An Enduring Presence: Bruce Hodgins 1931 - 2019

By Geof Hodgins, Wanapitei President, Board of Directors

HE SPIRIT OF Wanapitei is found in the natural world and celebrated through the joy of sharing a wilderness T canoeing experience. It is heard in the cal of the loon, the rustle of leaves, the roar of the rapids, and the crackling of a campfire. It is seen through the cool grey mists of dawn and felt in the sudden waf of a warm summer breeze. The essence may be found in the excitement and chalenge of whitewater, or in the peace and tranquility of forest paths, yet it gains strength and purpose in those relationships which foster warmth, confidence and consideration for others. Wanapitei is more connections, intuitively understood earlier, his parents Stanley and Laura than just a place or a group of people: it is an that an experience shared is an Belle, Stan’s sister Edna, his brother idea, an inner emotion, perhaps even a experience multiplied and recognized Cecil, Cecil’s bride Margarite, her moment of truth which lives on in the that “whatever we make of our own brother and sister and another friend memory of those who have shared stories, we make nothing without the had set out from Temagami in four the experience.” land” (John Wadland, Bruce’s wood canvas canoes. For Stan, Laura - Bruce Hodgins, 1980 Celebration of Life, October 19, 2019). Belle and Cecil, this was their fourth My father’s greatest joy was to share Bruce’s relationship with Wanapitei trip through the homeland of the Teme- his passion; his love; his life with others. began as a simple chance of fate, but Augama Anishnabai, since these waters For 63 years he has been the heart of the coincidence was never lost on him. had been linked to the south by the the organization and place we call It was 50 years before writing the above Ferguson highway in 1927. This year Camp Wanapitei. The summer of 2020 passage that he, still in womb, first they embarked on their most will be a time for contemplation – a floated down the Red Squirrel River, challenging route yet, which my father time to consider a new relationship frolicked in the sun-warmed waters of liked to suggest must have been due to with this remarkable man who gave so Chateau beach and slept on the glacial his influence. They traveled through much. A community builder through deposits of Sandy Inlet. Five days …. continued on page 28 and through, Bruce cherished personal T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 2 25 Questions: Get to Know Your New Directors What’s your favourite UR NEW DIRECTORS, Erin Sunstrum and Gill movie? G: I don't have a Thompson, sat down to favourite movie. O answer some fun getting- Sometimes I'll to-know-you questions. say it's The Princess Bride, What is your favourite book to read? but that feels like a lie. Can I GILL: Harry Potter. I've read them so say all three Lord many times. I also really like reading of the Rings books out loud on trip. We read 100 movies? Years of Solitude on my camper VII and E: Any 90s rom- it was a snooze-fest. On my leader VII com... and A we read The Princess Bride, which was a League of much better choice. Their Own. ERIN: Gill stole mine. The Harry Potter books are like a security blanket. What is your Erin (lef) and Gil (right) laughing at something (most likely camp- Great way to de-stress. favourite game related) in 2016. or sport to What makes you laugh the most? watch and play? G: Definitely my friends. Only the G: VOLLEYBALL!! The best sport to funny ones though. How many pairs of shoes do you play. I also love watching hockey - E: Tie between my camp friends and own? Go Habs! my nephew - he 3 going on 85. G: I think eight pairs. I should E: I am a huge Jays fan - baseball is the probably get more shoes. only team sport I can actually sit E: Too many considering I live in my through. To “play” - I’m more into solo Blundstones all year. stuff like running and yoga. If you were a super-hero, what If you could only eat one meal for the powers would you have? rest of your life, what would it be? G: My instinct is to say teleportation. G: Mac and cheese. And I would Flying would also be great, but you be happy. could probably achieve that by Volume 23, Number 1 E: Sandwiches. I love me a continuously teleporting small Winter 2020 good sandwich. distances in the air. E: I’d like to fly... but also freeze time EDITOR ...... ERIN SUNSTRUM Have you ever had a nickname? to squeeze in a nap on a busy day. DESIGN & LAYOUT… ……… ERIN SUNSTRUM G: I've had quite a few nicknames. My The Paddler is published by sister sometimes calls me Gill-o. I also Are you a clean or messy person? Camp Wanapitei Co-Ed Camps Ltd. Canada’s premier canoe-tripping camp since 1931, get Gillybean from family. Wanapitei G: Yes. based in Temagami, Ontario. people call me Grill which I love. I got E: Cute, Gill. I’m pretty clean. Even a certification card that had misspelled Off-season address: my messes are organized. Camp Wanapitei Gill as Grill, and Woody laughed so PO Box 1327 hard that he cried, and then told all the What's your favourite family Peterborough, ON K9J 7H5 other staff and everyone started calling recipe? PHONE: (519) 767-9714 me that. G: Golden buns, from my mom's side SUMMER PHONE: (705) 237-8830 E: My university friends still call me of the family. I love bread in general, E-MAIL: [email protected] Sunny and a lot of Wanapitei people INTERNET: www.wanapitei.net but these are especially good. call me Ern. P A G E 3 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0

E: My great grandma’s perogies. We E: It might be blasphemous as a Camp What is your biggest irrational fear? make them for every big holiday dinner. Director not to say summer, but I love G: Unexpected spiders. It's fall. The colours are just so beautiful. embarrassing to my self image as a Do you colect anything? tough outdoorsy person, but I really G: Not really. I used to collect foreign What’s your most prized possession don't like spiders. If I see them coming currency, but in a really haphazard way. and why? it's fine, but if they surprise me I have a It wasn't displayed anywhere, I just had G: Probably my Werner Bandit paddle. small moment of panic. a box of random coins somewhere in I felt like I had unlocked a new level of E: Clowns. They just give me the the house. paddling when I bought it, and it's been heebie jeebies. And no, I have not nor E: Ornaments when I travel. I also with me on some pretty cool trips. will I ever watch It. collect the Funko Pop figurines of E: My Camp Administrator Hall of strong, awesome women. My favourites Fame paddle. It was such an honour to Do you hit the snooze button or wake are my Leslie Knope and Ruth Bader be voted in by my friends and the camp up immediately? Ginsburg ones. community. G: Snooze all the way. I'm not a morning person, as anyone who has ever Where’s the next place on your travel How would your 10-year-old self been on trip with me can testify. bucket list? react to what you do? E: I usually wake up before my alarm. G: I would love to go to Nepal for a G: My 10-year old self would be thrilled. hiking trip. I'm also trying to convince When I was 10 I attended a drama day When making a PB&J sandwich, do my dad to go hiking with me in Ireland. camp, and although it was great in many you put on the peanut butter or jely E: I’m going to Scandinavia this spring. ways, I didn't fully feel like I fit in there. first? Antarctica is a huge dream of mine too. It would have been cool to know that I G: I would do peanut butter on one would eventually find my people at slice of bread, and then jam on the What's your favourite ice Wanapitei. other. Isn't that how people do it? If I cream flavour? E: Well, my 10 year old self was terrified had to spread both on one slice, I would G: My current favourite is Salted of summer camp, so maybe not too obviously start with peanut butter. Caramel Truffle from Kawartha Dairy. impressed... but I think she’d like that I E: Peanut butter on BOTH pieces of Anything from Kawartha Dairy is good. was doing something I (now) love so bread, with the jelly in the middle E: Mint chocolate chip. Always. much. (raspberry preferably).

What’s your favourite quote fom a How do you define your family now? What was the first thing you wanted TV show/movie/book? G: Mom, dad, sister (Megan) and three to be when you grew up? G: Toby, from The West Wing saying cats - Moody, Tonks and Puck. G: I had a few ideas for a career, none "There is literally nobody in the world E: My mom and dad, and my two cats - of which panned out. First I wanted to that I don't hate right now" always Scout and Dax. be a gas station attendant, so I could makes me laugh. use the window washer squeegee all day E: “We have to remember what’s Who do you admire most in every day. Then, I decided I wanted to important in life. Friends, waffles, work. the world? be a circus performer - specifically Or waffles, friends, work. But work has G: Ruth Bader Ginsburg juggling. I still can't juggle, but as soon to come third.” - Leslie Knope, Parks E: Kristen Bell. On top of seeming like as I learn, it's off to the circus for me. and Recreation a genuinely nice human, she is a big My final weird one was a giraffe advocate for mental health awareness. sculptor. I wanted to exclusively sculpt What's one thing that can instantly As someone who is living with an giraffes for a living. I'm really not sure make your day better? anxiety disorder, it’s nice to have strong where that came from. G: Competition. Or meeting a female role models working to end the E: A bumblebee. Took me a while to new dog. stigma of mental health issues. understand that was biologically E: Sunshine. impossible... then I settled on If you won a milion dolars, what astronaut. Roberta Bondar was a big What's your favourite season would you do with the money? childhood idol of mine. and why? G: Probably go on a fun vacation, and G: Summer is great in so many ways. I then fix the electricity in the log cabin Gil and Erin are looking forward to an love the long days, and I want to spend and build a new Mini Sangego. I would amazing Summer 2020! If you have any as much time outside as possible. The also want to support causes that I other questions for them, reach out at only downside is that I burn really believe in. easily, so I get worried about E: Travel for sure... and also build a [email protected] and [email protected] sun safety. shiny new camp office. T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 4

and Alexine put theirs up almost all by Juniors: This is themselves and William was great at setting Only the Beginning up the boys one. We did some JUNIORS swimming after DATES: July 15 - 17 2019 the jobs were done and the LEADERS: Maria Page, Jack Panayi, kids had fun Dana Price being washing PARTICIPANTS: William Debane, Chloe machined in Debout, Alexine Girard, Jacob Girard, the canoe, as Rahm Stopper well as playing submarine Day 2 games. Dinner Hours on the water: 1 was a huge mac Distance travelled: 1km and cheese Weather: Rain in the morning, relatively which we strong headwinds hungrily ate up, Quote of the Day: “Woah so much extra followed by bacon’ - William brownies once the dishes were After a delicious breakfast of eggs and done. At the lots of bacon, we got the tents packed end of a away and boats loaded up. Alexine did a brilliant day we fantastic job of stuffing away the girls’ all collapsed tent, as did Jacob and Rahm with the into bed ready Temagami and stopped for a healthy boys’ one. The winds were pretty strong for a good nights’ sleep. so we decided not to make the crossing snack in a small inlet. We then to Teabag and instead paddled back up to continued to paddle towards Teabag the Jumping Rocks seeing as we had had Point. Both Kaiyan and Arlo paddled such a good time there the day before. DATES: July 15 - 17 2019 very strongly and even helped to steer The paddling was tiring but Chloe and the canoe when in difficult conditions. William did especially well pushing on LEADERS: Hannah Magowan, Lucas Once we had arrived at our campsite all through the pain and being strong and Whitear, Hannah Wood the boys helped unload the boats reliable bowspeople. At the Jumping PARTICIPANTS: Dylan Bhagirath, followed with some fun games in the Rocks, we bumped into the Junior Bs Kaiyan Gopalan, Arlo Kalynuk, Leo woods which involved trading things which was exciting for us all. We shared Smith-Moores, Peter Smith-Moores such as moss and building things. They our lunches of Thai noodle salad and all had a great afternoon! tuna pasta and the kids enthusiastically Day 1 Tents were then set up with help from jumped off the rocks again; William Hours on the water: 2 Dylan and Leo while the leaders going off the big rock twice. Jacob Distance travelled: 2.2km prepared a lunch of bagels, cream enjoyed exploring higher up the rocks Weather: Sunny/windy cheese and cucumber. After a few more with a few members of the Junior Bs Quote of the Day: “I have a female hours of games in the woods everyone whilst the leaders enjoyed their time tortoise called Gus” settled down for a dinner of stir-fry basking in the sun on the rocks. After shortly followed by s’mores at sunset collecting some awesome sized firewood We left camp mid-morning and canoed with a full moon above. Peter the kids all helped set up tents. Chloe in very windy conditions across Lake particularly loved the s’mores and P A G E 5 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 managed to get melted marshmallow and cheese, swimming, and blueberry chocolate all round his mouth! Camper picking. DATES: July 31 - August 2 2019 Highlights –All the campers had a great time playing in the woods. They also all LEADERS: Emily Gayda, Ian had a great time eating the s’mores! DATES: July 21 - 24 2019 Karovitch, Ethan Rajaratnam PARTICIPANTS: Skye Badenoch, Isla LEADERS: Hannah Magowan, Lucas Bates, Isla Haupt, Dean Melnik, DATES: July 21 - 24 2019 Whitear, Hannah Wood Noah Melnik, Helen Nuttall, Zoe PARTICIPANTS: Lucas Bill, Soleil Thomson, Alexander Wegrynowski LEADERS: Perry Dollar, Maria Page, Bitting, Chloe Godbout, Moyra Jack Panayi Kenward-Park, Liam Large, Tom Day 2 PARTICIPANTS: Benjamin Armstrong, Lawson, Cian McDonough, Etta Distance travelled: 2km Jordi Casas, William Debane, McDonough, Tilly McLean Weather: Sunny, minimal wind Alexander Jolivet, Leo Olajos, Henry MacDonald, Rane MacDonald, Day 2 Good morning Junior As! The day Dylan Skelton Hours on the water: 4 began with sunny skies and some Distance travelled: 7km delicious peach crisp. Everyone was Day 2 Weather: Sunny, cloudy super excited about the nice weather, so Hours on the water: 5 we quickly ate breakfast and then we Distance travelled: 9km Once we had all woken up and had had a nice swim. After our awesome Weather: Light winds and sunny bacon, eggs and English muffins for swim Alex, Skye and Noah crushed out breakfast, we then packed up and left dishes while the tents were taken down, Ben and William were the first ones the campsite. We paddled for we got on the water. We paddled all the awake and did a great job of getting approximately 2 hours and stopped in a way over to the jumping rocks where we themselves up and out of the tent calm bay for a lunch of pb and j met up with the other junior group. We quickly. After Rane helped out packing sandwiches. Soleil sang some lovely managed to have an awesome time at the boats we managed to set off songs all throughout the paddle, and the jumping rocks with many people promptly from campsite after bacon and Lucas and Tom did some really strong jumping off the big rock and a bunch of eggs for breakfast. Jordi in the stern and paddling as we continued to Devil other folks jumping off the smaller picked it up quickly managing the Mountain for another 2 hours. We met rock. After jumping for a bit, we had a camper boat really well with his brother up the other junior group and set up delicious lunch of PB and J on tortillas. Dylan and Alex. Stopped for an apple camp with them. After lunch the other Junior group left snack and hydration after a couple of Cian and Tom were great at setting up to continue, and we stayed for a bit hours on the water; Leo gains the prize one of the tents all by themselves, and longer. After everyone was done for best hydrated out of all the campers Chloe was also super helpful in carrying jumping, we packed up and paddled to on trip, with Alex in a close second place. heavy packs from the boats. We then our campsite, Flat Rock!! After Pb&J sandwiches for lunch on a nice made mac and cheese for dinner and unpacking the boats, we all set up the rock, where we skipped rocks and found Cian attempted to eat all of the leftover tents and then went for a nice swim. an extra PFD. It got a bit windier after pasta, which all the leaders were very After chilling out in the sun for a bit we lunch so we had to regroup and change surprised but impressed by. Tonnes of had a visit from Pizza Palace who came our course slightly to stay out of the blueberries picked by Moyra. Lucas and to delivery us pizza in a motorboat! The wind. We made a successful crossing over Liam went swimming in the lake, and a pizza was widely enjoyed and then to the foot of Devil Mountain only to large group of campers from both Ethan proceeded to make brownies for find the campsite was already occupied. groups found a cool fort in the forest. dessert. Everyone devoured the We made our way back over to a We then had brownies for dessert and brownies and then we hung out and beautiful huge campsite just across the Tom and Tilly loved eating. There was a played some campsite games before it lake. We came across the Junior B’s who lovely evening sunset and everyone became dark and buggy and everyone were also struggling to find a spot to slept well. Camper Highlights – started getting ready for bed. We then camp so we joined forces and had a great Everyone enjoyed finding and building crawled into our tents and settled down evening of Fort building, Mac and the fort, swimming in the lake and for a nice night’s sleep. eating the brownies. T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 6

