that was left when we passed was a pile right-hand side of the canoe. The windward sides of these islands of broken rock rubble and an old stone All this switching did not turn out can only support stunted balsam fir and chimney. well because John Sparks had great diffi - black spruce. Their trunks were coated in We had lunch on Clarke Island out in culty sterning the canoe with his short lichens, and their scraggly branches were the middle of Black Bay. The rocks that paddle. It took the combined efforts of hung with clumps of long-stranded beard form the island have been pushed up John “jaying” and Dave “drawing and moss. vertically and are fractured by weather - sweeping” on the other side to keep the Due to worsening visibility, we were ing into large, square blocks. The stone canoe headed down on the big waves and barely able to make out our route. From itself was quite attractive and consisted across on the smaller ones. Rod Tunnel Island, our course was sighted be - of broken, angular bits of stone trapped McLeod’s canoe was not quite as heav - tween Swede and Gourdeau Islands, by within larger stone (breccia). The higher ily loaded and fared much better. For the recognizing very slight shifts in hue on rock masses were “blanched” with the first time they took the lead and for a the horizon as various landforms. As we droppings of herring gulls. Desiccated long while were able to rest one of their passed into more wave protection from bodies of dead gulls lay strewn about, crew continuously without being over - islands, we were able to sail from Rex detracting from the aesthetic quality of taken. Island almost to Black’s Wharf. This was

8 NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 an unoccupied commercial fishing camp to his last paddle stroke and might men to prevent the canoes from sweeping and where we stopped for lunch. expire! around with the wind. The landing area That morning we passed through the Angus invited us in for tea and told us was a long, sloping rock. To prevent peo - agonic line where there is no magnetic that he had seen our departure on C.B.C. ple from sliding into the water we placed declination. A short distance later, we television. We talked to him about the large clumps of moss on the wave-damp - paddled over some areas of extreme mag - countercurrent we had been paddling ened portion of this slippery rock to im - netic disturbance. A few of our crew had against. He said that it was even worse prove traction. We used poles to create a fun with their compasses. However, it opposite the south side of Saint Ignace catamaran with the two canoes. A 12’x12’ should be noted that the compass was Island and that scientists had been out Egyptian cotton tarpaulin served as a sail. never used for navigation during the en - studying another current between Owl This tarp was tied between two vertical tire trip. and Paradise islands that reverses every masts placed in separate canoes. Under Heading out across Roche Debout five minutes. Angus advised us to select the sail, the canoes moved at a tremen - Channel, we again encountered very our rough-water route on the north side of dous clip until the wind suddenly stopped large swells, this time broadside and to Saint Ignace Island. This would avoid just five minutes after finally getting un - our bow. We took some photos showing most of the current and the possibility of derway. As the haze and fog cleared, it only heads of the paddlers in the other being held up for as much as three days became apparent that a powerful thunder - canoe, while the rest was hidden behind by a storm if we took the more exposed storm was approaching. We quickly the crests of these large swells. Many south side of the island. Angus also ad - dropped the masts, and the canoes were paddlers in both canoes started to feel vised us to go between Moss Island and pulled together so that the sail could form slightly seasick, especially if they lay on the western shore of Nipigon Strait as the a tent over the canoes. A drenching their backs during rest stops. This was lake was getting quite rough. Angus gave downpour followed with flashes of light - due to the lateral pitching combined with his home province’s Centennial Nova ning on all sides. It was uncomfortable the rising and falling of the canoe with Scotian crew a three-hour lead with the being so far out on water and exposed to the passage of each swell. Also, many same advice. The current adjacent Moss lightning, but there was nothing that complained of sore lower backs from the Island was strong enough to bend the could be done to improve our situation. rocking action of the canoes. This was weeds. Angus also radioed the Battle After the worst of the storm, the rain partially relieved by placing keyhole life Island Lighthouse informing them that slowed down to a drizzle. I spotted a jackets on the canoe seats to elevate one’s we would be taking the inside passage large bull moose, standing in water and position and reduce the twist in one’s and therefore not to look for us. feeding on weeds along the western back while reaching over the gunwale to Before we departed, Angus showed us shore. He did a few dives before spotting paddle. the wharf that he had built by himself us and retreating to shore. Although It was necessary to swing way out in with just an axe. The logs were squared within a week or so of the first rut, this the lake around Roche Debout and Agate and dovetailed to fit perfectly. The timber bull was unresponsive to my female Points to avoid the steep waves piling was cut from the island and moved by moose-call imitations. Andy Bain made into the shallow water and breaking over water. Lifting the timbers into place must an unprintable joke about my efforts that the shoals. Along the shoreline of this have taken massive strength. However, I gave everybody a good laugh. area, we saw many wave-cut caves. have neglected to tell you that Angus was When we reached Pointe du We reached Lamb Island by late af - one of the largest men that I have ever Gourgane, the wind picked up again so ternoon, fighting a headwind all the way. met. His massive arms were larger than that we could sail for a few minutes. About half an hour earlier, a pulp tugboat my two legs put together. However, when we entered Nipigon Bay, owned by the Saint Lawrence Corp., We camped that night below a naviga - the wind died and then turned against us. Nipigon, swung in close to the canoes to tional beacon on the west side of Nipigon The fog lifted enough that we could make take a movie of us. The action of turning Strait. Peter Mills had been in deteriorat - out the dim profile of Vert Island to the the boat in toward us heightened their ing health. Long fits of coughing during north. By Caribou Point, a very strong wake and, along with the wind-driven the night made it impossible for him to east wind was blowing. Having paddled waves, nearly swamped us. This was the get a restful sleep. The congestion hard against this wind and making almost only large boat that we saw on the lake seemed to be deep within his lungs. I sug - no progress, we crabbed the canoes side - during the entire trip. gested that he get out of the tent and try ways into shore for shelter just short of The Lamb Island lighthouse keeper, sleeping outside. Here, he was better able Cape Nano. Angus MacDonald from Nova Scotia, to catch his breath, but he was still get - After a lunch of sandwiches, we had watched us arrive with his high- ting far less than an adequate rest. waited for the wind to drop and collected power telescope. The unusual head flop We arose at 5:30 a.m. to a screaming a few agates on the beach. Beaches in this that Andy Bain made with each paddle tailwind. After breakfast, we prepared to area of Lake Superior have a type of stroke caused Angus some concern. At sail because the strait was relatively nar - agate found nowhere else except in the appropriate moment, Angus quietly row and protected from the main body of Australia. The lighthouse keeper Angus asked a group of us, in a serious tone, Lake Superior and its huge waves. MacDonald on Lamb Island had a prof - whether Andy was O.K. because in the Loading canoes in this high wind was dif - itable side-business of polishing these telescope it looked as if Andy was close ficult. Long poles had to be used by bow - agates and selling them to dealers.

NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 9 ted one in the dark directly in front of their canoe. Fortunately, they had just enough time to steer around it. Back then twelve-foot pulp logs were still being towed in large booms to pulp mills. Some would escape and become serious navigation hazards. Now, all pulp and sawlogs are transported to the mills by truck. After about two hours, a breeze arose creating small whitecaps. What with the increased wind and wave height, it be - came apparent that landing amidst rocky shoals to search for a potential campsite in the dark would be foolish. Rod’s canoe stayed quite close behind ours for the rest of our night paddle. When the flash of the Rossport Point Beacon eventually became visible in the fog, we headed directly for it instead of relying on the swells for guidance. After about an hour of paddling, the light from the Rossport Point Beacon suddenly kept jumping to the right. This was truly alarming. At first we thought the canoes were turning to the left, pushed by Sailing, 3rd day, Swede Island obliquely approaching waves between the long intervals of flashes. But, we Finally, the headwind died down and dangerous of the trip. We distributed soon realized that the fog had lifted to re - we set out on a very long paddle, paral - flashlights amongst the canoes because veal a second flashing beacon on a small, leling the north sides of Saint Ignace and soon we would be paddling in the dark. unnamed island further on that was per - Simpson Islands. Although foggy, the The combination of a thick fog and fectly out of phase and flashing with the weather remained calm for the most part. heavy overcast made the night as black same interval as the Rossport Point Toward the end of the day the fog lifted as coal. A strong surge from Simpson Beacon. With this understanding, we ig - enough to reveal a fantastic “chandelier” Channel was drifting us sideways while nored the Rossport Point Beacon and sky. Pleasant heat waves pouring off two sets of light swells were coming steered towards the more southern bea - Saint Ignace Island occasionally buffeted from Simpson and Steamboat Channels. con to keep clear of the shoals along the us. While paddling over the cold water of We headed more towards Salter Island north side of the channel. Lake Superior, the air temperatures had than originally planned to minimize our We reached the Rossport wharf just been in the high 40’s and low 50’s F. lateral drift, thereby keeping us clear of before midnight. It had been raining for These warm drafts were at least 70 de - Barwiss Rock. The Barwiss Rock beacon some time, so we decided to stay at the grees F. was lost in the fog and never seen. We Rossport Hotel up on the hill to the west The shoreline was almost featureless were navigating through the black of rather than pitch tents on the beach. and locating our position was made diffi - night solely by the direction of the While unloading and rolling over our ca - cult by local shore fogs caused by the in - swells. The crews remained silent so noes on the beach to keep out the rain - teraction of the cold air above the water both sternsmen could hear any necessary water, we were met by a local fishing and the warm air over the land. We never course corrections. We also reduced our boat captain who was surprised by our saw the communities of Red Rock or paddling speed to about three quarters of arrival. He had brought his own boat in Nipigon, nor most of the north shore of what it had been before dark. This si - from Superior Shoal several hours earlier the channel. We stopped around sunset on lence allowed us to hear if any waves because it was too rough! He was re - Simpson Island for dinner. were crashing over unseen shoals should lieved when we told him we had fol - The western sky gave the appearance we stray off course. lowed Angus MacDonald’s advice and of an incoming storm that would have Mid-channel our crew got a brief paddled on the north side of Saint Ignace left us stranded for at least a day on an scare, when unexpectedly our canoe Island. island without a good place to camp. We struck an unseen pulp log that thudded After cooking our own breakfast in decided to keep paddling until we found several times along our keel line. Shortly the hotel, we departed the following day a better location to stop for the night. after warning Rod McLeod’s canoe to in unsettled weather. While threading our This venture was potentially the most watch for possible pulp logs, they spot - way through some sandbars between

10 NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 Nicol Island and the mainland, we en - River. The headwaters of the Kenogami was to use only two heavier crosslogs countered a noticeable current flowing River have now been diverted to flow and rest them on the gunwales and laps west. It was here that Dave Purdon down south through the Aguasabon River of the people occupying the quarter and snapped his paddle. This channel no to supply additional water for the three-quarter positions. Each time the longer exists because a road causeway Chicago Drainage Canal. The beach was wind stiffened, our 144-square-foot sail has been built out to the island. Heading deserted except for a small shack set up propelled us forward at a rate that created eastward, we encountered a cold head - by scientists from the International a crosswake between the separated ca - wind and driving rain. When our party Geophysical Year Project to measure the noes higher than the gunwales. paddled out beyond the shoals of Cat earth’s gravity here and at Superior Pic Island is a distinctive landform, Island, a screaming gust of north wind Shoals out in the middle of Lake rising steeply on all sides to 715 feet suddenly developed. Immediately, the Superior. One of the scientists told me above the waters of Lake Superior. It was signal was given to head upwind. Dave that they had already determined through made well-known to the public by the managed to get his canoe turned quickly this research that the earth was slightly paintings of Lorne Harris. We first saw but Rod was not quite as fortunate. Even pear-shaped rather than round. For some Pic Island while off Schreiber Point and when paddling as hard as possible, reason there was very little suitable drift - it would remain in view for four and a Dave’s canoe could only hold even while wood on the beach for building fires. To half days, almost to Otter Head. It was Rod’s canoe was blown slightly back - have enough firewood for breakfast, we frustrating to see this landform hardly wards. The wind soon abated enough so had to break off armfuls of dead branches change size or appear any closer after both canoes could make slow forward from scraggly spruce that were unusually hours of paddling. From Pic Island our progress. However, it took over an hour rough on the hands. course took us between the Slyboots of exhausting paddling before we reached After our departure the following Shoals, where the wind died and forced the shelter of a small island just west of morning under clear skies, the wind fi - us to paddle the remaining distance to Collingwood Bay for a well-deserved nally shifted to a steady but gentle tail - Marathon. We landed at an aircraft dock rest. I am quite certain that if we had de - wind, perfect for sailing. It was a beauti - in Marathon after making an attempt at layed our turn upwind by even a few ful day and we had a floating lunch five getting through a log boom amidst chok - minutes, at least one of the canoes would miles offshore from Ashburton Bay ing sulfide fumes and a two-foot-high have swamped. After the wind calmed while under sail towards Pic Island. We blob of foam and sludge from the pulp down, a yellow Department of Lands and used paddles to pass food around be - and paper plant. We were then taken by Forest pontoon piston otter aircraft cir - tween the “catamaranned” canoes. The company truck to the recreation centre cled us at low altitude and then flew off. uneven roll of the swells was too much courtesy of Mr. Earl and the company Possibly somebody from Rossport, con - for a rigid attachment of the canoes with - town of Marathon. The town was run by cerned for our safety, had phoned the out using a lot more lashed crosspoles to the Pulp and Paper Division of the nearby provincial air base at Pays Plat, or withstand the torque. Our simple solution Continental Can Company of America. the pilot had just spotted us and out of cu - riosity flew around to take a closer look. We will never know the reason for this overflight. By the time we finished lunch, it was safe to cross the bay to Schreiber Point. It was in this area that Louis Agassiz (1807-1873), a world-famous geologist, found compelling evidence for his theory of continental glaciation. The weather had cleared by the Petits Ecrits Islands, where again the lake’s countercurrent was quite noticeable, this time as eddies and ripples amongst the rocks rather than bent over weeds. We were concerned about countercurrent because we had not planned for it. This and the frequent headwinds were significantly slowing our forward progress. That night, we camped on the sand spit of the Aguasabon River (translation –- where the fishing net is brought to shore). This river formed an important above - Craig Macdonald, below and from left to right Bruce Grantier, Jim Stockbridge, Bob canoe route connection with Kenogami James, Rod McLeod*, Paul Reynolds, Peter Mills, Dave Purdon, Andy Bain**, John Sparks* (* de - Lake and James Bay via the Albany ceased, ** the group lost contact with Andy Bain more than 50 years ago).

NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 11 In the recreation centre we had a place to signatures of all the crew and a message were now lighter and noticeably faster. shower, swim in a heated pool, prepare of gratitude for our excellent reception. Even with a headwind, we reached our meals and roll out sleeping bags for The second leg of our journey was Ogilvy Point in record time for lunch. the night. At supper, we were inter - along the wildest and most inaccessible The tip of the point was made up of sev - viewed by Mr. Earl, who was also the coast of Lake Superior. The crews were eral low rock islands largely devoid of local newspaper reporter for the Port now shuffled. Paul Reynolds could set a trees due to the power of storms on Lake Arthur News Chronicle. As it turned out, consistent stoke in the roughest water, so Superior. Many of the plants were nestled Mr. Earl knew Peter Mills’ father he was switched to Rod McLeod’s canoe in small cracks in the rock and were in through the Y.M.C.A. Our food supply, to paddle in the bow while the rest of full bloom despite the lateness of the sea - cached at the O.P.P. office out on Dave Purdon’s crew remained intact. I son. Of particular note were many deli - Highway #17, was retrieved and moved to the bow position, this time pad - cate hare bells with their blue-colored, repacked. We sat out the morning, while dling on my stronger right side, while bell-shaped flowers. Peter Mills was checked out by a doctor. John Sparks moved up to the three-quar - Further on we passed the large sand The diagnosis was not good. The doctor ter position paddling left. Jim spit at the mouth of the Pic River. Just up - said that he probably had bronchitis (later Stockbridge stayed at the quarter pad - river lay the ruins of H.B.C. Pic River found to be a recurrence of pneumonia). dling right and Dave Purdon remained in House. This post serviced much of the So both Peter and Rod left the trip at this the stern paddling left. Each person now north shore of Lake Superior, including point to take a bus to Sault Ste. Marie. It had his own seat so we could now easily the Pic and White Rivers whose canoe - is interesting to note that the late Dr. Bob switch sides when it was necessary to able tributaries extend north to the conti - Govan, who was a Camp Kandalore provide relief to the arms. nental divide. canoe trip mentor for both Rod McLeod Depending on the direction of wind Two miles off Plater Harbour, we en - and me in 1959, ran a medical practice in and wave, sterning these Centennial ca - countered our first serious crosschop. Marathon a few years later. During the noes could be very straining especially Large swells were coming in broadside morning Mr. Earl accepted Dave without a long-shafted paddle. from the west, while “fresh” breaking Purdon’s broken paddle blade on behalf After a brief delay for Mr. Earl to pho - waves were being driven over top of the of the town of Marathon. The blade bore tograph us in the canoes, we departed swells by a brisk south wind. Although it a small scene on the lake with the canoes, from Marathon around noon. The canoes was sunny, most of the crew were wear - ing raincoats to block the cold wind and to prevent being soaked by the splash and spray. Both canoes bounced around out there, and Purdon’s canoe being more heavily loaded took four large waves clean over the bow gunwales. We made camp for the night near Willow River on a beach of basketball- sized boulders. Great care must be taken when landing on a boulder beach like this because large canoe-damaging rocks sometimes lay just below the surface of breaking waves. It was our practice, in surf, to come in to shore on a wave and then let the wave overtake the canoe. After the wave broke, the bowman and the paddler occupying the three-quarter position jumped out of the canoe on op - posite sides and grabbed the gunwales to pull the canoe ashore before the next breaker swamped the canoe. This large boulder terrace did not make for a comfortable sleep even with some evergreen brush placed under our sleeping bags. If taking a canoe trip along the north shore of Lake Superior, one should be forewarned that good camp - sites with safe landing spots are uncom - mon. Much of the shoreline is jagged, un - even rock. In a few locations on the First lunch past Marathon Michipicoten Peninsula and along Lake

12 NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 Superior Park, the shore is sheer cliff to the water. Where the shore is not bedrock, it usually consists of raised cob - ble terraces which are also poor for camping. The chance of finding small- sized gravel suitable for tent sites is in - creased by the presence of nearby streams. However, the best camping is on sand beaches. These sand beaches are usually found near the mouths of the larger rivers, so they are relatively rare. The following morning we departed in fairly calm conditions and took the inside passage around a couple of islands. By Sewell Point a brisk tailwind had arisen so most of the crew wanted to sail to avoid the labour of paddling. The prob - lem was that in front of us, the wind would be coming from an increasingly offshore angle as the shoreline curved to the east. The whitecapping waves behind us looked steadily more menacing. I was strongly opposed to sailing because con - ditions looked too risky. Dave Purdon and Paul Reynolds shared my concerns. Together we were also the oldest mem - bers of the group. Incredibly, this issue was put to a vote and we were defeated 5 to 3. The belief of the majority was that if it got too windy or rough or we started Falls of the Cascade River to get blown too far offshore, we could simply take the sail down. However, in mast, with sail attached, fell forward into canoe, managed to yank the sail and mast our four previous sailing experiences we the water between the canoes and its free from under our canoe, allowing their had always taken this big sail down when upper end lodged under Dave Purdon’s canoe to roll back up level again. we became becalmed and not in a canoe. The poles and sail were now stowed in strengthening wind. At this point things happened so fast the canoes and we headed for the closest We landed the canoes in a narrow rock that I can’t remember the exact details. land. Struggling against a steadily in - channel on the windward side of an is - However, I do remember the stringers creasing wind, both canoes finally made land just past Sewell Point to cut stringer failed, the canoes came together and it to the shelter of a rocky island close to poles for the catamaran. After experienc - veered off to the left. While the canoes the southern entrance to Oiseau Bay. ing some difficulty in getting out of the still had forward momentum, the force of Landing on the southern tip of this cliff channel, we prepared to sail. We then the water on the partially submerged sail shoreline was difficult. Although in the paddled out offshore to begin our sail and mast drove the right gunwale of Bob lee, the big swells coming in from the while the wind steadily increased. What James’ canoe downward to water level west were heaving the canoes up and happened during the next fifteen minutes and partially locked it against the side of down. We tied keyhole life preservers to was the closest call to disaster that we our canoe. Only the quick action of both the gunwales to prevent the canoes from had on the first trip. Bob James and Andy Bain leaning over smashing to pieces. Paul Reynolds and When the sail was raised, it snapped the high side of their canoe saved the Bruce Grantier scaled the cliff with tether open with such force that it nearly took canoe from rolling over. A river of water ropes and managed to secure them on a down the masts. The canoes surged for - was now flowing along the top of the boulder. The crew formed a human chain ward at an alarming rate. We quickly took lowered gunwale threatening to sink their snaking up the side of the cliff. We took the sail down and reefed to three quarters canoe if it tipped any further. There was the packs one by one and passed up to the and daringly (foolishly) hoisted again. As also the possibility of the partially-sub - top. With the use of the poles and tether soon as the reefed sail opened it had to be merged sail plowing water into the canoe ropes the canoes were then inched along immediately taken down, this time during because both canoes were still being the edge of the cliff and taken out in a gap a very strong wind gust. In a panic, one pushed forward by the strong gust of I had found between the rocks. The ter - of the mast stays was released before the wind. In the meantime, Bruce Grantier, rain on top was so hostile that we could other could be untied. As a result, one standing upright on the bilge of the not pitch tents. Instead we rolled the ca -

NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 13 Past Sewell Point, all winds were from some rearward quadrant. The great waves that rolled under the canoes were too fast to surf. The bows were lightened so the canoes could break away clean from the waves that were overtaking them. The bowman in these situations did nearly as much steering as the sternsman. He would draw on either side, pulling the bow straight for big waves and then quickly across if the course required it. Staying in one’s seat and keeping in stroke was difficult for the bowmen. The cargo was centered in the canoe as much as possible to reduce the bow and stern plunge. We left the island at Oiseau Bay at dawn and stayed closer to shore, utilizing as many islands and shoals for wave pro - tection as possible. By Triangle Harbour, it was rough and Bob James was having increased difficulty in keeping his canoe under control. The waves were steep and whitecapping on all sides, forcing us off the lake at the beach adjacent to the Cascade River. The waterfall on this river drops directly into Lake Superior and was photographed, painted and popularized by canoeist Bill Mason a number of years Cascade River, Otterhead Bay (a favourite place of Bill Mason) after our trip. This beach has been a stop - ping point for thousands of years. There are signs of countless blackened cooking noes over parallel to each other. Using the sea level. At the time of our trip, it was stones and campfire rings that lie buried two sailing masts as weights, we thought to be the highest point in Ontario. in the sand. stretched the 12’x12’ sail between canoes The clear weather that we were having Back in the woods behind the beach, I and propped it with paddles to serve as a since the Aguasabon River at Terrace Bay discovered a tiny trapper’s cabin built in a roof. The sleeping area was uneven but would continue for the remainder of the style unique to this area of Superior. The with the use of life preservers, packs and trip. However, the nights and early morn - cabin walls had been built entirely from clothing we managed to smooth it some - ings were quite cold. Paddling in any sort 12-foot pulp logs salvaged from the what. We looked at the sand beach of of wind during the morning required beach. These logs had been debarked nat - Oiseau Bay, just a mile away to the east, heavy clothing to stay comfortable. urally by grinding on the rocks. Each cor - as a much better place to camp for the From here on, Lake Superior’s fair- ner consisted of two 2”x 8” planks nailed night. However, the water was still rough weather wind maximum forced us to together at right angles and then stood on enough to make relocation an unattractive change our cycle of travel. The season of end. A spike was driven through the option. fall gales was soon approaching. It was plank and into the end of each pulp log, We had paddled only nine-and-one- necessary to arise while the stars were forming the walls. The rafters were also half miles from Willow River, making it shining so we could depart at dawn when made of pulp logs notched to the top of the shortest day of the trip. The following it was calm. Each day, it got too rough for the walls and nailed to a plank at the peak morning we arose at 5:30 a.m. to travel around noon, so we would land, of the roof. These dry spruce logs were relatively calm conditions. The Michi- have a big meal, rest until 4:30 or 5 p.m., light and could be handled by one man. picoten Peninsula is much more exposed then paddle until sunset. The entire crews Since this land has become a National with significantly fewer islands for pro - were now changing sides with each rest Park, I’m not sure if any of these cabins tection than the north shore. Onshore and braving seas that would have cer - still exist. The shorelines in this area were waves have 300 miles of open water to tainly swamped the earlier five-person littered with swashlines of jumbled pulp build by wind, so we referred to them as crew arrangement. It was now not un - logs that had escaped from log booms “Duluth Specials”. The rugged scenery common to have several successive and washed up on shore. Apparently one was beautiful. Up behind English Fishery waves sweep up to the top of the gun - man in Marathon with a workboat had a lies Tip Top Mountain, 2,120 feet above wales and trickle over inside the canoe. profitable business of refloating these

