Stranded on the Thelon
1 August -- THElon Canyon portage STRANDED ON THE THELON Dan McGuirE Introduction on our belts and in the sewn-in pockets of our floater In the summer of 1988, our group of four people, all jackets, including a variety of Swiss Army knives, members of the same extended family from Ancaster, Leatherman tools, small binoculars, and an auto-focus Ontario, had a rather harrowing experience on the camera in a baggie inside a belt pouch. This arrange- Thelon River. This is the story of what happened when ment works wonderfully well when one comes upon we swamped in the Thelon Canyon and lost most of unexpected photo opportunities. It works somewhat our gear, clothing, and food, as well as both canoes less well when one goes swimming without first dis- (two well-used aluminum Grumman rentals without robing, as we did on the Thelon. Since the camera was spray covers, one about 18 feet long and the other 17 an auto-focus, not an underwater, model, it continued feet or so). to advance the film but evidently could not adjust Our group (twin brothers Reg and Dan, Reg's son focus, defaulting to its shortest focal distance, which Danny, and Dan's son Gord) has extensive tripping explains the grossly out-of-focus shots after the experience, having travelled the Atwood-Albany, swamping. Ogoki, Winisk, Atawapiskat andother rivers. While on Because we had flown from Yellowknife and the water on our trips, we all carry a variety of "stuff' gassed up at Fort Reliance to start the trip at jim Lake, NastawGan Summer1997 and only intended to paddle, a portion of the river, we second tent and spare pot in one canoe and the grub naturally had organized a pick-up for three weeks later box and big tent in the other.
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