Day 1 Day 3 DATES: July 31 - August 2 2019 Hours on the water: 4 Hours on the water: 2.5 Distance travelled: 4km Weather: Rain, cloud… part cloud. LEADERS: Taj Dyson, Dana King, Cian Weather: Sunny, minimal wind Wilson-Valdes The soothing yet ominous sound of PARTICIPANTS: Krew Dabner, Clayton The day began with a delicious rain on the tent. Got up and packed, Donnelly, Robin Fowler, Liliana breakfast in camp before everyone got despite the wet. Set up a tarp, cooked Henderson, Edith Latter-Spence, their stuff packed up while Ian, Emily pancakes on a struggling fire. They were Desmond MacKinnon, Tilly MacLean, and Ethan ran around collecting items good pancakes. The rain persisted as we Forest Wheeler, Solomon Yates for the trip. We soon got on the water took down the tarp and our packs to and started making our way up the Red the boats. The rain had delayed us, but Day 1 Squirrel River. After a short paddle not defeated us. It stopped as we began Right after breakfast, we gathered our around the bends and curves in the our long day’s paddle. Henry didn’t stop things and headed over to the docks. river we made it to our portage; a 700m paddling once all day. Ferguson seemed After several final checks for whistles, trek through the woods. We absolutely to linger on the horizon for an eternity, water bottles, hats, etc, we were off! We crushed it with everyone doing at least but eventually we obtained it and paddled under a clear sky across the bay. two loads and with Krew and Skye immediately had PB&J bagels. The With the aid of Solomon’s expert absolutely carrying a ton and speeding clouds continued to clear as we paddling, we flew past the jumping rocks through! After the portage we decided gathered firewood. Clayton brought the and to our campsite. Once there, a forest to take our lunch over to Red Squirrel rest of the group to climb on a nearby laced with paths and dotted with Falls. It was a beautiful day and a rocky-licheny slope. Tents were set up clearings, we had lunch: bagels & cream beautiful hike, and we made it to the to dry in the now-visible sun. Most of cheese with cucumbers and tomatoes. falls and ate a delicious lunch of bagels, the campers raced up the other nearby We were briefly visited by the Junior A’s, cream cheese and cucumber. Some rocky slope next to the kitchen, while on their way across the lake. Then, we photos were taken, and we soon headed Lucas read. Dinner was curry, followed played: the boys played manhunt and the back to the boats and set off towards by trip skit practice, followed by girls went to Tilly’s fort down the trail. our campsite. Once we got to our lovely scrambled brownie. Then off to bed Play must always end, though, and we campsite we decided to go for a much- before sunset, for we have an early collected firewood for dinner. Forest needed swim. With ourselves cooled morning tomorrow. collected three excellent armfuls, as she down we set up our tents and started is one with the nature of her name. We making some dinner. While the kids spent the afternoon playing scatter, and played many rounds of scatter the Desmond blended perfectly with the low leaders went about making spaghetti! It cedar bushes. Piles of mac & cheese for was enjoyed and dished were soon after dinner, sweetly concluded by no-bakes. completed. We all then enjoyed smores As the sun lowered in beautiful red, we over the open fire and some quick all brushed our teeth and settled in our games of scatter and buggies were tents, a long day ahead tomorrow. played, and bedtime approached quickly. We all jumped into bed for a nice night’s sleep. Goodnight Juniors!

DATES: August 6 - 9 2019

DATES: August 6 - 9 2019 LEADERS: Emily Gayda, Ian Karovitch, Ethan Rajaratnam LEADERS: Taj Dyson, Dana King, Cian PARTICIPANTS: Skye Badenoch, Sadie Wilson-Valdes Brown, Krew Dabner, Graydon PARTICIPANTS: Evan Cathcart, Lucas Hatherley, Ryden Hatherley, Grace Hood, Isla Mazurkiewicz, Cescon, Clayton Donnelly, Colin Gibson, Gabriel Lampard, Jude Emmett Oliver Lampard, Desmond MacKinnon, Henry Wilson P A G E 7 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0

Henry’s delight, because he got to see than others (Jude had 5 servings, Abby his sister after not seeing her for many could barely have 1). After that, we days (even if it was only briefly)! It was packed up the campsite explosion and an awesome campsite with plenty of hit the water, ready for the long day Temagamis: good tent spots. After firewood was ahead. The group paddled further and collected and tents were set up, further down the lake, passing everyone eagerly hopped into the Rabbitnose Island, where we rafted up Endless Energy water and went swimming to cool and had a granola bar snack. Folks down. For dinner Jack made his continued down the lake and before we favourite trip meal: marshmallow knew it we had passed Keewaydin and TEMAGAMIS (EARLY JULY) macaroni and cheese. It didn’t seem to Devil Mountain, where we decided to be very popular. After dinner the stop for lunch. We had a lunch of ROUTE: Lady Evelyn-Devil Mountain. campers all went to one of their tents to blackbean dip with tortillas and Camp - Napoleon portage - Sharp Rock make up and give out awards to all the crackers, which like the oatmeal, was portage - Diamond Lake - Lady Evelyn - trip leaders. They had a lot of fun giving enjoyed by some more than others due back through Sharp Rock - Devil Mountain all the different leaders awards. There to the spice, Jeffrey and Abby - Ferguson Point - paddle under the Bridge. was a beautiful sunset and shortly after particularly were not fans, whereas Talia DATES: July 3 - 8 2019 we all went to bed. Goodnight Temags, couldn’t stop herself! After a quick bridge day tomorrow! washroom break we kept going down LEADERS: Perry Dollar, Jack Panayi, the lake. After a little last second Brigid Roeder motivation, Ryan decided to kick it into PARTICIPANTS: Sonia Banerjee, Jacob high gear and him, Emily and Abby TEMAGAMIS (LATE JULY) Hargadon, Henry Losa, Ben Martel, sped past all the other leader boats. In Dean Panitch ROUTE: Kokoko Lake - Bear Island the camper boat, Shay was perfecting Excusion. Camp – Devil’s Mountain - her sterning skills, which she had Day 5 Kokoko Lake - Bear Island - Sand Point - picked up earlier that day while Jude Hours on the water: 5.5 Seal Rock - Ferguson Point – paddle under and Quinn provided the power. Distance travelled: 7.5km the Bridge. Meanwhile, Portia and Talia were Weather: Hot and sunny DATES: July 16 - 21 2019 singing all the songs Emily had taught Quote of the Day: ““Can you take them during the trip. Before we knew another photo of me” -Ben LEADERS: Jacob Fischer, Gabriel it, we had arrived at Ferguson point. Fischer-Schmidt, Emily Garda Boats were unloaded and everyone For breakfast we had chocolate banana PARTICIPANTS: Ryan Fenos, Jeffrey helped bring gear up to the campsite. pancakes while the campers were Ion, Portia Kemp, Abby Lindsay, Jude Ryan and Jude were instrumental in working on a geological time scale, MacDonald, Shay Silverstein, Talia getting boats out of the water at the making it our slowest morning to leave Stopper, Quinn Winterburn Rocky take-out. The group split up to the campsite. After a very short paddle collect firewood, while Gabe planned we arrived at Devil Mountain, which we Day 5 his brainchild of a meal. After firewood was collected Shay, Abby, Talia and managed to hike with minimal casualties. Hours on the water: 7.5 Portia indulged in canned peach juice. Once we managed to scramble up to the Distance travelled:21km Before long, Gabe’s Mac and Potato top of the mountain, we had a little Weather: Partially cloudy with Tomato was served up for the photo shoot where Ben and Jacob took Quote of the Day: “It’s in the wannigan, full advantage and demonstrated their where we keep everything.” “So do you group and enjoyed by all. During the golden hour, the group did a swim/ best poses. After more paddling, we had a keep people in wannigan?” - Shay delicious lunch of pesto and English photoshoot to capture some memories from our trip. We got out of the water muffins with summer sausage. With Good morning guys! After a nice quiet and the sun set, and Gabe and Emily lunch all gone and our bodies wakeup, the Temags sprung into action. rejuvenated, we went to the Jumping The girls took down their tent in record got to work on cookies for the group. Fireworks were heard and seen from Rocks to cool down from the heat of the time, with the boys following quickly across the bay and the campers day. As we were arriving at our final behind. A breakfast of oatmeal with all remarked that this was the best day of campsite, we saw the C de Bs, much to the fixings was enjoyed by some more T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 8 trip ever. Before bed, the kids picked at screened-up.We paddled towards the cookies by realized they were still so Pickerel Bay and quickly portaged TEMAGAMI (EARLY AUGUST) full from dinner. As the rain came out the everything over. Charlotte sterned the group went to bed for the night. Sleep whole day. Matty and Soren carried a ROUTE: Diamond Lake Excursion. Camp - well guys! boat over together the ENTIRE way! Napoleon portage - Sharp Rock - Diamond Great job kiddos. We then paddled Lake - Lady Evelyn Lake - reverse to onwards to our campsite at Tea Bag. We Sharp Rock - Pickerel Bay - paddle under unloaded the boats and enjoyed a lunch TEMAGAMI (LATE JULY) the Bridge. of tortillas with PB+J. The weather was DATES: August 2 - 7 2019 ROUTE: Lady Evelyn Switch-back. Camp - HOT and getting HOTTER. We Napoleon portage - Sharp Rock - Lady decided that the solution would be to LEADERS: Hannah Magowen, Kai Evelyn Lake - reverse to Ferguson Bay - Tea head over to the jumping rocks and Malcolm, Laura Peberdy Bag Point - paddle under the Bridge. enjoy an afternoon of jumping off the PARTICIPANTS: Benjamin Cescon, DATES: July 16 - 21 2019 rocks into the refreshing water. We all Benjamin Douglas, Andrew Douglas, took turns jumping and making crazy Thomas Johnston, Benjamin Kennedy, LEADERS: Logan Germain, Pearce animal noises. Owen and Violet had Sophia Lewis, Violet MacMillan, Gould, Cian Wilson-Valdes some funny noises that made us all Isabelle Martin, Elsie Robb, Rachel PARTICIPANTS: Theodore Audoir, Isla crack up. We then paddled back over to Stein-Muise Bitting, Soren Gibson, Violet Gunner, our lovely campsite in time for Logan to Charlotte Iles, Sophie Jolivet, Matthew make some chili while the campers Day 5 enjoyed even more swimming. Olajos, Owen Tarr Hours on the water: 4.5 After dinner, we made some s’mores Distance travelled: 7km Day 5 and tea and de-briefed the day and our Weather: Cloudy in the morning and time on trip together. The leaders got Hours on the water: 2.5 much sun in the afternoon serenaded by the Temags in a show of Distance travelled: 4.5km Quote of the Day: “No it was a cluster “Temags got Talent”. We LOVED Quote of the Day: “Make a crocodile caboodle, not a cluster canoodle. That Owen’s performance and Sophie and noise!”-Pearce “Moo!” - Violet would be a whole other can of. Isla’s singing. worms” - Laura Goodnight! Today we awoke to blue skies and ate awesome Cian-special vanilla oatmeal. Today we had our slowest mornings We then hit the water, fully sun today due to some tent packing mishaps following the big storm the night before. We had some very tasty oatmeal and Elsie really enjoyed the sticky consistency. As we began our paddle down Sharp Rock Inlet, we soon ran into the CdeB’s which we learned were heading in the same direction as. We paddled with them for a bit and we shared stories of our adventures so far. Unfortunately, we had to separate as we went through the narrows us Temags were hungry for a GORP snack. We stopped on a nice large rock in the inlet for a break and there were some heated trades between us for different components of the GORP. We soon continued our paddle but we got mildly lost turned around but we quickly found our way. Eventually, we emerged from the narrows and headed to the P A G E 9 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 portage. We stopped to fill the water jug Lake – Unnamed Lake – Wakimika Lake and a half up to a view point of Shish as we were starting to get thirsty under – Obabika Lake - Shishkong Lake - Bob Kong and could even see the campsite the sun’s newly found warmth. BK did a Lake – Diamond Lake – Sharp Rock from the night before. Everyone great job filling up the water jug in the Portage – Lake Temagami – paddle under enjoyed a granola bar together at the boat, managing to lift it out of the the Bridge. top overlooking the lake. This was a water and into the boat all by himself. DATES: August 2 - 7 2019 great way to break up yet. Great job buddy! We encountered our another portage! morning slowness at the portage where LEADERS: Perry Dollar, Gabriel We finished up the portage and set off boat unloading took slightly longer than Fischer-Schmidt, Hannah Wood on our paddle. Everyone paddled strong what would have been ideal but the PARTICIPANTS: Charlotte Badenoch, especially with Julian’s sterning with portage still went smoothly thanks to Evan Bates, Julian Blumberg, help from Oona and Kati in one of the the camper magic from Violet and BK. Otsirakatste Brant, Lily Cathcart, camper boats. We all reached a very BK took a boat for the whole 350m and Kennedy Dabner, Magnus Haupt, windy and small river and the sterner's Violet picked up the dreaded water jug Noah Hollinger, Kati Martin, Katste and Julian continued to work that someone had dropped! After boats Oona Starritt hard in the boats to make the tight were loaded, we had a short paddle to turns. As we crossed beaver dams the campsite where Violet did a great Day 3 everyone paddled as hard as they could job sterning for the first time! Boats Hours on the water: 8 to try and make it over, mostly were unloaded and “lunch” was Distance travelled: 10.5km unsuccessful! There was a great sigh of consumed. Unfortunately there were Weather: Cool and overcast to start, relief when we reached the lake at the varying reactions to the Thai noodles as hot and sunny. other end and could see our campsite Laura miscalculated how spicy chili Quote of the Day: “Can I get beaver for the night. We paddled over to our flakes can make food...oops. After we fever?” “Why?” “I got lake water on my beach campsite and all helped out to get ate, firewood was collected and the lip” - Magnus and Gabe the boats unloaded and tents up. The leaders were astonished by the progress group enjoyed s'mores together around made by peoples’ collecting skills. In We all started the day off with an early the fire as the sun set and were then particular, big ups going to Isabelle who start waking up at around 6:45am. Lots quickly off to bed! was not only the quickest at collecting of unhappiness about waking up, her two armfuls but also collected at eventually Kati and Oona emerged least two additional armfuls as she was from the tents with very displeased TEMAGAMI (LATE AUGUST) concerned as to if we would have looks on their faces! Once the dishes enough wood to cook s’mores later in were done by Kennedy and Charlotte ROUTE: Aston Lake Loop. Camp - the evening. Mac and some yummy from the night before, which didn’t take Napolean portage - Diamond Lake - Aston salad was quickly prepared and enjoyed as little time as expected, everyone Lake - Lynx Lake - Unnamed Lake - by all. After dinner, we had some juice enjoyed a bowl of porridge with Walsh Lake - Lady Evelyn Lake - crystals and experienced a bit of a cinnamon and dried apples. After Diamond Lake - Pickerel Bay - paddle camper uprising, led by Thomas, in an packing away the campsite we begun under the Bridge. attempt to get the leftover juice loading the boats. This turned out to be DATES: August 16 - 22 2019 crystals. It felt a bit like a zombie quite a task due to the marshy and steep apocalypse with all the campers trying put in, after some attempts to avoid LEADERS: Taj Dyson, Maria Page, to grab at the juice that we held as high getting their feet wet, especially from Lucas Whitear as we could. We then roasted some Lily the boats were loaded. We did a PARTICIPANTS: Hamish Carmichael, s’mores after which we attempted to go short paddle over to the start of the Lillian Chisholm, Isabelle Kerbler, to bed but unfortunately we all had a days portage. Everyone worked briskly Soren Logan, Sukura Salter, Nikko smidge too much sugar tonight. and loaded up for the first trip. Magnus Szablowski, Oceane Walker, Leo impressed everyone by being the first Woods-Pneumaticos, camper to carry the fresh food barrel! Jasmine Woodford TEMAGAMI (EARLY AUGUST) Nice work Magnus! After the first load we all regrouped and set off on a Day 3 ROUTE: Obabika Scoop. Camp – Napoleon beautiful hike that came off from the Hours on the water: 10.25 portage – Sharp Rock portage – Diamond portage. We hiked for about an hour Distance travelled: 8km T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 10