14 NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 logs and selling them back to the com - while paddling on Lake Superior. It was a continuous mile of cliff, Bare Summit pany. small-roofed outboard motor boat that reaches 1,264 feet above the surface of After lunch, Dave Purdon and I fol - was bobbing up and down while slowly Lake Superior. Directly in front at the lowed the old portage trail behind the creeping forward into the big waves. cliff’s edge the water is 27 fathoms deep. cabin. This trail led up over the first There was a look of disbelief on the faces It looked as if the group was going to ridge. We left the portage and walked of the people in the boat when we pad - spend an uncomfortable night amidst the through the woods to the Cascade River dled by them in the opposite direction at rocks of this steep boulder beach. and climbed a high hill on the other side twice their speed. The following day, Suddenly there was an abrupt reversal in to obtain an excellent view of after encountering increasingly rough the direction of the wind. I could not be - Michipicoten Island. We then followed water, we decided to make a landing on lieve what I was seeing. After the waves the river downstream to view the lip of the last boulder beach before Point settled down, we relaunched the canoes. the falls into Lake Superior before return - Issacor. An examination of the map re - The lake remained quite choppy so Point ing to the beach. That evening, we vealed not a single safe landing spot for Issacor still had to be given a very wide rounded Otter Head and our day ended in five miles along this shore. As it turned berth. a small bay short of Canadienne Point. out, this was one of the wisest decisions Along this section of shore are steep The point had a bad reputation and the of the trip. slopes of broken rock that reach the crew did not want to risk anything so late This is probably the most dangerous water. A notable example of this can be in the evening. The camping spot was rel - stretch of shoreline, on the Canadian side found where the Eagle River tumbles atively low with the tents pitched on the of Lake Superior for the above reason. A down into Lake Superior. Large blocks of smooth, grassy, abandoned roadbed that large rock highland bends out to the talus can be found at the terminus of ran from Pukaskwa Depot to Otter Cove. lakeshore east of Ghost River, where rockslides that extend upwards more than That night under clear skies, it got too sheer cliffs drop 100 feet straight to the 200 feet. As we paddled past, small rock cold for a comfortable sleep in my sleep - water. Rounding Point Issacor, these fragments broke loose from the cliff and ing bag. By morning there was an inch of cliffs gradually increase to about 300 feet. clattered downwards in a series of free ice in our cooking pots. Apparently down Four miles east of here they culminate in falls, bounces and slides. in Sault Ste. Marie the temperature an 800-foot-high ridge in which the first That evening along this spectacular dropped to a record low of 27 degrees F. 500 feet are sheer cliff. Behind the fifth shore, we encountered the largest wave of Our first hour of travel was through a mist coming off the water so dense it ob - scured the sun. Navigation was accom - plished by orienting with the vague smudge of brightness in the mist. After rounding Canadienne Point we decided not to take a short side trip to visit his - toric Pukaskwa Depot and the ancient cobblestone pits on the Pukaskwa River. This was done with great regret. However, the group was still trying to cover as much daily distance as possible in the hopes of reaching Sault Ste. Marie. According to local natives, an arche - ologist collected a small load of artifacts from the bottoms of these pits. The arti - facts may have explained the function and origin of these mysterious pits, but the archeologist drowned in Lake Superior on the return trip and the arti - facts were never recovered. “Pukaskwa Pits” occur at several locations on Lake Superior. About noon we were forced off the lake by rough conditions three miles short of Ganley Harbour. By late after - noon we were back on the water and pad - dled all the way to Pilot Harbour where we camped for the night, in good shel - tered terrain. Earlier that day we passed the second of only two boats that we saw Lake Superior shoreline near Point Isacor

NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 15 Andy Bain and Jim Stockbridge had to leave the trip as soon as possible, so they would not miss any school. The first road access after Heron Bay and Marathon was at Michipicoten Harbour, just under 300 miles from the start of our trip. We had traveled hard for eleven days enduring exceptionally long hours of paddling, often in cold, difficult con - ditions, without stopping for a full day of rest. This took its toll, particularly on the younger members of our group. At what turned out to be our final campsite at Dog Harbour, Bob James, Bruce Grantier and John Sparks all ex - pressed an interest in leaving the trip. Only Paul Reynolds, Dave Purdon and I were prepared to continue, which was not enough to crew even a single Centennial canoe. The following day, when we reached the beach at Michipicoten Harbour, another group discussion ensued. Jim Stockbridge of - fered to stay on the trip despite missing school, provided everybody else agreed to continue until replacements could be Michipicoten Harbour at end of trip found. After much discussion, the entire group agreed to Jim’s offer. We would the trip. Dave Purdon’s canoe took the Before noon the following day, the trip be paddling past an isolated coastal area brunt of it. This “monster” was probably reached the Perkwakwia Point of Lake Superior Provincial Park. created by three different sets of waves Lighthouse at the entrance to Depending on weather, we would need riding over top of each other. Anyway, Michipicoten Harbour. Nobody was one or two days of paddling before we this freak “rogue” wave came from there, possibly because the light had been could reach road access again that would nowhere. It suddenly mounded up under automated, but anyway, we left a mes - allow replacements to be made. Access the bow, nearly throwing John Sparks and sage saying that we were suspending the was to be made at Agawa Bay or prefer - myself backwards out of our seats. After trip until further notice. We then paddled ably at Montreal River where we could a precipitous up and over, the canoe across to Michipicoten Harbour. Here, we also purchase more food to complete the plunged into a huge hole many feet deep. were greeted by a horde of little French trip and receive a cash loan to pay for The bow of the canoe that had been fully speaking children running up and down the return bus fares needed for those airborne, hit the water at the bottom of the beach eager to look at the men who leaving the trip. Depending on the the hole with a resounding crash. had come from the lake in canoes. weather, the estimated paddling time to Fortunately, I was partly on my knees at This turned out to be the end of our reach Sault Saint Marie was four to six the time, so the bow seat did not break. first trip on Lake Superior. We had run days plus another day of road time to However, my knees, seat and back were out of time. reach Camp Kandalore. Five replace - certainly sore from the crash. ment paddlers were needed if both ca - That night we camped in Dog The Return Trip to Camp Kandalore noes were to reach Sault Saint Marie. Harbour. Do not think that all these tiny Further explanation should be given At Marathon, a letter had been sent to harbours along this coast are inhabited. concerning the termination of our first Kirk Wipper, notifying him of the depar - They are only natural places of refuge. trip on Lake Superior in 1967. By the ture of Rod McLeod and Peter Mills and Dog Harbour was possibly the best camp - time we reached the Cascade River, it the likely need for replacement paddlers. site of the trip. This protected harbour became obvious that depending on However, the letter was sent to the old contained a long sandy beach, ample fire - travel conditions, there was likely insuf - Camp Kandalore address at Dorset wood and a grassy plain on which to ficient time to complete our paddle on rather than to Minden, unfortunately de - pitch the tents. Adjacent to the harbour Lake Superior to Sault Saint Marie. laying the letter’s arrival until too late. lies the University or Dog River that, at Commencing at Pilot Harbour, three On our departure from Camp the time, vied with the Pukaskwa for hav - days prior to ending our trip, we had Kandalore, Kirk Wipper assured us that ing the best rainbow trout fishing in nightly group discussions concerning there would be someone to answer the Ontario. what could be done. Unfortunately, camp phone in the event of an emer -

