Wild Child

“I stood on the rocky shoreline in awe of the beauty and immenseness of Lac LaRonge.  It was raining and the temp. was 40 F when we arrived on its shore in late May 2002. Nine of us women traveled 3 days by bus to get there. This place, LaRonge, Saskatchewan, Canada, would be our trailhead.  From here, we paddled canoes filled with over 500+ pounds of food, tents, and gear across expansive lakes, rivers (the kind that are slow and meandering and others that offered class-4 and 5 whitewater), and tributaries that would take us across the beautiful taiga and arctic tundra. The enormity of the water was humbling.  Our journey would take 55 days.

As we paddled north into the tundra, the conifer trees that were so plentiful became shorter and then non-existent.   However, while the tundra at first glance appears stark and desolate, it is abundant with vibrant life.  The ecology was astounding.  I just had to slow down and notice (this would be one of many lessons along the way). The archipelagos were teaming with small flowers and low-growing brush, grasses, off-the-chart gorgeous mosses and lichen, and my all-time favorite – Cloud Berries. Also, there were times when we’d be paddling along side the land and it was teaming with thousands of caribou that were making an annual migration. 

When we reached the Thlewiaza River inlet that would take us onto Hudson Bay, seals greeted and interacted with us.  This was an awesome moment and it was also anxiety producing because where there are seals, there are polar bears.  Paddle quickly ladies, I thought to myself.

Once on the Hudson Bay, it would take us 5 more days to reach our destination, Arviat, a small Inuit community.  The first couple days on the Bay were spent trying to figure out the tide schedule.   We paddled when the tide was in.  And, when the tide was out, we portaged all of our gear and canoes in order to keep moving; it was August and summer was fading.  At night we slept in makeshift “canoe tents” that sat atop large soft clumps of seaweed on the bottom of the Bay.  We knew when the tide came in because our canoes would start to float.  We’d pack up our sleeping gear, grab a snack, and paddle by moonlight.”

The summary above consists of excerpts taken from the diary I kept while co-leading this trip.  Every once in a while, when I need some extra courage, I re-read some of the passages written by a younger me.  I’m reminded that I already possess the strength and determination required to take on the challenges that are ahead.

I’ve always had a deep connection to nature. While it is not the Canadian wilderness, my love of the West Central WI countryside is no less profound. I enter the next stage of my life as a humble steward and student.  I have no idea how to get organic tomato seeds to germinate, what specific cover crops make the most sense for our small farm, or how to apply permaculture principles, like building Swales in order to conserve water.  But, I will.  I look forward to, once again, being challenged everyday by the complexity of nature.  

BrewWife