Weather: Dewy and sunny friend to anyone especially Suki who We started off the morning by waking Quote of the Day: “Temag A where the ended up falling in it at least 4 times up at around 9:00 to a lovely sunny day, A stands for AGHHGHGGH!!!!!!” - Taj (kudos to her for giggling her way and began to make oatmeal for through it). Luckily the take out is breakfast, which had a few additional Today we woke up to a super dewy super nice so it wasn’t all that bad. smarties in it, which went over morning with tents and all our gear CORN NUTS! After completing that extremely well with the campers! We soaked. After packing up breakfast was beast of a portage we set off to our final then decided to play some ‘Capture the served with some interesting guesses of portage. 80m the map said so we were Flag’ and ‘Dodgeball’ with pine cones what was actually in the meal. Many stoked untill we couldn't find it. As we around the campsite and everyone thought we were eating balls of peanut were about to bush crash our way into loved it! Remy was awesome, Ned hid butter with oats and peaches on top but Walsh, Lucas noticed that the portage extremely well and tactfully behind the no. It was SUPER margy peach crisp. entrance was next to us the whole time wannigan lid, and Annie had great Dishes were done and we set off for our but was just very hidden and small. accuracy. After we played some intense most difficult day of trip. Within the Crushed that trail with no problems but great rounds, we packed up first 5 mins of paddling we were already and then finally arrived at the campsite everything into our canoes and started lost trying to find the first portage. a couple minutes of paddling later. Late paddling by 12:30. Due to it being such a Turns out we weren’t lost and that it night MAC was made but alas, Soren warm day everyone was keen to go was the map lying to us. The portage is pointed out, no bean meal!!!! What will swimming so we rafted up near Granny actually on the left side of the river not we ever do?!?!?!?! Spoon garbonzo beans Island, and went for a swim. Sarah, the right. The take out was not the best from the can is what we did. After the Miles and Aisha really enjoyed this, for unloading and the trail was very meal was done we all went to bed super even though it was a bit tricky getting overgrown but it wasn’t too bad as the tired but so happy to be over the hard back in the boats! All the Temags did trail was obvious and the put in was section of portaging. some incredible paddling in hard, windy super nice. Then we went for a tiny conditions, especially the camper boat paddle to out next portage where you which included Seth, Remy and Ned guessed it, the map lied again. The take (who was doing some really great TEMAGAMI (LATE AUGUST) out is further in the bay than the map sterning). We then rafted up for a shows and is marked by a small shaven ROUTE: Red Squirrel Lake to Seal Rock floating lunch of PB and J wraps, and patch on a tree. The trail then went as Point. Camp - Red Squirrel River - Red continued to Horseshoe Island. We also follows; up, down, up, down, ATV trail, Squirrel Lake - reverse to Devil Mountain managed to attempt some sailing crash, nice, put in. THE LOGS MEAN - Seal Rock Point - Horsehoe Island - because of the good winds, by DO NOT GO! Turns out 2 campers Ferguson Point - paddle under the Bridge. connecting the canoes together and sadly didn’t get the memo and had to be DATES: August 16 - 22 2019 using a tarp as a sail. This was fairly chased down by Maria. Leo kept up his effective and we were able to catch streak with the tent pack whilst Lily LEADERS: Gabriel Fischer-Schmidt, enough wind to sail towards our next carried the heaviest food pack and Hannah Magowan, Cian campsite. It was very funny and Soren did brilliantly with the food Wilson-Sanchez especially hilarious when Hannah barrel. We then paddled a little more to PARTICIPANTS: Sarah Argue, Ned accidently fell in! Once we arrived at our intended campsite but instead of Burns, Annie Charlton-Parker, our campsite, we unloaded everything camping we had some pesto, did some Everett Cho-Chu, Seth Crangle, and set up tents and made a delicious shoe repair for Hamish, and then set off Miles Doll, Remy Millar, Aisha ‘penne with cheese sauce’ with summer again for our hardest portage yet. The Nabigon-Froese, Chloe Zyp sausage, Chloe and Seth thought it was take out is on the western shore and it very yummy. Everybody was very full has loads of space. Once we got there Day 5 afterwards. We then decided to huddle Maria set off and flagged the entire into the leader tent to play a few card Hours on the water: 3.5 portage for roughly 40 mins before the games, which Aisha, Remy and Evie all Distance travelled: 10km group tackled the trail. This trail is did very well in. After Ned lost the final Weather: Very sunny, windy and wavy tough for leaders. 5 minutes into the Quote of the Day: “Penne with. game of ‘President’ we all headed off to sweeps journey, 3 sunken campers and 2 bed. What a fun day Temags! cheese sauce” rogue shoes were found. Of which Oceane was the owner. Mud wasn't a P A G E 11 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 CdeBs Conquer Every Lake and Portage

COUREUR DE BOIS (EARLY JULY)

ROUTE: Lady Evelyn-South Channel. Camp – Napolean and Sharp Rock portages – Diamond Lake – Lady Evelyn Lake – Wilow Island Lake – Frank Fals, Centre Fals, Helen Fals – Katherine Lake – Lady Evelyn South Channel – Bridal Veil Fals – Fat Man Fals – The Barn – Diamond Lake – Sharp Rock portage into mentioned that he had forgotten his load of the portage before setting up Lake Temagami – Pickerel Bay portage – fishing rod at the last campsite, so then camp for the night, so the leaders paddle under the Bridge. everyone was sad. We paddled on carried over two boats while Theo, towards Franks Falls, the first portage Rosalie and Waka carried over our food DATES: July 1 - 9 2019 of the North Channel. This portage was packs. Thanks! Another swim was accomplished swiftly by our skilled enjoyed in the hot evening sun as we LEADERS: Logan Germain and campers. We then reached Centre Falls swam back over to our campsite. A Adrian Hutchinson portage soon after, which with the heat delicious dinner of pizza was devoured PARTICIPANTS: Alexandra Bradley- of the day felt extremely challenging to followed by a dessert of oranges Dull, Kaitlyn Burnes, Theo Hoeven, campers and leaders alike. We broke up (because the leaders forgot the smores Rosalie Kalff, Elea Losa, Andrew the portage into two shorter sections, in the food packs on the other side of Mann, Waka Raina, Gavin Smith with the second section involving some the portage…oops). A moment of quiet crazy rock climbing with canoes and was enjoyed by all while we reflected on Day 3 wannigans on our backs. We stopped this beautiful location and journey, Hours on the water: 9 for a well-deserved lunch of pesto pasta before it was off to bed with the Distance travelled: 9km salad and a swim break in the Centre setting sun. Weather: HOT HOT HOT Falls wash out. We then trucked on Quote of the Day: “You should bribe us with sheer determination. We paddled more” –Waka on, only to encounter a swifty section COUREUR DE BOIS that the leaders, with the help of Katie (LATE JULY) We woke up early to some delicious and Andrew, had to drag the canoes up “road kill” granola and yogurt. We against the current. We hopped back ROUTE: Lady Evelyn-Montreal-Anima quickly packed up and set off towards into our boats and Elea entertained us Nippissing. Camp – Sharp Rock – Lady the Lady Evelyn North Channel. The with her beat boxing skills. We quickly Evelyn – Montreal River – Anima sun glared down on us so we re-applied reached the Helen Falls portage, where Nippising – Red Squirrel Rd. - Red sunscreen vigorously. During our we snagged the MOST GORGEOUS Squirrl Lake – Red Squirrel River – morning paddle, we spotted a bald eagle campsite across the river from the falls paddle under the Bridge. so everyone was in awe. Gavin then and the portage. We decided to do one DATES: July 16 - 24 2019 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 12