16 NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 gency or if replacement paddlers were village would throw a banquet for us fol - truck battery replaced and the upper needed. On phoning, the telephone op - lowed by an official reception if we rungs on the canoe trailer rewelded and erator told us that the camp phone had wanted it. The idea of food sounded strengthened, so there were no further been disconnected. Additional calls to good. But in view of our need for depar - problems with our transportation. Kirk’s home phone and to two other key ture as soon as possible and not having Everything was loaded by 2 a.m. and we camp staff went unanswered. completed the trip, we declined his offer, departed immediately. I took over driv - Reluctantly, we had no practical choice feeling it was best to leave quietly. ing the truck for the return trip. It was a but to terminate our first trip at That evening, we had our last camp - long and hard drive through a dense fog Michipicoten Harbour. fire dinner directly on the beach. The lit - before it dissipated just north of Sault Bob James hitchhiked down to the tle children who had met us on our ar - Saint Marie. We stopped at 5:30 a.m. for O.P.P. Station in Sault Saint Marie to rival stayed with us. They were poorly gas and hamburgers near Thessalon. I pick up the truck and trailer. Meanwhile, dressed in dirty clothes and obviously continued driving until Sudbury. From a number of us hitchhiked to the stores had been left without parental care. here, a rested Bob James took over and in Wawa. I went to the Provincial Talking to them in French, we learned drove to North Bay and then Bruce Department of Lands and Forests office that they had barely eaten anything all Grantier drove the remaining distance. in Wawa to notify them we were termi - day. One child came down to the fire We reached Camp Kandalore well after nating our trip and requested that they with a can of soup and some potatoes. dark. Fortunately we were able to find pass the message on to the Federal Jim Stockbridge taught this child how to the key to the locked entrance gate. Department of Transport. All of us were cook his food over the fire. We gave After a considerable time groping able to get a ride back to Michipicoten these children all our remaining food, around in the dark, we found the main Harbour except for me because the ad - and they stayed with us until late into power switch to the camp. This was not ditional business delayed my departure. the night. After dark, it had become un - the greeting we were expecting. Four of As a result I had to walk nine of the usually calm and foggy on Lake our crew members pushed on by car, twelve miles back to the canoes. Superior with only the repeated honk of leaving shortly after midnight for One of the local representatives of the diaphone at the lighthouse to break Toronto. The remaining four cleaned the village of Michipicoten, whom we the silence. and packed away the equipment and de - happened to meet, was impressed with Bob James arrived with the truck and parted the following afternoon. our efforts on Lake Superior and said the trailer at 1 a.m. Dave Merrifield had the

NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 17 CPM #40015547 Published by the Wilderness Canoe Association ISSN 1828-1327 Nastawgan is an Anishinabi word meaning “the way or route”

The WILDERNESS CANOE ASSOCIATION is a non- Nastawgan , to facilitate the exchange of information and profit organization made up of individuals interested in ideas of interest to wilderness travellers, organizes an ex - wilderness travel, mainly by canoe and kayak, but also in - tensive program of trips for members, runs a few basic cluding backpacking and winter trips on both skis and workshops, and is involved in environmental issues rele - snowshoes. The club publishes a quarterly journal, vant to wilderness canoeing.

2018 Mike Wevrick Lecture and Wine and Cheese Social When: 7 PM, Saturday Evening, Most of us have passions in life, while paddled many routes across North November 17, 2018 some are still looking. David Lee, how - America and continues in his relentless Where: Toronto Sailing & Canoe Club, ever, found his with canoeing. Inspired pursuit to experience new waterways, 1391 Lakeshore Blvd. West, Toronto by canoeing icons past and present, and explore lost ones, and even create his Admission: $20/person, guest welcome. intrigued by the endless lattice work of own. Passion can be all consuming, and Pay online to guarantee your seat. waterways in this country, he let his pas - in this respect, David can be considered We are limited to 105 people per fire sion engulf him. With this, he takes a lost soul to canoeing. Join us to learn regulations. Includes glass of wine/beer, every opportunity to head out with his about David’s latest project to recreate a sampling of cheeses and crackers, draw canoe and paddle to experience, explore, long-lost canoe route in north-central prizes and great presentation by and seek new adventures. Known as Ontario. Guest speaker: David Lee, the ‘The Passionate Paddler’ online and Space is limited, visit WCA website to Passionate Paddler. within the canoeing community, he has register.

The Devil’s Grin Thank you, Harold! 2019 Wilderness and Cliff Jacobson wrote a touching article Many WCA members have known Canoe Symposium how one of his close friends and paddler, Harold Jessup from numerous outings Next WCS is planned for the 22-23 Darrell Foss, fights the Alzheimer’s dis - held at his campground in Palmer February, 2019. Save the date! ease. How does one know when it’s time Rapids. This is a place where many of us In the meantime, continue to send feed - to quit? This question is, or could be, rel - learned, and later perfected, our first back and presentation ideas to aleks. evant to many of us. Share your thoughts whitewater strokes. There was something [email protected] under Subject line and experiences on this topic! about this place that made paddlers feel “2019 WCS”. We hope to see many of Reading Cliff’s emails often reminds welcomed and at ease. Harold would me of Toni, as they were close friends drop by every so often from the nearby you at Monarch Park again! and shared mutual respect for each other. farm where he lived with his wife, driv - Cliff writes “On another note, I encour - ing his iconic red Jetta, to sell firewood age Nastawagan readers to download and and collect the camping fees. I remember WCA Activities read Toni Harting’s short, riveting book, reading about “Jessup Campground” as Want to view all club activities, learn “The Devil’s Grin”. I just loved it—in - the best place to learn whitewater in more about our extensive outings pro - deed, I encouraged him to write it. It’s Southern Ontario on the pages of the gram for members, or organize and post on my website (cliffcanoe.com) as a free very first Nastawgan I ever read in late a trip? It’s easy! Visit the Outings section download. Just click on “Cool Stuff” and ’90. Our family has many fond memories of the WCA website: www.wildernessca - Toni’s book will come right up.” of meeting new friends there, endless noe.ca jumping off the “piano” rock, beautiful sandy beach, our first canoe flips. This is how, and where, we fell in love with Articles Wanted Madawaska Valley. Consider submitting your story – they Harold passed away on Saturday, are all worth sharing, no matter how September 22. His family and friends are “big” or “small” your trip was. Glad to planning to celebrate his life at the me - help, if help is needed. Reach out to morial event to be held at the camp - ground in the spring. Good-bye, Harold Aleks Gusev, Editor, for encouragement, and thank you. tips & tricks!

