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It was the first year in the bow for our nine year old, Sarah, and the route was ideal. The first week of the trip we canoed lakes and a small river system leading to Webequie, which provided the perfect training ground for the big waters ahead. The rapids were mostly chutes with boulders piled on both sides connecting two larger bodies. Our notes indicated, "the boulders had been removed by previous generations." After six days we reached Webequie and the headwaters of the Winisk. With some apprehension we approached the first real rapids. We had canoed other rivers to the James Bay, but this seemed to be more ominous. As the leader (and father) who had organized this great adventure, I assured everyone that we were well prepared for what lay ahead. At least I hoped! As we approached the first marked rapids, we never remotely considered shooting them. We paddled straight to the portage and began our work. Halfway through our second trip we heard the whine of motors through the trees, and seconds later met two fishermen walking the path. They informed us that the native guides had dropped them off to walk, while they powered up the rapids in their skiffs. From that point on we decided to scout before making the decision to portage. Over the next several days we worked our way through the major rapids of the Winisk. Like coach with a struggling team, I moved my players around until we found the most comfortable and competent pairings. Once I shot a rapid twice with my oldest daughter, Elizabeth, while my wife and Sarah walked the rocks. Then the inevitable happened on a rapid in a very wide part of the river. Chris and Emily (15) hit a rock, went broadside and took a swim. Sarah and I eddy hopped back and made an excellent rescue of all floating debris and Emily. Chris floated the canoe down to calm water. The only other catastrophe of the trip was when Katherine (11) sprained her ankle portaging on the rocks around the lower part of Baskineig Falls. But youthfulness, a nice campsite, and sun the next day made for a speedy recovery. As always on a wilderness trip, the cohesiveness and compatibility of the group are paramount to the success of the trip. This can be a challenge when there is a forty-year age span between the youngest and oldest. But the simplicity of life on the river has a way of eliminating the generation gap that exists back in the civilized world. On the river we are all kids. That means that we can play the same games, laugh at the same jokes, and horse around together at the campsite. However, we do maintain a few parental privileges. First and foremost we have an adult tent and a children's tent. This was difficult for my wife to accept at first, but I have convinced her that they are perfectly safe (or alternatively, they wouldn't be any safer if I was in their tent). In fact the kids enjoy the chaos, craziness and camaraderie of their own tent, as much as we enjoy the serenity of ours. And then there are the ghost stories around the fire when dad scares the kids, and often himself. Our trip ended in Peawanuck on July 7th with a great sense of accomplishment. We had made our first trip to the Hudson Bay on a major Ontario river. Three weeks later we followed the HACC down the Winisk online and marveled at the fact that they didn't make any portages. Although we made about ten, we realized that a trip down the river is great fun, regardless of how you do it! | | |||||||||||||||||