LEADERS: Adrian Hutchinson and lunch as the rest of the group took what Laura Peberdy little gear was left and started down the COUREUR DE BOIS PARTICIPANTS: Edith Armstrong, Hal (LATE JULY) trail. By 8:30am, the group was halfway Griswold, Anna Iwanowski, Beckett done the barn. By 11am, the group was Mars, Liam McLachlan, Tenzin Ruff, ROUTE: Lady Evelyn-South Channel. on the water. EVERYONE was Oscar Shonk, Sadie Sullivan, Malcolm Camp – Napolean and Sharp Rock working together, getting everything Torrie, Pike White, Kira Young. portages – Diamond Lake – Lady Evelyn that needed to be done done Lake – Wilow Island Lake – Frank Fals, immediately. We had 7km to paddle Day 5 Centre Fals, Helen Fals – Katherine Lake until Sharp Rock portage, and with a Hours on the water: 9 – Lady Evelyn South Channel – Bridal brownie batter snack and fruit punch in Distance travelled: 12km Veil Fals – Fat Man Fals – The Barn – everyone’s nalgenes, we powered and Weather: HOT Diamond Lake – Sharp Rock portage into got there at 1pm. We finished the short Lake Temagami – Pickerel Bay portage – portage and had lunch at the end with Apple cinnamon oatmeal for breakfast! paddle under the Bridge. loaded boats. An awesome thai noodle Calm waters, sunny weather but not too DATES: July 16 - 23 2019 salad lunch fuelled us for the next big hot! Could it be? The perfect day? We’d stretch of paddling; 11km to the start of all heard legend and lore but had yet to LEADERS: Liz Evans and Kai Malcolm 850m Napoleon portage. At the start of experience it! Boats were packed in the PARTICIPANTS: Evan Gautreau, Sylvia the day, Kai and Liz thought that the blink of an eye, and everyone was LeBlanc, Claire Paulsen, Charlie Ruff, group would at best make it to the start jazzed for our 3k portage. At the Jedadiah Saul, Magnolia Saul, Hannah of Napoleon before having to camp. landing, our Wanapitei training meant Squires, Cameron Swayze, Alice Instead, we got to Napoleon at 4:30pm, every piece of group gear was on its way Torrie, Lyric White Lyric and Alice finishing the portage on the first stretch of the portage! The Day 7 with a boat, succeeding in taking a boat first leg went well with everyone Hours on the water: 11 on every single portage the entire trip, CRUSHING it! Tenzin and Oscar Distance travelled: 22km the rest of the group crushing it as well, hauled food packs with might and Weather: Sunny, chilly in the morning and pulled into our campsite in positivity, excellent teamwork from (great for portaging!), perfect the rest of Ferguson Bay at 6pm. An amazing day Anna and Beckett with a boat, and the day that was so huge but felt so easy thanks Liam showing an amazing effort, Quote of the Day: ““Are you a sailor?...” to the group working so well together, resulting in triumph! A quick break at “Are you a clay kiln?...” - Charlie was ended with our second sunset view an old logging truck for some GORP since the start of trip. Our final dinner and investigate a trail of flagging tape. WOW. What a day. Liz and Kai set of chickpea curry was enjoyed as Kai The second leg had some added heat their alarm for 6am to get up, make carried out his promise to say “radical and a couple hiccups, but by 3:30 we lunch, breakfast and we planned to have my dudes” as the group had made it were on the water again and off to the the rest of the Barn finished by noon to past Napoleon that day. We all hung out campsite. We ate a late lunch of pesto get the huge stretch of paddling done in together before going to sleep, thoughts on an island full of delicious, ripe the afternoon. The leaders guessed that of paddling under the bridge the next blueberries which we happily took with if the group kept up their energy and day racing through our minds. us for pancakes in the morning! We work ethic of the days prior we would found a very peculiar looking empty make it just after Sharp Rock portage or tent at our desired campsite, and so just before Napoleon portage, a 17km COUREUR DE BOIS (JULY) made do with plan b - a less creepy site. paddle away. The alarms never went off. We decided the first narrows would be a Startled and confused, Liz and Kai got ROUTE: Wawiagama-Obabika-Sturgeon- good home for the night. A lot was up at 6:40, and woke the kids up Wanapitei-French-Kilarney. Camp - accomplished in a short time thanks to immediately. Liz started a fabulous Obabika Inlet - Wawiagama Lake - the campers: dinner, cookies and breakfast of peach crisp as Kai and the Obabika River - Sturgeon River - debrief in the dark! Good night kids all did one load of their personals Masinonge - Kely’s Portage - McCarthy campers. down 10 minutes of the Barn. When we Bay - Wanapitei River - French River - came back, breakfast was ready and it Georgian Bay - Kilarney - shuttle to Sany was tasty. Maggie and Charlie helping Inlet - paddle under the Bridge. Liz clean up the campsite and make DATES: July 4 - 21 2019 P A G E 13 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0

paddled down Quote of the Day: “All I want are a beautiful prunes and a poop” rocky channel and made it to Campers were quickly out of the tents the French to enjoy some apple cinnamon oatmeal. River! We Some Bay Trip sized oatmeal…. So there managed to was some leftovers even though all the paddle it even campers insisted all the oats should be in hard added. After some delayed dishes we headwinds and were on the water but with some with the help headwinds. A well deserved break was of a snack and taken at a campsite along the way and we quickly corn nuts were enjoyed by all. Orson reached our and Liz were the big winners of the beautiful big leftovers. Liz didn’t share but Orson campsite on made a game of throwing them and some sprawling everyone else fighting for them. Once rocks. Some Liz had licked the bag we were back on shep’s pie was the water and into the headwinds. After LEADERS: Molly Heintzman and dinner with some brownies for dessert. covering some more ground we had Ian Karovitch We then cooked chaps for lunch the lunch on stacked driftwood which PARTICIPANTS: Eloise Debane, Olivia next day and quickly went to bed as the consisted of crackers, tuna, refried Gregersen Curtis, Maureen Hodnett, bugs got too bad to bear. beans and the little bit of salsa left over. Madeleine Iles, Alex Lindsay, Griffin Goodnight campers! Once we finished we packed up one Merskey, Emma Syme, Simon West more time into the headwinds with storm clouds behind us. Once we cleared the narrows into the lake the Day 13 COUREUR DE BOIS Hours on the water: 7 (EARLY AUGUST) start of the Barn was on, Liz was so Distance travelled: 16.5km exhausted that she thought it was a Weather: Cloudy, then sunny. ROUTE: Twin Peaks. Camp – Sharp Rock great idea to hold her paddle by both Headwinds on the French and Napolean portages – Diamond Lake – ends at the same time and paddle. Lady Evelyn Lake – Unnamed Lake – Everyone had a good laugh doing the Good morning campers! The day Wilow Island Lake – Suckergut Lake – same thing. Then we had to finish a began super quick with a breakfast of Hobart Lake – Tupper Lake – reverse to quick paddle to the start of the portage muffin. We quickly got on the water and Camp – paddle under the Bridge. before the storm caught up. With the ran a super long swifty before doing a DATES: July 31 - August 7 2019 quickest unloading and set up, everyone super short portage. We paddled on was dry and in their tents before the until we got to a bunch of really fun LEADERS: Liz Evans and rain really came down. Shortly after swifties that everyone did well! We then Lucas Whitear Lucas, Owen, Orson. Sarah, Duncan all lined Sturgeon Chutes and quickly PARTICIPANTS: Duncan Bailey, Owen and Isaac headed down the trail with 4 paddled to our next portage. It was a Buckle, Rowen Conrad, Orson Di canoes to get a head start on the Barn. really beautiful portage on some rocks Rosa, Simon Holenstein, Eric Ingoe, Once they returned spag was devoured going past a waterfall. We ran into some Jada Mann, Isaac Marechal, Elysabeth by everyone! As everyone was still cool fisherman and saw a massive dead Rowat, Elliot Straszynski, hungry the dried fruit was quickly Newt which we decided to name Noot! Sarah Thomson devoured too! Then off to bed while We then continued until lunchtime. We Liz and Lucas cut and boiled all the ate some Thai pasta salad and had a Day 6 potatoes for tomorrow's lunch. scrubby swim. Griffin lost his glasses in Hours on the water: 6.5 the water, but Ian dove in with his Distance travelled: 14km goggles and found them. Close call! We Weather: Sunny to thunderstorm in the then paddled on and saw a deer! We late afternoon T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 14

team in the form of Roxy took a boat LEADERS: Laura Peberdy and Ethan

over. The falls were gorgeous and it was Rajaratnam COUREUR DE BOIS worth taking a second to appreciate PARTICIPANTS: Charlotte Bickerton, (EARLY AUGUST) how super cool what we are doing is. Cooper Brown, Sophie Doll, Calla Short paddle to next portage; decided Hyland, Gillian Keith, Kadin ROUTE: Lady Evelyn-South Channel. everyone needed a snack then set off Nabigon-Froese, Ava Taylor, Camp – Napolean and Sharp Rock for the longest one of the day. Abel was Charlotte Travers portages – Diamond Lake – Lady Evelyn Lake – Wilow Island Lake – Frank Fals, an absolute trooper carrying a heavy barrel with Daniel. Everyone definitely Centre Fals, Helen Fals – Katherine Lake Day 6 appreciated the smooth easy trail as – Lady Evelyn South Channel – Bridal Hours on the water: 7 well. We then quickly hopped in the Veil Fals – Fat Man Fals – The Barn – Distance travelled: 13km boats to go eat lunch at Fat Man falls. Diamond Lake – Sharp Rock portage into Weather: Warm, clear skies, windy Lake Temagami – Pickerel Bay portage – Pearce whipped up a super yummy Quote of the Day: ““I hope Ethan goes cabbage salad and all the kids did some paddle under the Bridge. to prison so they can call him the great chickpea mashing to make DATES: July 30 - August 7 2019 smooth faced criminal” – Charlotte B hummus- Cooper winning the award for best masher out there. After LEADERS: Pearce Gould, Adrian Woke up after a long sleep-in but the Hutchinson, Maria Page negotiating our way down yet another girls woke up earlier. We had huevos for rocky cliff to the water we had a quick PARTICIPANTS: Cooper Brown, Anjani brunch and the two Charlottes and boat swim then paddled off and were Cheran, Ellon Cheran, Romy Calla helped us to cut veggies and Ava met with the great news that we could Croquet, Achille Di Rosa, Daniel and Gillian collected blueberries. Boats skip a portage by paddling down a Duran, Maureen Hodnett, Abel were slowly loaded and then Gillian Hollinger, Tyler Mann, Colin couple of mini sets instead. It was a tried to show us on the map where were hilariously fun first experience of white McDonald, Roxy Pearce Basman, going that day. As we started to paddle, water for most of us, and Achille Thea Starritt we had very big headwinds, causing us handled the sterning aspect especially some issues but we stuck close to shore well. Wanting to conserve our energy Day 5 and made our way. We reached the for the notorious Barn the next day we portage and the number of boats were Hours on the water: 6.5 chose a campsite right there. Cooper counted, reaching a total of 19. Again, Distance travelled: 10km and Tyler collected some inSANE we had some great boat carrying Weather: Sunny and hot firewood whilst Roxy and Maureen did participation carrying boats and Cooper Quote of the Day: “If…” - Roxy the most enthusiastic job with the carried one for the first time this trip. dishes. Shepherds pie for dinner… After the portage, we had MORE Woah; what-a-day. So many sketchy, umm… ‘that looks appetising’-Romy, at HEADWINDS but we stopped to have slippery, steep and super super beautiful the mash dripping off her plate…. a hefty snack of no-bakes on a gravel portages. Started off with Happs Falls Cooper loved it! The leaders made up bar. In fact, it was so hefty that Sophie portage down to the river from the for it with three desserts- culminating campsite after Anjani and Thea was the only one left eating and we with Adiran’s speciality chocolate were very concerned for how her procrastinated with the dishes. All had fondue. YUM. Headed for ‘bed on a digestive system would turn out after all fun exploring Hap’s hut and gazing sugar high’ (not really a thing it turns those raw oats and we had to cut her longingly at the comfy looking bunk out), all stoked for the barn tomorrow. off. She turned out to be completely ok! beds. First portage was shorter than expected (‘yay’- Romy) but the steep As we continued paddling, many Christmas songs were sung and Ethan cliff at the end had us all taking our issued a ban on all holiday related songs. time getting down to the boats (minus COUREUR DE BOIS On our paddle, we ran into many Cooper who managed to slip over on (LATE AUGUST) people, something that we were not the rocks with grace and skill, even if it was by accident). Food packs and ROUTE: The Flagpole. Red Squirrel Lake - used to after our solitary lake hopping. We reached our campsite which was barrels now considerably lighter the lake hopping east to Jackpine Lake - very pretty and surrounded in small three musketeers Tyler, Cooper and Chambers Lake - Kokoko Lake - Bear islands. At the site, we made pierogies Achille marched off with them on their Island - paddle under the Bridge. and Calla had a bit of an unfortunate backs whilst Maureen and her support DATES: August 15 - 22 2019 P A G E 15 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0