18 NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 Status Quo Food for Paddlers by John Barker Salad a la Robinson Fourth day out. Then add the following dressing: Good weather, good water, good group. Dawne Robinson is an amazing chef and 1/4 cup vinegar the following creation was served on our Did a couple of tricky rapids that re - 1/2 cup olive oil Bonaventure River trip this summer. She sulted in one canoe needing a bit of lov - 2 packages Club House Pasta Salad was inspired by Cabbage Salad recipe Dressing mix ing care. Now that we’re in camp, that contributed by Barb Burton for the will come. Gary made a nice dinner that Winter 2009 issue of Nastawgan. Alternative dressing: President's Choice we were able to enjoy because of a gen - Roasted Garlic Sandwich Spread for a creamier dressing tle breeze that kept the bugs at bay. Time Recipe for a stroll. Dehydrate the following: This meal was served to our crew of 12 paddlers. I always enjoy taking a little stroll 1 bag of shredded carrots 1 bag of shredded broccoli stems after dinner. Whether it’s up a hill be - If you would like to share your 1 container grape tomatoes, halved favourite tripping recipes, please hind the camp, or along a stretch of 1 red and yellow pepper, chopped contact Barb Young, 12 Erindale sandy beach, or even just fighting my 2 stalks celery, sliced Crescent, Brampton, Ont. L6W 1B5; way through the dense northern muskeg 2 green onions, sliced [email protected]. for 50 yards – as long as I can’t see the 1/2 red onion, chopped (optional) camp any more, I’ve established separa - 1 package imitation crabmeat, sliced tion. Mix together in a ziplock bag and take This time, I’m in deep bush. The along on your trip northern-most part of Southern Ontario To prepare, barely cover the dried mix (north of Parry Sound, south of with cold water and wait until the veg - Sudbury). Logs covered with moss. etables are almost rehydrated (about 30- Cedars close together. It’s a bit difficult 60 minutes). Dawne takes along a large plastic jar with a lid that she uses to re - wrestling my way through, but also neat hydrate her meals. She prepares this in to consider that the chances are good the morning so that the food is well rehy - that I am the first human to step over drated for dinner. this log. Add the following: capers, pumpkin And there’s an anomaly. A short seeds, almond slivers, cranberries, raisins weathered tree stump with two short branches. Covered with moss. It seems out of place. The Campsites of the North And then I realize it’s at the end of a by Greg Went small clearing, maybe ten feet square. Hard granite to sleep on tonight. My fa - the sleeping bag on sand does not bring you into contact with the uneven rock that you And I realize there’s a slight mound vorite. After all day in the tenuous grip of a wilderness river, cold, hard granite feels like will know so well at the granite campsite. in the earth on one side of the stump. the softest of mattresses to me. And if it rains the porous nature of sand And I realize it’s not a stump. It’s a It takes lots of hard work during the day means that no streams of water will find cross. It’s a grave marker. paddling and portaging to make kilometers. their way under the tent. The extra cost for I’m a hundred yards off the river; End result of all the labor is that there is not the comfort of the esker or shoreline sand campsite though, is the sand that you will there are no paths, and no reason for much tossing and turning in the sleeping bag after the day's work is done. Knowing that carry with you for the next few days of the anyone to travel this way. I may well be you are safe on hard ground is all the lull - trip. No matter how careful you are in han - the first person here since when it was aby needed for blissful sleep. dling gear or food, sand will grit your peanut built. By the look, it’s been undisturbed Wooded campsites come a close second butter and pool in your tent for days to come. for perhaps a hundred years. to granite as my favorite campsite. Campsites similar to those found in parks Thinking of the campsites that we have A small part of me wants to dig or recreation areas further south. Trees for unrolled our sleeping bags on over the years. through the moss, move the rocks, and shade and wind protection. Compacted They have varied in lots of ways. Views, find out any trace of information that ex - soil to sleep on. Lots of possibilities for surfaces to sleep on, access to firewood, ists about the person that might be here. tarp set up. deep pools to fish in, protection from the weather. I never complain about the current A bigger part of me knows the right Another good choice for the night's rest is esker or shoreline sand campsites. On campsite or compare it to others that we thing to do. Appreciate. Reflect. Say a sand you can burrow down into it and con - have been at. I am just grateful that I am small prayer. Leave. form the sand to your body. Rolling over in here at a campsite in the north.

NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 19 Playing on Water, Snow and Ice: The Play of Bill Mason Paul Heintzman, Leisure Studies, University of Ottawa

Introduction up to freeze-up. The boss always ended purpose. However, I’m sure I have had Thirty years after Bill Mason’s death, up firing me for letting him down in the a lot more fun than he did!” (Mason, the writings and films of this legendary busy spring season. I could never quite 1995, p. 52) Canadian canoeist, filmmaker and artist figure that one out. He wouldn’t say He was equally fanatical about remain popular. While Mason is well much for the next two weeks, but on my hockey. On a visit to Buckingham known for his canoeing and his paint - last afternoon he would casually drop Palace he was heard to remark, “Gee, ing, the focus of this article is his play, by to say goodbye. We would play a lit - wouldn’t this be a great spot for a whether it be on water (canoeing), on tle game in which he would hint that he hockey rink!” (as quoted in Raffan, snow (telemark skiing) or on ice might be able to fit me in again at the 1996, p. 218). And as he was approach - (hockey). end of the summer and I would allow ing death he commented: “And what a The article is based on Mason’s writ - that although I would prefer freelanc - shame that a sparkling hockey career is ings and films, primarily the books Path ing, it would be sort of nice to see the terminated right at its peak. (Last year I of the Paddle (1980), Song of the boys again. This little ritual went on for got more goals than Gretzky did!)” Paddle (1988), and Canoescapes about six years, until I found out that I (Mason, 1995, p. 9). (1995); quotations of Mason’s letters could earn a living making films either and other writings found in James about canoeing or with canoes in them.” 2. Play Characterized by Primitive Raffan’s (1996) biography of Mason; (p. 5) Travel and Mason’s feature film, Waterwalker Reinforcing this notion of canoeing Mason’s play was focused on those ac - (1984). These sources reveal four as an addiction he writes: “…every fall tivities which allowed him to be close to themes concerning Mason’s play ethic: about freeze-up time you go through a nature so that he could discover “the play as a central life interest; primitive withdrawal period as you watch the natural world and the Creator who put it travel; adventures with others and soli - lakes and rivers icing over one by all together so long ago” (Mason, 1980, tude in nature; and joy. one…” (Mason, 1980, p. 4). Even when p. 3). Mason’s (1980) preference for death was imminent he wrote, “Sure, I primitive travel is illustrated by the 1. Play as a Central Life Interest would love to be around a lot longer. parable he tells in Path of the Paddle Play was not a secondary or subsidiary There are so many things to do and concerning hiking, canoeing and motor component of Mason’s life. Rather it rivers that need canoeing” (Mason, boating. He explains how with slower was a central life interest. From his ear - 1995, p. 9). modes of travel we have time to dis - liest days he was fascinated with canoes Although known as a legendary ca - cover the natural world. Later in the and canoeing. In Path of the Paddle noeist, Mason’s play was not limited to book he writes, “I would much prefer to Mason wrote that “The happiest time of canoeing. When writing about his pas - paddle, portage, track, and wade up my whole childhood was when my fa - sion for creating, he noted “I am un - some unnavigable waterway to the base ther rented a canoe for a week. …We happy when I’m not creating, unless I’m of a spectacular waterfalls, pitch my could go paddling whenever we wanted doing something active, like running camp, and sit there drinking in their and stay out as long as we wanted” whitewater, or skiing, or playing beauty, than travel there by road. It isn’t (1980, p. 5). Mason’s (1980) writing hockey” (Mason, 1995, p. 10). And even the same. The falls you have to work to about his canoeing as an addiction pro - his play could distract him from paint - get to are always the biggest, the best, vides evidence of play as a central life ing! Recounting an experience of tele - the most spectacular, even if they aren’t interest for him: mark skiing near Roger’s Pass he wrote: as high” (1980, p. 194). To illustrate his “Canoe addiction can affect your “Telemark skiing presents a problem. point, he recounts an experience in whole life. My first job after leaving art I enjoy the thrill and challenge of cross- Banff National Park: school was with a commercial art country and telemarking skiing so much “Recently I was in Banff, Alberta. I house. I liked my work and I liked the that it cuts into my painting time. I wanted to climb a mountain but had people, but every spring just before should have been sitting on the saddle only one free day, and I didn’t have any break-up time I would go into the boss’s sketching and painting among the transportation. Therefore my choices office and give two weeks’ notice so I peaks. Instead I spent a riotous day of were limited to nearby Sulphur could take off for the bush to go roam - telemarking with my friends. I often Mountain or Mt. Rundle. Sulphur ing by myself in my canoe from break- envy Turner’s single-mindedness of Mountain has a gondola lift; Mt. Rundle

