A couple of days ago we crossed the provincial line into Ontario and after a quick mileage review realised we’re over halfway! (for distance at least – this next bit will be slower…).
Here’s a round up of how we wound up in the middle of Canada:
- Distance covered: 2900km (give or take a wiggle…)
- Days since departure: 68
- Paddled/portaged: 60
- Weather bound: 6
- Days off off: 2 (he’s a task master…)
- Provinces crossed: 3; remaining: 2
- Favourite campsite: Bear camp, Alberta
Worst mosquito bite location:
- Cas: between toes
- Mike: scrotum
Tick tally: Mike 2; Cas 2
Leech tally: Mike 2; Cas 1
Halftime favourite piece of kit:
- Mike: water filter;
- Cas: carbon paddle (a few mm shorter than when we bought it…)
Nervous moments we thought we’d broken the boat: many
Repairs to boat: 2 (superficial, luckily)
Stow-aways: 2 (one mouse, one toad)
Hitchhikers: 1
Useless trivets lost overboard: 1
Useless trivets needed to reset the stove when it broke: 1
Cameras destroyed due to stupidity: 1
Times we almost fell in: 1 (yesterday)
- Fuel used: 3L white gas, 2 small camping gas
- Wine gums consumed: 3.5kg (slightly alarming)
- Whisky consumed: 3 bottles, all excellent
Best piece of advice: burn birch bark for smoke to get rid of mozzies!
Worst piece of advice:
- ‘Awful cramped: you should get another canoe and tow it behind you with your kit in it!’
Closely followed by:
- ‘You should run a noodle [floatation device used by children and in aquarobics classes] down either side – improve your stability!’
What we have learnt: this life suits us!
What we are yet to learn: we have to confess we’re still not 100 percent clear what poison ivy and poison oak are…
Weddings missed: 2 (and 2 more to go…)
Friends and family missed: many
We love you guys!! Xxx