marge mishap. While she soaked her pushed through amazingly. Dana and Horak, Abigail Jimenez, Simon leg, we saw some very strange red Pearce were so impressed! We made it Lundin-Grieveson, Isabella Parker, thunder and Cooper helped us to there by lunchtime, where Pearce Leila Rabbat, Oscar Szablowski theorize what it could possibly be. After eagerly got some tuna out of the lunch some rain showers commenced, we all bucket, as well as peanut butter and jam Day 5 hopped into bed and got cozy in our crackers for everyone. We happily took Hours on the water: 7 sleeping bags. the campsite on the top of the falls, as Distance travelled: 5km the LITs were camped on the bottom, Weather: Mostly sunny, some wind as a part of their short flat-water trip. Later, Miles was the first in a series of COUREUR DE BOIS Once again, the campers were bum scooching down a small and fun (LATE AUGUST) awakened by Liz’s lovely morning ledge. He demonstrated with much singing voice and everyone began ROUTE: Maple Mountain and Centre Fals. enthusiasm, so everyone decided they packing up their gear. As Liz was Camp - Napoleon portage - Sharp Rock - also wanted to try it! Lots more fun preparing some delightful peach crisp, Diamond Lake - Lady Evelyn - Tupper around the falls was had until dinner, Jack took the group over the bypass Lake - Maple Mountain - Franks Fals - where everyone made their own pizzas! portage with personals. As they Centre Fals - Wilow Island Portage - All such great chefs! After a day of returned, breakfast was served and Blueberry Island - Sharp Rock - Pickerel paddling against strong winds and silence fell, for the first time, over the Bay - Flat Rock - paddle under the Bridge. portaging, we all went to bed with full group. But Michele couldn’t take it and bellies, feeling excitement for the next DATES: August 15 - 22 2019 started laughing. Dishes were quickly day’s adventures. done and the group left the campsite to LEADERS: Pearce Gould and finally start paddling downstream on Dana King the South Channel. At the first portage, PARTICIPANTS: Jonathan Cao, COUREUR DE BOIS gear was quickly unloaded and the Malcolm Charlton-Parker, Ellon (LATE AUGUST) group sprang into portaging action and Cheran, Chloe Creeggan, Xavier crushed it! We enjoyed a jaunt up the Houser, Isabelle Jackson Briggs, ROUTE: Lady Evelyn South Channel. falls to get a better view of it and the Sophia Jackson Briggs, Dove Dey- Camp – Napolean and Sharp Rock cabin that overlooks it. After the break Kerr, Miles Millar, Leigha Taylor portages – Diamond Lake – Lady Evelyn we continued on to Bridal Veil. With Lake – Wilow Island Lake – Frank Fals, the same enthusiasm we started the Day 5 Centre Fals, Helen Fals – Katherine Lake portage and got all the boats over first, Hours on the water: 5 – Lady Evelyn South Channel – Bridal but stopped short of the end as there Distance travelled: 14km Veil Fals – Fat Man Fals – The Barn – was a technical hill. Jack and Liz got all Weather: Sun and wind Diamond Lake – Sharp Rock portage into the boats down it as the campers Quote of the Day: “I feel like an ant Lake Temagami – Pickerel Bay portage – brought all the gear down. To celebrate compared to Pearce” - Ellon and Dana paddle under the Bridge. Liz’s favourite lunch was enjoyed with DATES: August 15 - 22 2019 some modifications. The group Ready to say goodbye to Maple devoured it and with full stomachs we Mountain and depart for Centre Falls, LEADERS: Liz Evans and continued on the river to our last we hastily finished our peach crisp and Jack Gardiner portage. Simon and Oscar carried a faced the winds as we paddled away. PARTICIPANTS: Helene Briggs, Kai boat and Helene took the wannigan These winds were strong but everyone Goodall, Michele Horak, Sierra once again! With one last break at the end and a short rendition of “let it go” T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 16 we were on the water for the last time. whipped up and boats were loaded. We As we approached our campsite/portage set off and chatted our way down the PIONEER (LATE JULY) we kept river left as you could hear the river to our longest portage of trip. We ROUTE: Temagami River. Camp – Lake roar of Fat Man Falls. With one last conquered it in short order with Sasha Temagami – Kokoko Lake – Cross Bay boat unloading we were done. Tent set and Alex taking some boats and Ava Lake – Cross Lake – Temagami River – up this day took a lot longer as Izzy, crushing the wani. After a river take out in River Valey – shuttle to Sandy Leila and Sierra had a bit too much sun morphology lesson and a quick paddling Inlet – paddle under the Bridge. and had a laugh attack. Jack prepared an lesson we played in the washout and DATES: July 14 - 23 2019 amazing mac that was devoured by the practiced our ferrying. On to our first entire group. Same with the brownies set! We basically flew down it and on to LEADERS: Severen Fischer-Schmidt Michele and Simon made. With full the second portage. At the bottom of and Jack Gardiner stomachs and tired bodies, everyone that Alex and Tessa cooked up some PARTICIPANTS: Finn Creeggan, was quickly in bed. delicious quesadillas while the rest of Jemima Cohnstaedt, Elizabeth the group swam in the wave train at Gunner, Zoe Jovkovic, Makoa Kokelj, the bottom of the set. The swimming Sage Noxon, Ryan Sullivan, Adam set at ease most of the apprehension Taback, Sasha Zuchlinski about whitewater and was super fun. We paddled on as the sun slowly Day 8 Riding Wave Trains melted our brains. We refilled our bellies with GORP/smarties (it was Distance travelled: 0 - Rest Day mostly smarties). A fun bridge set came Weather: Perty next with some big waves that created with the Pioneers Today started with Severen making a classic swiss navy style swamp dump a quick rescue of a boat and we hit the beaver tails for breakfast, which the PIONEER (EARLY JULY) next set which came right after. It had a campers happily consumed. Time for very fun splashy wave train at the relaxation was provided once breakfast was eaten, but not too long after Sasha, ROUTE: Spanish River. Shuttle to put-in bottom. The mojo boat ran it cleanest at Biscotasing – Spanish River – take out (shout outs to Iliana, Peter, and Finn and Ryan brought boats from the at Agnew Lake Lodge – shuttle to Sandy Victoria) and Sasha and Keitay had a beginning of the trail down to our Inlet – paddle under the Bridge. sweeet mith carve into the eddy. Some campsite for some fun. Insert more DATES: June 30 - July 9 2019 lazy paddling and in Maddie’s case relaxation. Then the entire group had a sleeping brought us to our campsite. Big session on swimming in whitewater and LEADERS: Grant Bowles Conover, Rock Tent Spots, Can’t Lose! Scrub club receiving throwbags. Unfortunately, the Jacob Fischer, Liv Gordon hilarity ensued with some swims both water levels were low, which resulted in PARTICIPANTS: Keitay Becker, Alex planned and impromptu (shout out to some sore glutes (whoops!). Couscous Iwanowski, Tessa Moorehead, Pyper). Sasha, Iliana, and Pyper cooked salad was made for lunch. Sasha, Zoe, Victoria Morris, Madeline Naish, up some delish spag with a chopping Lizzy, Adam, Finn and the leaders Peter Nelles, Iliana Rawlyk, Pyper assist from Ava. Face Masks were decided to run Ragged Chutes! The first Sennecke, Ava Symons, applied as we had a spa night on the run, Severen sterned down and Sasha Zuchlinski rocks with everyone but Grant taking demonstrated the line. After some fun part, shame. We wanted s’mores but shenanigans (Jack running the set solo Day 3 were lacking firewood so Ava and Peter in a tandem boat; Lizzy and Zoe going Hours on the water: 8.5 got right on it with some big partner down the set backwards), we portaged Distance travelled: 25km loads and we munched on chocolate, back up the trail to run it again. This time Sasha sterned down, with Sev in Weather: Hawt and sunny marshmallows, and graham crackers. the bow. Shortly after, we had our first Quote of the Day: “So are you guys While Victoria, Maddie, and Peter dump with Zoe and Lizzy. Another gonna just chill or…” -Iliana to her made the pesto for tomorrow’s lunch. boat partners The bugs chased us to our tents as we break was taken and a pizza dinner was collapsed for a well deserved sleep. eaten. Jack and Sev generously used the We awoke well rested on our lovely Dutch oven to bake a chocolate cake for dessert. little island. A breakfast of oats was P A G E 17 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0

with split pea soup and into juice DATES: July 3 - 22 2019 crystals (thanks to Hayden’s masterful PIONEER (LATE JULY) distribution) then pizza. Some LEADERS: Liam Agnew and highlights of pizzas : Gideon and Emmerson Wilson ROUTE: Noire River. Shuttle to put in on Lac Jim Road – Noire River – take out at Hayden talked a big game then burnt PARTICIPANTS: Charlie Baar, Charles Black River Inn – shuttle to Sandy Inlet – their pizza into pure carbon. Michael Debane, Sadi Gibson, Hanna paddle under the Bridge. bragged about being an Italian chef Greenbank, Aimee Norcia, Josie DATES: July 14 - 23 2019 while Freya cooked a perfect pizza for Nuttall, Alex Rose, Gigi Vrjimoeth, him. Then a beautiful dessert of turtles Bridget West, Margot West with homemade caramel. Gideon and LEADERS: David James and Brigid Roeder Rafe then began the worst collection of Day 15 dishes known to man and they showed PARTICIPANTS: Hayden Berwick, Hours on the water: 6 Dante Fenos, Tegan Henry, Jack us the meaning of haste as well as Distance travelled: 19km Hunter, Freya Hurst, Xander Linzel, cleanliness. Bedtime goodnight! Weather: Hot and sunny Rafe Murray, Michael O’Regan, Ella Quote of the Day: “I’m going to get bug Rice Hui, Gideon Solomon stuff, then do dishes. And that’s not PIONEER (JULY) quote of the day by the way.” Day 8 - Charles Hours on the water: 0 - rest day ROUTE: Coulonge-Noire Crossover. Shuttle Weather: Sunny with spotted clouds to put-in at Riviere des Outaouais - Woke up for apple crisp and had a Coulonge River - Lac Bryson - Noire lovely paddle until our first portage. It The sun was our alarm today on this River - take out at Black River Inn - was done sooner than we could blink an rest day. A couple of the campers had shuttle to Sandy Inlet - paddle under eye, even with the strange put-in. A few already claimed the Blackfeather the Bridge. bends and twists and turns later we campsite after they left so we made our breakfast of gingerbread pancakes which took a small eternity to cook by the leaders. When they finally were ready we all ate them up and fully moved into the bigger site at 50/50. Then we all went for a swim in the bottom of the set, then we practiced catching and throwing throwbags. Michael and Hayden helped the leaders paddle the boats down the set trying to get the “sickest line” They also had the craziest recovery ever! Meanwhile many were working on carving wood and their various projects they also dried themselves off and played some cards. Next began our afternoon of cheffing began with Freya and David making some pizza dough and Brigid, Tegan and Rafe got things ready for a French classic in honour of Quebec. Gideon faithfully carried the dough baby called Brigid JR. to term, Then Michael and Freya made their cheffing debut with chaps. Brigid worked on a secret turtle (the candy) project thus began an evening of gorging ourselves beginning T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 18 stopped to swim at a sandbar. Charles’ Arise dear campers to the dewey Day 6 waboba ball was brought out and campsite the night had left us. Although Hours on the water: 8 thrown around until crackers and it had not rained you would not be able Distance travelled: 8km cheese - then crackers and nut butter - to tell that it hadn't based on the wet Weather: Sunny and hot was ready. It wasn’t long after that that sand that now coated every available Quote of the Day: “How did you make we got to Targie. The first section we surface. The group took a little longer that juice?” - Sam, in reference to the portaged, and after Liam took on some than normal to pack up but once mac and cheese sauce water running the RR V, we lined RL all everyone was packed, boats were in the the way to our campsite. During our water without a moment's hesitation. Today we woke up to a fabulous Thai Pasta lunch a wild Brigid appeared! Max even put in 3 boats all by himself. breakfast of oatmeal with cinnamon, David, Brigid, and their 2-week pions With everyone packed up, they were milko, hocho powder, sugar, cranberries, were super ahead of schedule and treated to a lovely oatmeal breakfast coconut and banana chips. It was an decided to camp above Targie since we complete with all the fixings. Some like oatmeal extravaganza. We set out on were at the bottom. Soon we were all Sam opted to be conservative with their the “portage fro you know where” and headed over to the adjacent sandbar to toppings, while others like Kole went the group absolutely rose to the play tag, long jump, chicken, etc. Sadi ham and had more topping than occasion. After we had brought all the and Liam were an unstoppable duo in oatmeal. We pushed off and began the gear and most of the boats to the chicken fighting, taking on all comers. winding road ahead. We paddled tons of bottom of the put-in we had a lunch of Brigid and David brought their group distance, and eventually hit our first tuna wraps. We continued on after down to say hello, then folks went right portage of the day. A barrel by Abby and running some super fun continuous Rls back out to the sandbar. Charlie and a boat by Joseph got us to the end of and swifties and coming to our next Josie brought a canoe over to run the the portage and back on the river. portage after a bigger R1 which we also bottom RR side of the island - super Rowan was gunning it as per usual while completed with ease. We continued on doable. We munched spag for dinner Jacob and Jake wanted to take a more to our final portage after which we ate a while Liam whipped up Nanaimo bars leisurely pace. We continued paddling snack of no bakes. Shout out to Matt for dessert. What an awesome day! until we hit another beachy campsite. for taking the wanni on all 3 portages. The group quickly cooked up a After this we continued paddling to our delicious spaghetti before making a site which was another sandbar. We had cookie dessert before bed, now if only PIONEER (EARLY AUGUST) a scrub club and then delicious mac and they weren't filled with sand. cheese for dinner, SOOO juicy! Congratulations guys, another big day ROUTE: Coulonge River. Shuttle to put-in Campers made brownies for everyone at La Verendrye – Coulonge River – take in the books. for dessert which went much better out at Terry Fox Bridge – shuttle to Sandy than last time (thanks Audrey for taking Inlet – paddle under the Bridge. charge). What a day! DATES: July 30 - August 8 2019 PIONEER (EARLY AUGUST)

LEADERS: Jacob Fischer and ROUTE: Noire River. Shuttle to put in on PIONEER (LATE AUGUST) Olivia Gordon Lac Jim Road – Noire River – take out at PARTICIPANTS: Samantha Brown, Black River Inn – shuttle to Sandy Inlet – ROUTE: Groundhog River. Shuttle to put Peter Curtis, Jacob Freedman, paddle under the Bridge. in – Groundhog River – take out at Hannah Grant, Rowan Helman, Abby Fauquier – shuttle to Sandy Inlet – paddle Hunter, Kole Kovalik, Max Pearce DATES: July 28 - August 10 2019 under the Bridge. Basman, Jake Schwedler, Joseph DATES: August 14 - 23 2019 Stein-Muise LEADERS: Jack Gardiner and Molly Heintzman LEADERS: Liam Agnew and Day 6 PARTICIPANTS: Ewan Bailey, Sam Emmerson Wilson Hours on the water: 8.5 Burgess, Audrey Cameron, Robbie PARTICIPANTS: Destiny Greyson, Distance travelled: 25km Carey, Cristina Duran, Tuula Freir, Hailie Greyson, Alexandra Hyland, Weather: Sunny Matthew MacDougall, Hugh Ellie Keith, Nuan Law-Gallagher, Quote of the Day: “"Peter, I will delete McKenna, Martin Pascoli, Abigail McColgan, Kaia McColgan, your shins" -Joseph Taney Quezada P A G E 19 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0