20 NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 doesn’t. I rationalized that if I took the no slowing them down. All they want to civilization tends to cut us off.” … (as gondola up Sulphur Mountain, I could do is get to the next rapid. And when I go quoted in Raffan, 1996, p. 80). spend all day in the high country. Then with them I find myself getting caught again, if I climbed Mt. Rundle, I sus - up in that too. I enjoy a good time as Conclusion pected it would be a good feeling to much as the next guy…. Buck (2005) claims that “Few people of look down over the lip from the peak, If there is anything more fun than any nation have been so influential in having got there under my own steam. I horsing around in rapids I’d love to hear creating a sense of responsibility for the chose Mt. Rundle. I got up long before about it. But after a while I look forward environment” (p. 12). Mason’s play daybreak and set out early to allow lots to getting back to my painting and ethic, which was central to his life, in - of time. I made it almost to the peak be - sketching. And for that it has to be cluding his sense of adventure, his desire fore the clouds lowered and it began to alone.” (Mason, 1984) to discover nature, his example of primi - snow, making it dangerous to continue. tive travel, and foremost his joy of life, But I did make it to the lip and was able 4. Joy was a significant factor in his ability to to peer down the vertical face of the Mason’s play and life in general was create a sense of responsibility for the cliff. I couldn’t see a darn thing, of characterized by a deep sense of joy. In environment within the Canadian popu - course. All I saw was the cliff dropping Path of the Paddle he writes about the lation. He was not a somber environmen - away below me into the clouds. But I joy of his canoe trips, “The joy of these talist. As Raffan (1996) notes, Mason knew what was there – a six thousand trips that I experienced as a young man embodied a spiritual excitement “that foot (1850 m) drop – and I had gotten is now only equalled by having my fam - drew people…when he began to reach a there on my own. It was a very good ily who share my enthusiasm accompany wider audience through film.” (p. 80). feeling –-a feeling I never would have me” (1980, p. 7, bold added) and of Increasingly parks and wilderness are fo - had if I had taken the gondola up being in the wilderness, “Out there it is cusing more on ecological integrity and Sulphur Mountain. As I sat there in si - possible to rediscover the joy to be de - less on recreation (Theberge & Theberge lence, I was very glad there was no easy rived from just looking, listening, and (2002,) yet Mason illustrates the impor - way up Mt. Rundle.” (p. 194) thinking” (p. 59, bold added). His film tance of looking at play and conservation Song of the Paddle (Mason, 1978) is an as a unity. 3. A dventures with Others and excellent illustration of the joy of a canoe Solitude in Nature trip with his family. His joy is confirmed References Mason’s play was composed of both by Ken Buck (2005) who informs us Buck, K. (2005). Bill Mason: Wilderness thrill-seeking adventures with others and that Mason’s cartoons usually “expressed artist from heart to hand. Surrey, BC: quieter, solitary experiences in wilder - joy and happiness…and being alive” (p. Rocky Mountain Books. ness. He loved adventure from a young 82) and by Chapman who in the forward Mason, B. (1980). Path of the paddle. age. Describing his experience as a boy to Canoescapes reports receiving car - Toronto, ON: Van Nostrand Reinhold. afloat on a raft he built, he wrote: “I toons from Mason showing “himself Mason, B. (Director) (1978). Song of the loved the feeling of danger, excitement jumping up and down with joyous aban - paddle. Montreal, QC: National Film and adventure” (Mason, 1988, p. 1) and don. This was Bill. When he was excited, Board of Canada. later he continues: “I’ve always loved he was ecstatic” (Mason, 1995, p. 8). Mason, B. (Producer & Director). doing adventurous things, sometimes Chapman also describes Mason’s “profu - (1984). Waterwalker [Motion picture]. walking that thin edge…” (p. 2). sion of joy over our natural heritage…” Ottawa, ON: National Film Board of Running rapids had a thrill for him: (Mason, 1995, p. 9). Mason, himself re - Canada and Imago. “When you feel that canoe being picked flected on joy as follows: Mason, B. (1988). Song of the paddle . up by the current and you look down - “Life. Is it merely a sentimental delu - Toronto, ON: Key Porter Books. stream and you see the rapids disappear sion, a ‘pathetic fallacy,’ to think that one Mason, B. (1995). Canoescapes. North around the corner, like, the feeling that sees in the animal a capacity for joy York, ON: Stoddart. comes over you, you just can’t explain which man himself is tending to lose? Raffan, J. (1996). Fire in the bones: Bill it.” (Mason, 1984). But a sequence in We have invented exercise, recreation, Mason and the Canadian canoeing tra - Waterwalker indicates that satisfying pleasure, amusement, and the rest. To dition. Toronto, ON: Harper Collins. play involved more than running rapids: ‘have fun’ is a desire often expressed by Theberge, J., & Theberge, J. (2002). “Most canoeists I know, there is no those who live in this age of anxiety and Application of ecological concepts to the way you’d catch them travelling up - most of us have at times actually “had management of protected areas. In P. stream against the current. And there are fun.” But recreation, pleasure, amuse - Dearden & R. Rollins (Eds). Parks and times when I crave the company of my ment, fun and all the rest are poor substi - protected areas in Canada: Planning white water cronies and the thrill of run - tutes for joy; and joy, I am convinced, and management (2nd ed., pp. 70–96). ning rapids. The problem is that there is has its roots in something from which Toronto, ON: Oxford University Press.

NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 21 Knowing When It’sTimeTo Quit Story and photos by Cliff Jacobson

Stuff happens as we age, and it’s not all immensely popular, and despite newer, expressed no deep concern. Yes, it was good. Darrell Foss, 75, one of my clos - more sophisticated designs, it is still a just a Class II, but it was a bit edgy. We est friends, has Alzheimer’s disease. good choice – if you can find one! reasoned that a capsize here could have Darrell has lived with this disease for For decades, Darrell Foss, adventure- happened to any of us, so we just smiled about five years now and he’s done writer Larry Rice and I have paddled one and continued on. everything possible (medication, mem - or more rivers together each year – natu - Day two: Ahead was a tight left bend ory clinics, mental exercises, etc.) to rally, in the small solo canoes we cher - with a strong current that threatened to slow it down. He’s been persistent in ish. We’ve canoed the Green, San Juan slam you into a cliff. Larry, in the lead, pursuing every possible light in the tun - (a dicey run in these little boats), was beached ashore on the inside bend. I nel. He has made considerable progress, Missouri, Rio Grande and more. The Rio followed suit and ferried in behind him. so much so that his closest friends have Grande is our all-time favorite: we’ve Darrell came third, but instead of follow - trouble believing that anything (other done it twice (Feb. 2011 and 2015/220 ing suit, he just kept going as if he didn’t than getting old) is wrong with him. miles). The river offers solitude, exqui - register what was ahead. We yelled and Most of the time, he remembers things site beauty, remoteness, impeccable motioned him to “ferry in,” but he acted better than we do! camping, challenging rapids (lots of like he didn’t know what to do. Then, Darrell and I have known each other them!), a unique social experience capsize and another rescue. for nearly 50 years, and with rare excep - (you’ll meet Mexican ranchers along the Two upsets in two days. This wasn’t tion, we have canoed somewhere to - way), and a pleasant respite from the like our friend at all. Heck, Darrell did gether every year. We’ve built dozens of winter ice-box in Wisconsin where I live. the San Juan River with us in his little wood-strip canoes together, mostly solo We love this river so much that this year “Slipper” and he had no problems at all. models. Around 1980, Darrell designed (2018) we decided to do it again. And many of the waves on that river a 14.5-foot model dubbed the “DF Solo,” We put in at Lajitas and for the first flooded over his boat! By comparison, which became a Canoe Magazine recom - two hours we floated silently along in a the small rapid, in which he had just cap - mended U-build it project. Shortly after - gentle current and bright sunlight. Then sized, was nothing. We rescued Darrell, ward, Darrell, Bob Brown and I re - came a “slightly dicey” Class II rapid. boat and gear without incident. designed the DF and sold it to Mad Larry and I were paddling Northstar Fortunately, the canoe wasn’t damaged. River. They named it “Lady Slipper” “Phoenix” solo canoes with full spray Darrell changed clothes again, but now after the beautiful Minnesota state or - covers. Darrell had his ancient but sturdy he was pretty freaked out, though he was chid. Early sales were mostly to women “Slipper,” also covered. Larry ran first, I trying hard to hide it. so Mad River changed the name to a dozen canoe lengths behind. Darrell An hour later we were threading our “Slipper” hoping the boat would earn followed last. The rapid ended quickly way through Santa Elena canyon. There wider appeal. The little “Slipper” became and I eddied in on a gravel beach near are no rapids here, just determined cur - Larry. We looked back – no Darrell. rent and high rock walls. Still, one needs Then we saw it: Darrell was waist deep to stay alert. About a mile past a dicey in water and his yellow “Slipper” was constriction known as “Rock Slide,” pinned, belly up, on a boulder. It looked Darrell capsized again, this time on a like it would break in half at any sweeping bend with slight current. moment. Another rescue! Larry and I looked It took about 30 minutes to rescue knowingly at one another. Something Darrell, his boat and gear. The “Slipper” wasn’t right. suffered serious damage (delaminated When Darrell had dried out we had a Kevlar in the side-walls) but luckily it pow-wow. We shared our concern, hon - didn’t leak. However, much of Darrell’s estly. gear was wet, which came as a surprise “I guess I just can’t do this anymore; I because he was very meticulous about kinda freeze up in rapids, not sure what packing. The large waterproof dry bag in to do,” said Darrell. his pack was reliably watertight if Then he suggested that we drop him properly sealed. The problem was, it off at the public landing below Santa “wasn’t.” This was not Darrell’s MO. Elena canyon (three miles away), then Darrell was visibly shaken – as is continue on without him to Rio Grande Darrell Foss everyone who has just capsized – so we Village (five days away), our original

