The BC Coast

After the Nahanni we went to Whitehorse and then down to Skagway Alaska to take the Alaska Marine Highway ferry to Bellingham Washington. The trip is a about three days and we were fortunate to have beautiful weather. We met up with some friends on Salt Spring Island and relatives at Comox and more friends on Quadra Island before heading home. The flowers at Bouchart Gardens in Victoria were beautiful.

The Nahanni

We joined some folks who support the work of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society The Nahanni is probably the most visual stunning place I have ever been. The canyons are spectacular. The wilderness is breathtaking. The paddling is fun, and challenging at times. Mostly we zoomed along with a 10km/hour current doing all the work.

Victoria Falls is twice the height of Niagara Falls, unfortunately the Painted Canyon immediately below the falls went by too fast as I was just getting into paddling through three or four foot haystack waves. It would probably have been better to be in the raft so I could soak up the incredible views.

Our guide Neil Hartling runs Nahanni River Adventures and they were amazing. We had primerib for dinner after a week on the river -- I know it sounds unbelievable, but the folks at NRA are amazing.

First time on the tundra

We flew out of Ft. Smith in the Northwest Territory on July 9th - heading about 300 miles from the nearest road. If you haven't been above the treeline, then it is something to see. We were up near the Thelon area which is a long way from anything. Fellow-paddler Tom had a great description - "I wouldn't call it beautiful ... It's a place where we don't belong." I would add that it is not without beauty; but it is a stark land.

We saw caribou, wolves and muskox; there are wolverines and grizzly bears in this area. Our guide Alex Hall (website) has been running rivers in the north for 30 years and has seen herds of caribou numbering several tens of thousands at one time.

There are a few billion mosquitos too.