Kolya Salter, Kai Samuel-Szablowski, DATES: August 14 - 23 2019 we had another big bonfire and roasted Gus Woods-Pneumaticos, yummy s’mores. Madeleine Zarull LEADERS: Olivia Gordon and. Kai Malcolm PARTICIPANTS: Isabella Arsenault, Day 8 PIONEER (AUGUST) Hours on the water: 7 Madeline Kurt, Adelaide Lavigne- Schmidt, Rhys Matthew, Duncan Distance travelled: 25km ROUTE: Michipicoten - Missinaibi River Weather: Started sunny, then McKay, Gabrielle Moore, Lauren Voyageur Trade Route. Shuttle to put in at thunderstorm, then cleared Richardson, Jemima Saravanamuttoo, Hawk Junction – Manitowik Lake – Quote of the Day: “Gus, catch the Paige Saravanamuttoo, Amalia Missinaibi Lake – Little Missinaibi River whoa.” - Nuan “No, I’m too sad.” - Gus Tinmouth, Derek Tutt, – Missinaibi River – take out in Mattice – Michael Waymann shuttle to Sandy Inlet – paddle under Everyone slept long and deeply after the Bridge. the last few big days, and after a slight Day 5 DATES: August 2 - 21 2019 sleep-in we munched some apple crisp Distance travelled: 0 - Rest Day on the rocks while Hailie and kolya Weather: Overcast morning, beautiful LEADERS: Logan Germain and made couscous for lunch. Getting on and sunny afternoon Cameron MacPhail the water, we puzzled our way down the PARTICIPANTS: Aenea Briggs, Luke rest of Ten Mile Rapids, with the heavy Happy birthday Bella and Duncan! Is Chevalier, Lucas Conrad, Alexander boats only getting stuck a few times. there anything better than a rest day for Corless, Sarah Ingoe, Artem Clearing the last of the swifties, we your birthday? I don’t think so. We had Kondrashov, Jackson Leggett, pulled over for lunch, eating faster than a lazy morning and woke up at 10:30 to Hunter Scarfe normal once we saw the clouds on the the sound of yet another Pinecrest horizon. Powering down the river, group portaging through the campsite. Day 10 trying to beat the weather, we kept After some quick and mouth watering Hours on the water: N/A spirits up by telling terrible jokes peach crisp, we tied our bracelets and Weather: Cloudy/sunny (what's brown and sticky?). Though a conducted scrub club. Bella gifted valiant effort was made by all, the storm Duncan a beautiful Patagonia logo REST DAY! We all had a great sleep- overtook us and we had to pull over for inspired bracelet for his birthday and in followed by morning coffee and a lightning drill. Snacking on granola Duncan gave Bella his friendship. Gabi cinnamon buns and some morning bars and dancing for warmth kept us gave us some trip skit inspiration and lazing about. After the requisite amount occupied until the storm let up enough Jemima yet again reminded us of Miley of time doing nothing, we hit the water to keep paddling. Braving the wind and Cyrus. After chilling out, maxing, and to run some sweet lines. Everyone was rain we kept on, paddling over the '15m relaxing for another few hours, Molly nailing it, Alex and Artem doing a great falls' - nonexistent because of a dam and Bella made us some PB and J wraps. job of sterning in whitewater for the more recently made than our maps - Some continued to relax in the first time. Some hit slick, swamp-free until finally reaching our campsite at afternoon while Molly, Derek, Duncan, lines while others crashed headlong into that very dam. Soon after we got there, Mike and Jemima paddled the set above waves. A good few dumps (including a the sky cleared and we had a gorgeous the campsite and below the ledge with flatwater dump by Luke and Lucas) sunset to watch as we cooked up some Kai. They paddled the right channel were rescued first by camper-leader great mac. Nobakes for dessert then it's first before moving on to the more teamwork and then just by campers. off to bed! Thanks for a great challenging left side. Everyone got an Lots went swimming and a few (Lucas, day everyone! opportunity to try out bow and stern in Luke and Artem) tried soloing. Artem an R3! Molly and Derek were flipped by did a totally-on-purpose spin move and the third hole but Jemima and Kai went down backwards while Lucas hit performed an awesome rescue and the PIONEER (EARLY AUGUST) the biggest wave broadside but boat was saved in no time. After an managed not to dump. After paddling awesome rest day, Duncan and Maddy ROUTE: Coulonge River. huttle to put-in at we reorganized packs, fixed boats and La Verendrye – Coulonge River – take out cooked up a delicious chickpea curry. To cooked up a snazzy mac n’ cheese. Jokes at Terry Fox Bridge – shuttle to Sandy celebrate Duncan and Bella’s birthdays, were told as we enjoyed smores. After a Inlet – paddle under the Bridge. great day we turned in for a solid sleep. T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 20

Goooooooood morning my lovely young adults! We waved goodbye to Tall Pine after a Paddle onwards, fortifying breakfast of oatmeal and Canot du Nords headed on down the portage to scout the next two CANOT DU NORD (LATE JULY) sets. They both looked fun and a ROUTE: Upper Missinaibi River. Shuttle to teensy bit big so put-in at Missinaibi Provincial Park - we said full send Upper Missinaibi River - take out at or no send you Mattice - shuttle to Sandy Inlet - paddle know? And we under the Bridge. shot them! The DATES: July 13 - 23 2019 second one gave bowspeople some LEADERS: Fraser Cepella and big air, especially Eamonn Gogan Myrna! Shoutout PARTICIPANTS: Max Coutts, Evan to Gyles for Kauffman, Jamie Paterson, Owen capturing it all on Taylor, David Thorne, Ross Torrie camera! We kept paddling on down Day 9 and it was just Hours on the water: 7.5 swiftie after R1 Distance travelled: 30km after swiftie after R1… you get the idea. Weather: Nice and hot PIONEER (AUGUST) Kate B, Kate F and Myrna decided to Quote of the Day: “I could fit like 80 try sterning in this section and crushed racks in my Amiris (80 racks) ROUTE: Coulonge River. Shuttle to put-in it. Much learning and enjoyment – Meek Mill at La Verendrye – Coulonge River – take ensued. Before we knew it, we were at out at Terry Fox Bridge – shuttle to Sandy Cascades de Batardeau, and it was We woke up and ate some breakfast Inlet – paddle under the Bridge. portaging’ time. By the end we were burritos and portaged all the packs so DATES: August 2 - 21 2019 pretty hungry so we had some rice n’ we could do the rapid empty boated. beans which had been prepared (and After scouting with the group and LEADERS: David James and very well salted) by Kate F and Myrna. teaching the paddlers WORMS, we Brigid Roeder Then it was onwards through the paddled down Devils Rapids and hit all PARTICIPANTS: Islay Ballantyne, swifties until we finally reached Chutes the V’s. The morning had plenty of Emma Bickerton, Kate Blumberg, Perley the site of our rest day whitewater including swifties that really Myrna Burns, Anne Carscallen, tomorrow! We portaged to the site didn’t feel like swifties and lined down Graeme Cook, Kate Funnekotter, below the chutes with minimal the last part of Z-drag. After refueling Michael Gyles, Teejay Oung, casualties (Armand turtled under a boat with gado gado we pushed hard Armand Polge he was carrying and Teejay slid remembering we’ll be in Mattice the dramatically off a log) but we made it! A next day. We arrived at Albany Rapids Day 11 quick dinner of Lazy Ps filled us with and travelled ducky style down Hours on the water: 5 that good starchy feeling and we headed choosing one of many different ways to Distance travelled: 10km off for a nice early bedtime, looking go down. After lining a ledge at the end Weather: Warm, sun and clouds forward to a sleep in tomorrow. of the 3k rapid the last push was on to get to the Big Beaver rapid where we P A G E 21 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 would be camping. After a long 10k, we garden was actually a giant flock cho on the Bay, which was appreciated got spag into us quickly and went to of geese by all. bed thinking about our great day and A big dark cloud then loomed on the the day in front of us and how close we This morning our alarms went off at horizon, and because of our large are to finishing the trip. the glorious hour of 4am… again! Fire distance from shore we decided to pre- got started for Kim’s coffee, and we emptively walk towards it in case the were still packed up and granola- storm was indeed headed our way. stuffed by 5:45 am. Ella greeted the sun Halfway there, it was evident that the with a simple “Hello sun” as the sun storm was not headed for us, so we rose over the Bay. Absolutely stunning. turned back towards the canoes, with We were on the water under the only a few begrudged mumbles from Guided by the beautiful dawn glow when a strong on- some campers who walked further than shore wind arose, so we started the rest. zigzagging our way along the shore to Four hours after initially beaching Tides: the prevent taking on water from ourselves, we were off. Dragging broadside waves. We soon began to see initially and then paddling. We then saw lightning on the distant shore, with the biggest flock of Canada Geese any thunder following 50 seconds later. of us had ever seen! Many hundred Bay Trippers Crazy how far away we can see out here birds sitting at the tide’s edge, super on the Bay. And then suddenly, a flash cool. A little later many stoic-looking of lightning on our shore, followed by a pelicans flew by in unison. At around 4 BAY TRIP (JULY) crack of thunder! Lightning drill folks! pm we stopped for a snack of dried fruit We paddled, dragged and then headed and gorp, when through the mist we ROUTE: Kesagami River. Shuttle to put-in to shore. As Bay weather often does, it saw the shore! It had been so misty all at Detour Lake Road – Lake Kesagami – changed quickly and blue skies we could see were the trees in the far Kesagami River – James Bay – Moose approached. So, we headed out to the distance and the shore crept up on us. River – train fom Moosonee to Cochrane boats, and were amazed by how far the Given the time of day and that the tides – bus shuttle to Sandy Inlet – paddle under tide had gone out, slowly stranding us were still rising, we knew we would be the Bridge. on the tidal flats. The group hurriedly paddling the rest of the day and would grabbed painters and began the hardest make it to Long Point no problem. DATES: June 30 - July 24 2019 drag we’ve ever done; dragging along Elation all around. On our final 2hr 1inch deep tidal pools as fast as we paddling stretch, we passed the same LEADERS: Henry Gould, Kimberley could in an attempt to chase down the bald eagle a few times, always perched Huisman, Ethan Rajaratnam ever-expanding tide. Multiple painters on a different driftwood tree trunk, and PARTICIPANTS: Parker Chase, Gwen were tied to the front of each boat, and another bird that we think was a Elmhirst, Jack Greifenkamp, Ella Iles, after a series of weighted sprints we juvenile bald eagle. When we got to Finn Paulsen, Russell Roberge, Cole were all floating on the water, Long Point, the view was too beautiful Rinehart, Sarah Sabharwal, exhausted, but not stranded. to move on from, so we decided to rest Emlyn Vrijmoeth By this time, the big on-shore winds day here! Ethan, Finn and Cole led the had morphed into light tail winds, and charge on Fett, and then a nice Day 21 we pleasantly paddled until 10 am when campfire was built as dusk passed to Hours on the water: 12 we decided we were far enough from night. Well done everyone, James Bay is Distance travelled: 29km shore. Bye bye tides! This time, unlike behind us! Weather: Crazy. Lightening storm in yesterday, the tides went out many more early morning, light tailwinds midday, kilometres, and at the lowest point the rainstorms all around, but rarely hitting water was barely within sight. BAY TRIP (AUGUST) us, and then a dense cold mist late in Lemon loaf was a huge hit! Finn’s loaf the day. took top prize, followed by Cole’s loaf. ROUTE: Kesagami River. Shuttle to put-in Quote of the Day: “HOLY CRAP Ethan’s loaf got railed on pretty hard for at Detour Lake Road – Lake Kesagami – THEY’RE BIRDS!” – Everyone upon its burnt outer shell, but the inside was Kesagami River – James Bay – Moose seeing what we thought was a rock still delicious. Kim whipped up some ho River – train fom Moosonee to Cochrane T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 22

– bus shuttle to Sandy Inlet – paddle under With our 360 view of the ocean we could Ben Hannah, Mikaela Lewis, Tenley the Bridge. see storms brewing in all four corners. McKay, Owen Merskey, Hannah DATES: July 30 - August 23 2019 Panicking, we bomb proofed and then Millar, Judah Onstad-Bauld, Oliver watched as they left us alone. Bonfire Seguin, Ethan Wiebe LEADERS: Grant Bowles Conover and time. It was difficult to light but with the Frieda Hodgins help of a people windshield Xin Day 19 PARTICIPANTS: Asher Birenbaum managed. The sun was setting and the Hours on the water: 5 Jonah Brooks, Riley Buckle, Clare rain was sprinkling as we watched the Distance travelled: 15km Farley, Charlotte Funnekotter, Jasper lightning far off in the distance. We all Weather: Hot Gibson, Colin Gould, Xin Law- danced and sung around the fire into the Gallagher, Sean Lizzola, Andrew night. Goodnight all. HAPPY. One last sleep-in. Probably our last Morse, Jamie Paterson, HAPPY DAY. one of trip? Breakfast of oatmeal was Sebastian Shaw eaten before tents were down...a real treat. The sun was already up and hot Day 21 BAY TRIP (AUGUST) despite the night’s light rain. Many ran Hours on the water: None for the woods to poop which was Distance travelled: 0 - Rest Day! ROUTE: Kesagami River. Shuttle to put-in at hilarious but also concerning. A quick Weather: Windy mama! Detour Lake Road – Lake Kesagami – scrub club and we were off. A couple Quote of the Day: “Everyone agreed to Kesagami River – James Bay – Moose River hours passed on the open wide collecting bonfire-wood right away and – train fom Moosonee to Cochrane – bus Kesagami River until we pulled up at a I’m kind of upset because I had a whole shuttle to Sandy Inlet – paddle under gravel bar for lunch. Chaps and pb and j speech prepared” - Colin the Bridge. – a classic. After lunch we passed the DATES: July 30 - August 23 2019 Kattawagami but saw no seal! Judah did Wow are we ever happy to have see a bear, however. The tides were now paddled the bay yesterday. Storms were LEADERS: Severen Fischer-Schmidt and noticeable and we pulled over to wait brewing all night long and we awoke to Eamonn Gogan for the whole group to catch up. We absolutely absurd winds. The leaders PARTICIPANTS: Kai Blackstock, Louis tried to figure out the scientific tent turned into a 1-person and trying Fontaine, Molly Frost, Sachen Gombu, reasoning/explanation for the tides but to light a fire was flat out nuts. Eventually Colin and Xin did their best to windproof the fire pit and made a delicious coffee cake with strawberries on top!! Still windy as ever, Grant demonstrated his barrens knowledge and with the help of Sean, Andrew and Frieda, constructed a wind tarp out of a Tetris of canoes. Colin and Xin continued their cooking roll and whipped up date squares. Books were read, Happy Day gifts were made, bonfire wood was collected, bonfire wood was washed away by the tide and we all settled down underneath the wind tarp for a dinner of sloppy-joes. Thanks to Frieda and Seabass for the SCRUMPCIOUS buns! So good - would recommend. Then came happy day! Everyone was VERY impressed by the gifts this year. For example – Jasper made Jamie a white water board game and Sean made Grant a goose head. P A G E 23 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 it proved difficult and overwhelming woke and ate peach crisp, packing up with too many theories and hand the campsite but leaving our boats WILDERNESS LEADERS IN gestures for anything concrete. empty in order to paddle the creek TRAINING (AUGUST) Nevertheless, we pushed against them where the mountain trail began. We all the way to Goose Camp. After began our ascent with the goal 1950 ROUTE: Dumoine River - White Water unloading many of us realized we were metres (feet?) away. The trek was Training Trip. very tired and very hot. Firewood was perilous but we ventured onwards. Min DATES: August 3 - 8 2019 collected in intervals between naps and and Matt got acquainted with some dinner did eventually get made. Spag yellow jacketed friends on the trail LEADERS: Kai Bruce, Emma Gibson- with extra noodles and all the rest of towards the second highest point in Bray, Bernard Rechico-Moisan the shitake mushrooms was perfect. A Ontario. Min was stung on her butt! PARTICIPANTS: Katie Berwick, Ellen loaf was then cooked on the dutch and The group reached the top and ate Boyle, Kanonhsase “Gunner” Brant, outbacks and people got their stuff some apples while admiring the view. Ted Cass, Sacha Edwards, Romey organized for the early morning that There were tons of blueberries as an Karovitch, Sam Sutherland, Callum was coming. Tenley and Sachen stayed added bonus for finishing the hike – Keenan, Emma Tutt, Sumner up late finishing up the loaves and we who knew they could grow at basically Rajaratnam, Malachi Winter love them for it. Excitement, nerves, the highest point in Canada?????? After and fatigue mangled into a silent sleep. a good photoshoot and some tree Day 4 Early morning tomorrow. climbing, we made it back down to our Hours on the water: boats and returned to our campsite. Distance travelled: 0km - Rest day at Owen decided to swim fully clothed so Little Steel Everett decide to follow suit. His Weather: Cloudy, sunny periods, pinch clothes were all cotton. After a quick of rain pesto lunch we paddled down towards Quote of the Day: ““You can never have the narrows by the Lady Evelyn South Lead On, WLITs - too much pineapple. Callum you like Channel. We camped there and ate pineapple, right?”- Malachi as he puts curry as well as some good ol’ s’mores. an entire can of pineapple on his shared We’d Follow You! Dan made a loaf that smells like pizza with Callum. popcorn – excited to see how that turns out tomorrow! Goodnight sleep We all enjoyed a slower wake up to tight, last full day tomorrow! WILDERNESS LEADERS IN Kai’s banjo twangs to start our rest day TRAINING (JULY)