22 NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 The Hendrickx Experience Story by iori Miller Once again Emmy Hendrickx assembled what the Grand River is to Lake Erie. end of a big island, in a huge tree that is a motley crew of canoeists to venture out Both are significant rivers that have easily visible to paddlers. The nest is def - on the Saugeen River during the May 24 enough volume to be paddled that they initely old and very well established. It’s weekend. A few of us were repeat enthu - can be paddled any month when water’s huge. As Emmy will attest, the site is siasts, but I think Emmy has paddled this flowing. That can’t be said about many also a great place to harvest fiddlehead river in May in the last twelve years – at of the rivers flowing into these lakes. ferns for dinner at home. least! You might ask-why? Why return to Both of these big rivers can carry mon - As with most things in life, there are the Saugeen? I think it’s a great way to ster volumes of water and can be danger - sweet oranges and sour lemons. The start of a summer of canoe expeditions. ous when in spring flood. The water eagles were the highlight for me, and the “What sets a canoeing expedition level for this year’s paddle down the river’s garbage was the lemon. You see, apart is that it purifies you more rapidly Saugeen was a good foot higher than last Emmy likes to paddle on the May long and inescapably than any other. Travel a year’s. We were all quite impressed with weekend every year. At the same time, thousand miles by train and you are a the extent of this year’s flood damage. A the people of the area like to host an an - brute; pedal five hundred on a bicycle significant amount of ice appears to have nual raft, canoe, and tubing paddle event. and you remain basically a bourgeois; pushed its way out of the Saugeen’s river It’s marketed as a BYOB event (Bring paddle a hundred in a canoe and you are banks this spring. Your Own Boat), but it is also the other already a child of nature.” – Pierre Before leaving for the river, I took the kind of BYOB event. I have paddled Trudeau time to read Kevin Callan’s account of Saugeen River for two years in a row The Saugeen River is to Lake Huron his own Saugeen paddle ( Top Canoe now, and I’m not sure I’d do it again on Routes of Ontario, 2011). A lot of my this weekend. We were disgusted by the experience with the river mirrors his. number of beer cans just thrown into the river or on the shores by partiers that end point. This river empties a vast region of farm gather on the islands. If someone did this “No way!” We replied, in unison. land and at times the scenery is monoto - on their front lawns, I'm sure these folks “We stop where you stop. We stick to - nously repetitive. The water from this would be quite pissed off. It reminded gether. Period! No debate.” watershed is nothing I’d dip my cup into, Darrell was really down, blaming or subject my water pump/filter to. Cows me of a sign I once saw: himself that we had to abort the trip. But abound, and many of their fields abut the “Beware of stupid people in large Larry and I were upbeat. We said we banks of the river. Unsurprisingly, each groups.” were thrilled to make this last trip with of us brought a large amount of water to One of the locals I talked to said that him – that the end will eventually come drink, cook and clean with. Yet surpris - worst offenders are not locals, but visi - to us all – and that lucky is the paddler ingly, there is a lot of wildlife along the tors who come in from afar for the event. who makes his last trip with friends, real river. We were ten in our group and each of us friends whose allegiance is first to one Last year’s experience of paddling the filled the better part of a green garbage another, then to the wilderness experi - Saugeen left Emmy and me muttering bag with empty beer cans from one party ence. We emphasized that we do these for months later about the Soggy site where we stopped. It was quite the rivers more to be together than for the Saugeen. On the second day of last downer, as they used to say. I can only challenges they offer. A canoe trip is a year’s adventure it bucketed down. This paddle a few of these “rural” rivers each canoe trip, but friends – like love – are year’s experience felt like it was going to season. forever! be the same with the overcast first day, We had a great group of paddlers this Shortly after Darrell’s last capsize, we but really the only rain we saw was late year. For any new members to the WCA found a beautiful campsite in the canyon. in the evening of that day. The other two looking to improve their paddling and We stayed two days, ate well, drank hot days, however, were wonderful and camping skills, this is a great trip to start buttered rum, took photographs and sunny. Typical spring Ontario climate! with. This year’s crew consisted of 5 ca - shared the beauty and wonder of the The highlight of the trip was the visit to a noes and Roo, a ball-obsessed dog. There canyon and our last canoe trip together. bald eagle’s nest near Port Elgin. This was a real diversity of participants, from Yes, it was a long drive from Viking-land year’s “show” was spectacular. Both 11 years old to people well into their to Texas. But we had a ball and we adults were flying about and appeared to 60’s. We compared gear, swapped wouldn’t have missed it for a minute. be very aware that they and their nest recipes and shared snoring. This is one Consider yourself lucky if your last were on display. With the brilliant sun - trip that I say can really be a family canoe trip will be with good friends who shine made for great shots of the birds event. And it’s a great event to gently care about you! and the nest. It is located on the south start your tripping season.

NASTAWGAN FALL 2018 23 Where it is…

Ontario

1

…in this issue 1 My Memory of the Lake Superior 22 Knowing When It’s Time to Quit 1967 Centennial Canoe Voyage 23 The Hendrickx Experience 19 Status Quo 19 Food for Paddlers: Robinson salad 19 Went: Campsites of the North 20 Playing on Water, Snow and Ice: The Play of Bill Mason

WCA Postal Address P.O. Box 91068 WCA Contacts http://www.wildernesscanoe.ca 2901 Bayview Ave. Secretary Treasurer Membership and Toronto, ON M2K 2Y6 Bill King Barb Young Computer Records 45 Hi Mount Drive [email protected] Emmy Hendrickx BOARD OF DIRECTORS Toronto, ON M2K 1X3 [email protected] Larry Durst Gary Ataman 416-223-4646 Webmaster [email protected] (Chair) [email protected] Matthew Eberley Conservation 905-415-1152 [email protected] Georgetown, ON Jeff McColl 905-683-3100 ext 1286 WCA Outings 416-700-8815 [email protected] Bernadette Farley Bill Ness webmaster@ mbernadette.farley@ Arthur McLuhan 194 Placentia Blvd. wildernesscanoe.ca gmail.com [email protected] Toronto, ON M1S 4H4 647-648-2247 416-321-3005 Communications and Diane Lucas [email protected] Marketing iori Miller [email protected] Benjamin Wylie [email protected] 905-826-0875 Editor 416-729-2092 Aleksandar Gusev [email protected] 416-433-8413 [email protected]

Editorial Team: Aleks Gusev: Editor-in-Chief Mike Fish: Assistant Editor Bob Henderson: Resource Editor Dave Brown: Text Editor Barb Young: Food Editor Aleks Gusev: Photo Editor WCA gratefully acknowledges Peter Jaspert: Layout the financial support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation in publishing this Journal

24 NASTAWGAN SPRING 2018