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Overcoming the river Six youths and three supervisors paddle from Fort Providence to Willow River
Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, June 27, 2013
DEH CHO
It was the day of paddling that seemed like it would never end.
Andy Norwegian, left, of Fort Simpson and Wesley Snowshoe of Fort McPherson paddle on the Mackenzie River during the 10-day trip that was part of the Keepers Program. Norwegian joined the trip for the leg between Jean Marie River and Fort Simpson. - photo courtesy of Shanna Hagens
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Three students from Fort Providence along with three from Fort McPherson and three adults had launched from Fort Providence on June 4 for a 10-day canoe trip on the Mackenzie River. They were met with rain for their first two days.
On June 5, the group expected to camp at Redknife for the night, but high water levels in the river meant they couldn't stop. An attempt to set up tents on the other side of the river was thwarted by a black bear.
The group had to push on to Brownings Landing, which they finally reached at 2 a.m. the following morning.
"It was really bad," said Brandon Thom about the first two days on the river.
It was also overcoming challenges like that one, that left the students with a sense of pride when they finally reached Willow River.
"I think it was amazing," said Thom about the trip.
"It felt like it was an achievement that we paddled the Mackenzie River."
The trip, led by Shanna Hagens, a program support and high school teacher at Deh Gah School, was part of the Keepers Program, a two-year leadership and environmental stewardship program. All of the student participants were finishing their first year in the program.
The trip was about perseverance, pushing limits and the good feeling that comes after you've achieved something that you've worked hard for, said Hagens.
"One of our mottos was embrace the pain," she said.
Having pushed through the challenges on the trip the students will be able to look back on that example when they face challenges again in the future, said Hagens. As part of environmental stewardship, the students practised no-trace camping and also learned survival skills including being responsible for setting up the camp and cooking their own meals.
Thom, who had never been on a long canoe trip before, said he enjoyed some parts of the paddling. After the long paddle on June 5, the students spent the next day drying out their gear and relaxing on the beach. It was a good day, he said.
The students faced an equally challenging day on June 11 when, after launching from just past Fort Simpson, they had to paddle 85 kilometres to Cameron Point after being unable to find anywhere else dry enough to set up camp. The students finally landed at 1 or 2 a.m. on June 12.
"I had to keep everyone up by singing," said Thom, who is from Fort Providence.
Thom, 15, said he enjoyed seeing the old camps along the way including the old cabins at Brownings Landing.
"That was pretty interesting," he said.
Another highlight of the trip was having Andy Norwegian join the group at Jean Marie River and paddle with them to Fort Simpson.
"He had pretty good stories about all the camps and places," Thom said.
Norwegian also got some of the students interested in whittling.
The trip was also about building relationships between the communities like Fort Providence and Fort McPherson.
"We were pretty good friends after that trip," said Thom.
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