ROUTE: Temagami Flatwater Trip. DATES: July 18 - 22 2019

LEADERS: Frieda Hodgins and Owen Melanson PARTICIPANTS: Matthew Blumberg, Elliot Carusone, Daniel Horton, Min Timmins, Everett Vitols

Day 3 Hours on the water: 8 Distance travelled: 9km Weather: Really hot and really sunny Quote of the Day: “Elliot I’m stepping on your feet” – Min. “I know” – Elliot

Today was the day the Maple Mountain mission came to fruition. We P A G E 24 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 at Little Steel off right! The group fixings for a pizza party! Emma GB Distance travelled: 11km devoured a yummy breakfast of huevos stuffed the dough bag under her shirt to Weather: Beautiful sun with headwinds with avocado in preparation for a full warm her little dough baby for it to rise play day ahead. After gearing up, the faster. In the meantime, the group Today we did SO MUCH group followed Kai and Bernard up the enjoyed playing cards, journaling, and WHITEWATER!! We awoke and river to scout our route, paying close listening to more of Kai’s banjo music. already knew it was going to be a great attention to each section of the river, Once the dough had risen and been day, because the sun was shining down while applying WORM2S to find each “birthed”, the group jumped into their on us! We broke our fast of huevos on eddy, discuss maneuvers and identify pairs and hastily cooked their pizzas to the lovely open rock, and off we went! markers like Pride Rock. Putting our devour after a long day on the water. After the first fun drop we did a much boats in halfway down the set, the With bellies full of pizza, everyone larger and more technical section group got really pumped to test out the enjoyed roasting a few marshmallows without a hiccup! The next set was a solos and empty tandems boats on this for s’mores for dessert by the light of HUGE wave train, many people’s bigger, more technical set! Every the pink sunset, fading to afterglow. favourite. Elliot and Oscar dumped at camper soloed Little Steel, and Callum, With a lovely half moon and a few stars the bottom because they were laughing Malachi and Sacha even soloed empty to guide us, everyone crawled into their so hard that they forgot what they were tandems down to try another style of tents and drifted off into a deep sleep! doing. Whoops. All was salvaged….even paddling. The group practiced lots of Goodnight WLITs and way to go! the beets!!! We carried on before having ferrying on this set, including jet the best lunch of beets, seasoned with ferrying- a skill that Sumner and Romey love from Connor. Yum. Also chaps. absolutely crushed! Ellen showed great Also yum. Our next set was a biggie, determination in her paddling, working and Maya and Mat took a small dip. We hard to attain upstream. It was fantastic searched all around for a decent to see so much enthusiasm in the group Voyageur Is - campsite, and found a nice grassy to practice their skills and the WLIT’s clearing about a km down. Fet al was all made strides on their Paddle Canada prepared, and we drifted off to sleep. levels! With all this practice, the squad was happy to break for a yummy lunch Into the Wild of pesto pasta with sundried tomatoes, VOYAGEUR I (AUGUST) which was fully made on the initiative VOYAGEUR I (AUGUST) of the campers! GO TEAM! After ROUTE: Harricana River. Shuttle to put in lunch, the group continued honing their ROUTE: Enistuwach - Pontax River. at Riviere Plamondon - Harricana River - skills, while practicing their throw bag Shuttle to put in along James Bay James Bay - Moose River – train fom tossing with Bernard to gain a better Highway - lake hopping and creeping to Moosonee to Cochrane – bus shuttle to understanding of river safety. At the end Enistuwach River - Pontax River - Sandy Inlet – paddle under the Bridge. of the afternoon, many campers enjoyed Rupert Bay - take out in Waskaginish - DATES: July 29 - August 24 2019 swimming the set, especially Emma and shuttle to Sandy Inlet - paddle under Katie who showed no fear belly the Bridge. LEADERS: Fraser Cepella and flopping into the rapids and laughing DATES: July 29 - August 24 2019 Owen Melanson their way downstream. By late PARTICIPANTS: Martin Ambrose, afternoon, everyone was happy to hop LEADERS: Connor Cepella and Matthew Blumberg, Madeleine off the water and kick back and relax Morgan Hodgins Brown, Dries Di Rosa, Isaac Ewing, before dinner! Kai and Emma GB PARTICIPANTS: Maya Cairns-Locke, Kate Gyles, Miguel Gomeza de completed one last run together, Elliot Carusone, Mathieu Forster, Larrea, Min Timmins enjoying some surfing in the bigger Maddie Norman, Rae Panayi, waves! Once the hunger began to strike, Suzanne Pataut-Ghez, Leo Rawlyk, Day 13 the pizza prep began! Romey and Katie Eglantine Roch, Oscar Roos, Hours on the water: 6 took the initiative to carry up and Everett Vitols Distance travelled: 5km empty all the boats in preparation for Weather: Rain, cold, sunny evening tomorrow’s paddle, while the rest of the Day 18 crew helped prepare the dough and Hours on the water: 7.5 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 25 VIIs: Challenge and Growth in the North

VOYAGEUR II

ROUTE: The De Pas, George and Fraser Rivers. Fly to starting point in Scheffervile, Quebec - shuttle to put in at Lake Attikamagen - paddle and portage to the De Pas River - George River - upstream on the Falcoz River - portage across the Quebec/Newfoundland barrens - The angelic tune of Owens voice and special power to keep their boat Fraser River - finish in Nain - fly to songbirds woke us to a damp and cold untangled. A walky-talky conversation Toronto - bus to Ferguson Bay - paddle morning. Its Min’s birthday!! Ever ensued, that would have made an 8- under the Bridge. hopeful we crawled out of our tents and year-old jealous. It was determined that DATES: June 30 - August 26 2019 looked to the overcast sky. Bets where the line was a bit ambitious. After a cast as to whether the weather would short pause Isaac and Martin ran the LEADERS: Mark Nicol and follow us - the three-day rule. We right line. Everyone had taken their Helen Thomas munched Fraser’s delicious granola challenge by choice routes, we trusted PARTICIPANTS: Samuel Carey, sprinkled with milko, dry and wet. We our judgment and ate some delicious Matthew Chung, Jordan Decker, Alex layered up and contemplated the size of pesto. A burned-out forest river right King, Abby Levisky, Gabriel my hands before running the set of and the exposed shield gave a desolate Riendeau, Ella Taylor, Alexander Wolf which our campsite overlooked. Soon feeling to the landscape. After a short we were on the water after Miguel was paddle and an extra ferry to make sure Day 1 challenged to carry the water or we got it right we arrived at another Buckle up kids - these next 14 days are disgrace his honor. This caused amazing campsite. Some delicious going to be crazy. Happy birthday, Ella! colourful debate which lasted two perogies and a perfectly cooked cake If you remember, this morning was portages, over beautiful rock shield. prepared by Isaac, Matt and Kate filled crazy early. Breky of oatmeal and dried Min and Dries both challenged or bellies. We celebrated Min and as the raspberries. Mark and Abby paddled themselves and portaged boats. Matt sun went, with a stunning sunset we ahead and wrote ‘love Ella’ on the carried three packs and Kate tried her marvelled as the moon arose from its beach. We stopped for power bars and luck again with the emerg barrel, slumber. We circled around the Fire and talked about how nutritional labels carrying it to the end without Fraser reflected on how appreciative we are to connected us to the world. Paddled an getting wet. We sampled the world have such an incredible group. Such an R1 and R2 which concluded our white famous Cori’s bars (they are incredible) amazing opportunity for adventure. The water on the De Pas river. Started the and paddled to our next major stars are shining bright and the coals are George River which was absolutely challenge. This set looked gnarly from burning low. It's time to crawl into our stunning. Found caribous antlers on a every angle. Huge waves and big sleeping bags and prepare for another ridge. Paddled a lot before lunch. churning holes, a daring drop to say the amazing day. Stopped at a beach, had chaps with least. It took every gram of Owen’s hummus. Swam and ran around for a bit P A G E 26 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 enjoying the warm weather. Early morning caught up to us and we camped after 9 hours. Camped on a sunny ridge with a stunning view. Pizza dinner and cake made the day. Matt taught us how to wrestle. At sunset we hiked to a burial ground, enjoyed the view, and gave an offering of tobacco hoping for good weather on the George River.

VOYAGEUR II

ROUTE: Behchoko to Kugluktuk. Fly to starting point in Yelowknife - shuttle to Behchoko - Marian Lake-Wecho River- Wecho Lake - Snare Lake - Roundrock Lake - Snare River - Winter Lake - Winter River - Big Lake - Starvation Lake - Starvation River - Point Lake - Redrock Lake - Rocknest Lake - Coppermine River - take out in Kugluktuk - fly to Toronto - bus to Ferguson Bay - paddle under the Bridge. DATES: June 30 - August 24 2019

LEADERS: Alex Hodgins and Sasha Pickering PARTICIPANTS: Patrick Dunlop-Ellis, Jack Heath, Theodore Heintzman, Samuel Liptay, Hana Morgan, Grace Murdoch, Lee Rosensweet, Wilson Symons

Day 7 Beginning the day on the ‘rock dome campsite’, we first had a little bug portage followed by a regular portage. We ate potato salad and said hi to the sun and swam in the current. We did some quick stretching and discussed the miracle of human balance. We pushed on and the clouds moved in and by the time we were looking for a campsite, it was raining big sheets that soaked your cold, cold soul. Loaves were baked and the rain finally let up a few hours after setting up camp. Mac and cheese was laved over and then consumed laboriously. Compliments were exchanged and people ANCHORed T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 27 themselves cause it was just that Day 33 We set off down the speedy current kind of day. Hours on the water: 2.25 plus portaging (yes, downstream!) rock dodging and Distance travelled: 4.5km zipping along. Very quickly we arrived at Day 17 Weather: Mostly cloudy, occasional sun a tight corner into a small canyon. The big push begins! We are one day and showers There was an R2 set in the mouth of the away from Weweeti according to the Quote of the Day: “AAHHH” began canyon with a nice can-opener rock, so schedule and 10 days according to everyone for a wang ho, “YOU!” – we decided to line past the tough spot reality. So the big push begins. It Lachlan in the tune of soldier boy and run the rest. The rest of the canyon begins, however, not with a big push but was pretty shallow so we could hop out with a really long scout and then a The sky was a high layer of clouds as at corners or shoals if need be. The detour to the dream stream that turned we crawled out of our tents this water was an amazing turquoise blue out to be a nightmare creek. Alors, back morning and the dew had frozen to the colour that felt almost tropical. After on the mainstream. Pretty typical day top of all our belongings. The oatmeal the canyon walls dropped off and gravel after that with a highlight of fettuccini was bubbling (much to Mark’s disgust) bars popped up, we decided to camp. Alfredo for dinner. Night night. P.S. and the coffee was almost hot enough to There were some cool spine bones and The weather was unbelievable! The day warm the toes we were forced to dip in antlers to check out and Cori found a was scorching hot until near the end the creek to grab our boats. We finished river booty paddle! Pont, Cori, Mark, when the sky became a shade of hazy the chocolate chips in the oatmeal and Sam played endless Dutch Blitz orange, the air thick with smoke. fixins, oh no! Then, like a well-oiled while Ella & Ben made delicious Lightening and thunder danced and machine, we set off for what would fettuccine alfredo. Robyn and Lachlan drummed around us while we waited for prove to be our last three legs worked on the most amazing sesame rain (it had been particularly dry and of overland. seed loaves beside the kitchen tarp and hot for days - no significant rain for a The horse trail was wide, flat, and took we all gossiped about what might be week). Then hail was thrown form the a mostly direct route down the valley happening in the world while we’re sky with tremendous force and we towards Blackfeather Creek. Doing the away. Great day with a bit of everything! sought shelter in the woods and waited legs in only two loads despite the new for it to pass. All this came and went in weight of the food drop we made good not much more than a half hour. time. Clif bars helped give us motivation and we loaded up our boats at a spot where the creek seemed to widen and deepen. Only 200 m later we VOYAGEUR II learned why it widened and deepened… the world's largest beaver dam! Standing ROUTE: Tsichu - Caribou Cry - Mountain Rivers. Whitehorse - shuttle to Tsichu nearly 5 ft tall it held back a pond of River - Caribou Cry River - Twitya water like a man-made hydroelectric crossover - Crumbling Creek - Overland - dam. We clambered out onto it to find Wilowhandle - Blackfeather Creek - the smoothest point to cross and ogle Mountain River - Mackenzie River - its height. One point looked a bit lower, flight to Norman Wels - fly to Toronto - so we dragged over and down to the bus to Ferguson Bay - paddle under shallow creek again. the Bridge. Since we were so close to Blackfeather DATES: June 29 - August 26 2019 Creek we decided to just drag the last bit. The water was ice cold! Even the small distance of knee-deep water LEADERS: Sam Angel and Cori-Anne Huisman caused our legs to ache without our drypants. How did people trip in the PARTICIPANTS: Robyn Fyfe, Claire Hunter, Sarah Irvine, Sophie “Good Old Days”?! We stopped at the Karovitch, Ella MacPhail, Lachlan confluence to eat some yummy chaps Robertson-Martin, Ben Shaw- and BBD. It seemed a good time to do a Cannabrava, Mark Teron lesson on river morphology as the rain came and went. P A G E 28 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0

