From Reindeer Lake to Eskimo Point by Peter Kazaks

Author:Peter Kazaks
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: SPO010000, TRV006040
Publisher: Dundurn Press
Published: 2010-11-04T04:00:00+00:00

The others were sleeping late the next day when I rousted them out at 7:30. We breakfasted and, as we were leaving, I saw another contrast between the Finns and us: they were baking a grayling by holding it over a fire with a forked stick. At least they would not have to wash a cooking pan.

We ran a couple of rapids before reaching Sucker Lake. The Thlewiaza River is powerful here. Our splash covers were on, and a good thing too. The bow dug into standing waves a couple of times, and I got smashed in the chest and slapped in the face by water. I gripped the paddle tightly, even desperately. The collisions with the waves sent enough water past the drawstring of the decking around my waist to soak my trousers and feet thoroughly, but we passed through in fine shape. I again found it exhilarating. Then we made short work of the seven miles of Sucker Lake and, upon emerging, had still more fun running a modest set of rapids. I thought that the last three days encapsulated the wonderful variety of our trip – canoeing on narrow Thanout Lake and the Thlewiaza River, portaging, rapids, flat open water on Kasmere Lake, and a diversity of campsites.

We climbed a high, steep esker carrying our lunch. At 120 feet high, this esker provided the best overview yet of the surrounding countryside. The green of the ever-present spruce forest, dotted with ponds, lakes and streams, stretched out below in all directions. The winding Thlewiaza offered the only semblance of regularity. A light green bowl nearby, about an acre in size, had once been a pond but was now filled with reeds and muck and was on its way to becoming completely filled.

A chilling wind made me welcome my Gore-Tex jacket and lifejacket vest, but it did dry out our trousers and shoes. Who would have thought that a lifejacket would be useful on a hilltop? The wind did not chase away the blackflies, which were out in abundance, but it did keep them in our lee. We faced into the wind, just as the caribou do, while we ate lunch. The blackflies peppered the back of my hood. Then we took a short walk along the esker to enjoy the view, but the combination of cool wind and blackflies was not inviting.

After lunch our canoes entered a long, wide, shallow rapids. They bumped from rock to rock and grated over others. We were almost sledding down these waters – possible in our aluminum Grumman canoe, generally considered a tough, forgiving workhorse. Aficionados debate at length the merits of materials, styles and manufacturers best suited for different types of canoeing. The Grummans, though somewhat lumbering and heavy, are considered almost indestructible. They continue to be used for wilderness trips because repairs are rarely necessary, although various modern plastic or Kevlar canoes are increasingly in favour. The Grummans have served George well over the years. We lived in them and

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