well as his brother Larry, cousin Daryl, Ted Moores and others, Bruce led the efforts to incorporate Wanapitei and subsequently chaired the 15 member Board of Directors for the next 30 years. From 1956 until this past year there was only one summer he did not devote to Wanapitei. Whether leading canoe trips, deftly imagining what a future Wanapitei might be or simply greeting guests in front of the Chateau, his essential nature “involved uncommon passion that powered his conviction” (James Raffin, 2019). Wanapitei is embarking into a new era this up-coming season. Woody and JJ, who have delivered such stability and growth for the past 13 years have passed the directors’ torch to Erin Sunstrum and Gill Thompson; Seana Irvine has stepped into the role of Board Chair; other side. Stan and Laura Belle, it is Jackie Hodgins has taken on the said, were particularly taken by Sandy position of Site Director; I, not long Inlet and fantasized about the ago, assumed the responsibilities of Enduring Presence possibility of nurturing it into a youth President/CEO and, of course, Bruce ... continued fom page 1 camp focused on canoe-tripping – a far- will not be physically with us. fetched dream for a young pregnant While there may be fewer bear hugs Rabbit and Net Lakes, hauled and couple on a school principal’s salary but, on the Chateau porch in 2020, the portaged up Thieving Bear Creek to apparently, dream they did. “moment of truth” that was Bruce Mountain Lake and then carried on to Moving on, they paddled southward, Hodgins will live on in all things Anima Nipissing and Red Squirrel portaging into Kokoko Lake and Wanapitei. Through the community he Lakes. With packs, loaded down by Kokoko Bay before turning northeast helped build, he will continue to reach canvas tents, wool blankets and canned towards Temagami. Unbeknown to out with all his passion and generosity food, the group was ready for a break as them, however, another vision was also of spirit to support and guide all of us, they finally approached Lake Temagami. formulating about canoe tripping from and in particular, our new directors. In In the shelter of the river they pulled up the sandy bay on the north end of Lake the summer of 2019, the Community their boats where the canoe docks now Temagami. On August 24, while the Weekend was reintroduced as a mid- anchor and set up camp approximately Hodgins were still driving south, the summer opportunity to reconnect and where Red Squirrel cabin would be built site was visited by Ed Archibald, the celebrate the Wanapitei experience. For just eight months later. founder of Camp Wanapitei. Through this coming season, the weekend For a few golden days the small group the fall negotiations with the Province (always between July and August camp) of adventurers walked the beaches end were initiated for a lease-to-own will be rebranded as the Bruce Hodgins to end, swimming often, and explored agreement and in 1931, the year of Community Weekend and I encourage all the remains of Father Charles Paradis’ Bruce’s birth, Camp Wanapitei opened friends, families and alumni to attend. homestead-Mission, which had been its doors on Lake Temagami. The weekend will be filled with just abandoned six years prior following a 25 years later, Stanley and Laura Belle what my father loved - day-trips out on devastating fire. Undamaged were the purchased Wanapitei from Ed the land, stories, laughter, music, log portion of the building we call the Archibald and Bruce soon slid into the delicious food, campfires on Chateau hospital, the ice house that is finally dual roles of program and tripping Point, lively discussions and a good old being reclaimed by the earth behind dry director, unleashing his passion for Wanapitei square dance. docks and a small chapel overlooking Temagami, the canoe and all things We hope to see you there! the river from the granite knoll on the North. In 1971, with Carol at his side, as T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 29 Sweat and a Few Tears Make the Kitchen Dream Reality

By Jackie Hodgins, Site Manager and Board Member

HEN STANLEY and Laura Belle Hodgins purchased Camp Wanapitei in 1956, W Stan wrote in the margins of the documentation ‘Kitchen needs to be replaced’. Years later and hours of planning, the Wanapitei board decided it was time to pursue the biggest building project in our history. With the incredible financial support of Ray and Claudette Kohut, we started with Ted Moores’ sketch and revisited the design basics. Geoff Hodgins and JJ visited other camp kitchens and sought out valuable input from many people, in particular our cooks past and present. Beth Albert, our most involved cook The 2019 Spring Crew celebrated the official opening of the new camp kitchen in June by advisor, and her good friend Denise peeling the protective coating off our giant stainless steel counter-top. Ropertz continued their advice right through construction, often getting heart and souls to working through all November 15th . The envelop (framing, texts in the middle of their day with the hoops. roof, and windows) were in place. In decisions that had to be made on January, I made a call to Geoff. “We the spot. With the drawings in order, the final decision to build was made at the picnic need to start in the winter or we won’t Geoff and I teamed together to create table in front of the Chateau the day make it!” A good thing we made the concept and permit drawings. Geoff, as after the 2018 Harvest night. Woody, JJ, decision to push forward as you will the Project Architect, focused on Geoff, Jackie, Ian Cameron (fall see later in this story. I then made a call kitchen flow (how people, food, and contractor) and Elia Deck (fall to a recommended general contractor dishes would circulate around the contractor) nervously debated if this and on February 6th, Julian Davies kitchen and move in/out of the dining was the year. A decision that couldn’t be hall) and aesthetically integrating this showed up by snowmobile in the retracted once made. If we tore down middle of yet another snowstorm. We sizeable addition with the historic log the existing kitchen, we were dining hall. I took on the drafting and made an agreement that he would start committed. the role of Project Manager. We worked as soon as it was a little warmer (-20 C tirelessly through the months, The demolition started on September or warmer) and he would help us until sometimes communicating on an 6th, material arrived on the barge, a May 1st. Shortly after, with record small crew of helpers was retained and hourly basis. snowfalls, roofs started collapsing on It was exciting to know that Stan and the beginnings of a very crazy time properties all over the lake and all the Laura Belle’s grandchildren were started. Fall is usually beautiful at camp, local contractors were called to shovel making the dream come true. A well that didn’t happen in the fall of roofs. The weeks went by and still no commercial kitchen requires a lot of 2018. Rain, snow, and winds hampered contractor. Panic set in as time slipped regulations to be met so we set our the progress at every step. We shut away. Then a message from Julian on down the project for the winter on P A G E 30 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 the radio phone, “I am coming tomorrow.” With 6 feet of snow on the ground, the project started up again. By March, Barret (Temagami Electrical), Shane (Packards Plumbing), Julian (Davies Construction), Scott Bricker (dubbed “the cabinet man”), and Ken (K&S Natural Gas & Propane) were all engaged. There were often 6 or more snowmobiles parked outside of the dining hall. Pretty cool watching their headlights come around Ferguson in the morning. I felt incredibly proud that all Snow didn’t stop the work on the kitchen renovation - snowmobiles provided access for the contractors were locals. Honestly, workers and supplies alike. no one else would have been able to deal with the conditions. My days the process of putting plywood on the 20th, permit in hand, the kitchen was started at 6:30 am organizing the day’s wall, refinishing and installing doors, passed over to the cooks. Only a few work through texts and ended at 9:30 and completing the endless list. I days late! However, the job didn’t end pm after clean up and shut down. I put attended Marmoleum floor installation there. The crew left me in order to 3000 km on the snowmobile bringing lessons. The crew and I laid flooring for attend their staff training, so I in materials, including the range hood days. The deadline of continued to work literally under the that just barely fit through the trees on June 18th, when 70 staff members cook’s feet. By mid-July, we had a very the Jack Pine Trail. Thank goodness would show up, loomed. Appliances nice space, with all the little details Geoff continued to field my calls were set in place and it started to look more or less in place to make it an throughout this time as we worked like a kitchen. On June 3rd , the awesome working commercial kitchen. through daily problems. The Wanapitei stainless steel counters were dropped Wow, a lot of sweat and tears from a lot Spring Crew started on May 6th . Their off in the camp parking lot. of people went into this project. first chore was to dig out the snow for Unfortunately the 14 foot serving The exterior will be finished this an ATV trail from camp to the Y on the counter was too heavy to move and coming spring, and sometime after that Red Squirrel Road because the would not fit down the trail. So, it went we will have a celebration to snowmobile was constantly back on the trailer, around to the mine commemorate this massive overheating. A back breaking 3 days and landing, and boated in hanging 5 feet accomplishment. Thanks to everyone we had a trail for materials and food to out the front of the boat. Whew, we who put their time and effort into this keep us going. We pressed on, the crew still needed occupancy from the project. I, for one, will not forget learning carpentry skills as we started building inspector to move in! On June the experience. T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 31 To Our Donors: With Our Deepest Gratitude SINCERE thank every Sponsorship of two Coureur de helped us support campers who would person who contributes Bois campers otherwise not attend camp for positively to Camp The Kapur Family financial reasons. Wanapitei, both financially A and through countless Support with VII Gear Program Fee Contribution for 2 hours of volunteer time. Toban Leckie, Jake Norris, Sophie Thomas campers from Temagami and Julian Patrick, Gil Thompson, First Nations Bread for Harvest Gourmet Matt Thompson 50% of fees for these campers are contributed Dinner at the Chateau by Temagami First Nations. Handmade by Michele Lattimore Wanapitei Camper Bursary Fund Direct Donation of $2480 Camper Sponsorship for 14 Cedar Strip Canoe Families who chose to donate to the Camper Wanapitei Campers Martin Family Bursary program at the time of registration Taylor Statten Camping Bursary Fund or independently. Kitchen Renovation Support Additional Contributions - Ted Foy, Olajos Family, Wanapitei Board Wanapitei Camper Bursary Fund Mabel’s Labels Members Cash Donation of $1479 Mabel’s Labels donated 35% of al sales fom Families who chose to donate the balance of families who purchased clothing labels Donation of Trip Gear their child’s camp store account. This money through their business to our bursary. Susan Haney, Jacob and Nico Fischer Good Luck, Woody and JJ! Thank-You for Everything working with Woody and JJ as professional By Erin Sunstrum, Director colleagues in the camping world, and T IS HARD TO KNOW where to Wanapitei looks begin in saying thank-you to forward to having the Woody and JJ. Serving as the Jupp-Wood family in directors of Wanapitei for twelve our alumni community. I years, they put their hearts and We can’t wait to minds into making our camp the stable, welcome Woody, JJ, welcoming community it is today. I Anna and Charlie have been incredibly fortunate to have whenever they are grown personally and professionally looking for a visit. Our under their mentorship and guidance. heartfelt thanks and They have become like family. love - we will miss you! The sadness we feel at seeing them move on to the next stage of their careers is softened by knowing that they are, and always be, a part of our community. Gill and I look forward to T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 P A G E 32 Mark Your Calendars: 2020 Important Camp Dates

31st-August 2nd: Community Weekend - Celebration of Life for Bruce Hodgins

AUGUST 1st: Community BBQ 2nd: Junior 5, Early August and August sessions begin. 7th: Junior 5 session ends. 8th: Junior 6 session begins. 14th: Mid-August Banquet. 15th: Junior 6 and Early August sessions end. 17th: Late August session begins. 17th-22nd: Family Camp. 19th-22nd: Family Camp three-night option. 28th: Gourmet Dinner. 29th: Harvest Night. VI and VII Campers paddle under MARCH MAY the Bridge. THIS MONTH: Camper Medical THIS MONTH: Spring Annual 30th: Camp ends. Forms online. Paddler in Work Weekend your mailbox! 1st: 3rd installment of camp fees due SEPTEMBER 1st: 1st installment of camp fees due for families on a payment plan THIS MONTH: Summer for families on a payment plan. 15th: Last day to submit Medical 2021 registration Forms opens online. APRIL JUNE THIS MONTH: Preview our 2020 OCTOBER camp clothing and place your pre- 1st: Last day to confirm travel plans THIS MONTH: Summer photos order 20th: Camp office moves online on Flickr. 1st: 2nd installment of camp fees due to Temagami. for families on a payment plan. 24th: Staff training begins. 1st: Final balance of camp fees due NOVEMBER THIS MONTH: for those not on a JULY Ottawa Reception: Old Ottawa payment plan. 3rd: Early July, July, and Full Fire House 4th: VII 2020 Family Information Summer sessions begin. Toronto Reception: Leaside Session (for this summer’s VII 14th: Mid-July Banquet. Gardens and Arena campers and their families) 15th: Early July session ends. 5th: Camp Wanapitei Annual General 17th: Junior 3 and Late July Meeting for shareholders sessions begin. (Toronto - Canadian Music 23rd: Junior 3 session ends. Centre) 24th: Junior 4 session begins. 29th: End of July Banquet 30th: Junior 4, Late July, and July sessions end.